1 Kings 5

1Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, because he had heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father; for Hiram had loved David all his days. 2Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3“You know that David my father was not able to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare that surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of my feet. 4But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is no adversary and no evil occurrence. 5So I am planning to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set in your place on your throne—he will build the house for my name.’

6“Now command that they cut cedars from Lebanon for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will give you the wages of your servants according to all that you say. For you know that among us there is no one who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7When Hiram heard Solomon’s words, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given David a wise son over this great people.” 8Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard what you sent to me. I will do all that you desire concerning cedar timber and cypress timber. 9My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts on the sea as far as the place you direct me. I will break them apart there, and you will carry them away. You, in turn, will do what I desire by providing food for my household.”

10So Hiram supplied Solomon with cedar timber and cypress timber, all that he desired. 11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year after year. 12The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, as he had spoken to him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

13King Solomon conscripted forced labor from all Israel, and the forced labor force numbered thirty thousand men. 14He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month: they would be in Lebanon one month and at home two months. Adoniram was over the forced labor. 15Solomon had seventy thousand burden-bearers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hill country, 16besides Solomon’s chief officers over the work: three thousand three hundred who ruled over the people doing the work. 17At the king’s command they quarried large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. 18Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, shaped the timber and the stones to build the house.