1 Hiram was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" king of|strong="H0776" Tyre. He|strong="H5704" had|strong="H1961" always|strong="H3117" been|strong="H1961" David’s friend. So|strong="H4480" when|strong="H1961" Hiram heard that|strong="H3605" Solomon|strong="H8010" had|strong="H1961" become|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" new king after|strong="H4480" David|strong="H3117", he|strong="H5704" sent his|strong="H3605" servants|strong="H5647" to|strong="H5704" Solomon|strong="H8010".
2 This|strong="H3117" is|strong="H3117" what Solomon|strong="H8010" said to|strong="H1961" King Hiram:
3 “You remember that my father, King David, had|strong="H6629" to|strong="H0905" fight many wars all around him. So he|strong="H1241" was|strong="H6629" never able to|strong="H0905" build a temple to|strong="H0905" honor the|strong="H0905" LORD his God. King David was|strong="H6629" waiting until the|strong="H0905" LORD allowed him to|strong="H0905" defeat all his enemies.
4 But|strong="H3588" now|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" LORD my|strong="H3605" God has|strong="H1961" given me|strong="H1961" peace|strong="H7965" along|strong="H5704" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" borders of|strong="H4428" my|strong="H3605" country. I|strong="H3588" have|strong="H1961" no|strong="H3605" enemies, and|strong="H4428" my|strong="H3605" people|strong="H1931" are|strong="H4428" in|strong="H4428" no|strong="H3605" danger.
5 “The|strong="H3605" LORD made|strong="H3605" a|strong="H5704" promise to|strong="H5704" my|strong="H3605" father David|strong="H3117". He|strong="H5704" said, ‘I|strong="H5704" will|strong="H3478" make your|strong="H3605" son king after|strong="H3117" you|strong="H3605", and|strong="H3063" he|strong="H5704" will|strong="H3478" build a|strong="H5704" temple to|strong="H5704" honor me|strong="H8478".’ Now|strong="H3117", I|strong="H5704" plan to|strong="H5704" build that|strong="H3605" temple to|strong="H5704" honor the|strong="H3605" LORD my|strong="H3605" God.
6 And|strong="H0505" so|strong="H1961" I|strong="H8147" ask you|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" help me|strong="H1961". Send your|strong="H1961" men|strong="H8147" to|strong="H1961" Lebanon to|strong="H1961" cut down cedar trees for|strong="H8010" me|strong="H1961". My|strong="H1961" servants will|strong="H1961" work with|strong="H8147" yours. I|strong="H8147" will|strong="H1961" pay you|strong="H1961" any|strong="H1961" price that|strong="H1961" you|strong="H1961" decide as|strong="H1961" your|strong="H1961" servants’ wages, but|strong="H1961" I|strong="H8147" need your|strong="H1961" help. Our|strong="H1961" carpenters are|strong="H1961" not|strong="H1961" as|strong="H1961" good as|strong="H1961" the|strong="H1961" carpenters of|strong="H0505" Sidon.”
7 Hiram was|strong="H0376" very happy when|strong="H0376" he|strong="H3808" heard what|strong="H1697" Solomon|strong="H8010" asked|strong="H0413". He|strong="H3808" said|strong="H0413", “I|strong="H1697" praise the|strong="H3605" LORD today for|strong="H0413" giving David a|strong="H3808" wise son to|strong="H0413" rule|strong="H1697" this|strong="H0428" great nation!”
8 Then|strong="H1961" Hiram sent this|strong="H0834" message to|strong="H0413" Solomon:
9 My|strong="H5414" servants will|strong="H0430" bring|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" down|strong="H5414" from|strong="H5921" Lebanon to|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" sea|strong="H3220". Then|strong="H5414" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0430" tie them|strong="H5414" together|strong="H5921" and|strong="H0430" float them|strong="H5414" down|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0834" shore|strong="H8193" to|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" place|strong="H5414" you|strong="H0834" choose. There|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0430" separate the|strong="H0834" logs, and|strong="H0430" you|strong="H0834" can|strong="H0834" take|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" from|strong="H5921" there|strong="H0834". As|strong="H0834" payment for|strong="H5921" this|strong="H0834", you|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0430" give|strong="H5414" food to|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3966" those|strong="H0834" who|strong="H0834" live in|strong="H5921" my|strong="H5414" palace.”
10 So Hiram gave Solomon|strong="H8010" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" cedar and|strong="H1121" fir logs that|strong="H3605" he|strong="H8010" wanted.
11 Solomon gave|strong="H1961" Hiram about|strong="H1961" 120,000 bushels of|strong="H1121" wheat and|strong="H1121" about|strong="H1961" 120,000 gallons of|strong="H1121" pure olive oil every|strong="H3605" year for|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" family.
12 The|strong="H1961" LORD made|strong="H1696" Solomon wise as|strong="H1961" he|strong="H1696" had|strong="H1961" promised|strong="H1696". Hiram and|strong="H1696" Solomon made|strong="H1696" a|strong="H1961" treaty between themselves|strong="H1696" and|strong="H1696" were|strong="H1961" at|strong="H1961" peace with|strong="H1696" one|strong="H1961" another.
13 King|strong="H5921" Solomon forced 30,000 men of|strong="H4480" Israel to|strong="H5704" help in|strong="H5921" this|strong="H0834" work.
14 He|strong="H0834" chose a|strong="H8085" man|strong="H3605" named Adoniram to|strong="H0935" be|strong="H0776" in|strong="H0935" charge of|strong="H4428" them|strong="H0853". Solomon|strong="H8010" divided the|strong="H3605" men|strong="H5971" into|strong="H0935" three groups with|strong="H0935" 10,000 men|strong="H5971" in|strong="H0935" each|strong="H3605" group. Each|strong="H3605" group worked one|strong="H3605" month in|strong="H0935" Lebanon and|strong="H0935" then|strong="H0853" went|strong="H0935" home|strong="H0776" for|strong="H0776" two months.
15 Solomon|strong="H8010" also|strong="H0853" forced 80,000 men|strong="H5650" to|strong="H0413" work in|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" hill country cutting stone. There|strong="H1961" were|strong="H1961" also|strong="H0853" 70,000 men|strong="H5650" to|strong="H0413" carry the|strong="H3605" stones.
16 There were 3300 men|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" supervise the|strong="H0559" workers.
17 King Solomon commanded them|strong="H5414" to|strong="H5704" cut large|strong="H1004", expensive stones for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0853" foundation of|strong="H1004" the|strong="H0853" Temple|strong="H1004".
18 Then|strong="H6258" Solomon and|strong="H3068" Hiram’s builders and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3068" men from|strong="H3068" Byblos carved the|strong="H3068" stones and|strong="H3068" prepared them|strong="H5117" and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3068" logs for|strong="H3068" use in|strong="H0430" building the|strong="H3068" Temple.