| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, because he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always loved David. | 1Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David. |
| 2Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying: | 2And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram: |
| 3You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the LORD put his foes under the soles of his feet. | 3“As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet. |
| 4But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence. | 4But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis. |
| 5And behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to my father David, saying, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name.” | 5So behold, I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, according to what the LORD said to my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the house for My Name.’ |
| 6Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians. | 6Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.” |
| 7So it was, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people! | 7When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day! He has given David a wise son over this great people!” |
| 8Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have considered the message which you sent me, and I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs. | 8Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber. |
| 9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you indicate to me, and will have them broken apart there; then you can take them away. And you shall fulfill my desire by giving food for my household. | 9My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.” |
| 10Then Hiram gave Solomon cedar and cypress logs according to all his desire. | 10So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted, |
| 11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of pressed oil. Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year. | 11and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil. |
| 12So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. | 12And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. |
| 13Then King Solomon raised up a labor force out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men. | 13Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. |
| 14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. | 14He sent them to Lebanon in monthly shifts of 10,000 men, so that they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. And Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. |
| 15Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried stone in the mountains, | 15Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, |
| 16besides three thousand three hundred from the chiefs of Solomon’s deputies, who supervised the people who labored in the work. | 16not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers. |
| 17And the king commanded them to quarry large stones, costly stones, and hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the temple. | 17And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones. |
| 18So Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders, and the Gebalites quarried them; and they prepared timber and stones to build the temple. | 18So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple. |
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