Preparations for the Temple

1And Chiram king of Tyre sent his servants to anoint Solomon in the room of David his father, because Chiram always loved David. 2And Solomon sent to Chiram, saying, 3Thou knewest my father David, that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord my God because of the wars that compassed him about, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4And now the Lord my God has given me rest round about; there is no one plotting against me, and there is no evil trespass against me. 5And, behold, I intend to build a house to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord God spoke to my father David, saying, Thy son whom I will set on thy throne in thy place, he shall build a house to my name. 6And now command, and let men cut wood for me out of Libanus: and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, and I will give thee the wages of thy service, according to all that thou shalt say, because thou knowest that we have no one skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians.

Hiram’s Reply to Solomon

7And it came to pass, as soon as Chiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be God to-day, who has given to David a wise son over this numerous people. 8And he sent to Solomon, saying, I have listened concerning all that thou hast sent to me for: I will do all thy will: as for timber of cedar and fir, 9my servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: I will form them into rafts, and bring them to the place which thou shalt send to me about; and I will land them there, and thou shalt take them up: and thou shalt do my will, in giving bread to my household. 10So Chiram gave to Solomon cedars, and fir trees, and all his desire. 11And Solomon gave to Chiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of beaten oil thus Solomon gave to Chiram yearly. 12And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon as he promised him; and there was peace between Chiram and Solomon, and they made a covenant between them.

Solomon’s Labor Force

13And the king raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand taking turn every month: they were a month in Libanus and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. 15And Solomon had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the mountain; 16besides the rulers that were appointed over the works of Solomon, there were three thousand six hundred masters who wrought in the works. 17(OMITTED TEXT) 18And they prepared the stones and the timber during three years.