Alliance with King Hiram
1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
2 Then Solomon sentwordto Hiram, saying,
3 “You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lordhis God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lordput them under the soles of his feet.
4 But now the Lordmy God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune.
5 Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the Lordmy God, as the Lordspoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’
6 Now therefore, command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lordtoday, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.”
8 So Hiram sentwordto Solomon, saying, “I have heardthe messagewhich you have sent me; I will do what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber.
9 My servants will bringthemdown from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into raftsto goby sea to the place where you direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carrythemaway. Then you shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.”
10 So Hiram gave Solomon as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber.
11 Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year.
12 The Lordgave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.
Conscription of Laborers
13 Now King Solomon levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered 30,000 men.
14 He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a monthandtwo months at home. And Adoniramwasover the forced laborers.
15 Now Solomon had 70,000 transporters, and 80,000 hewersof stonein the mountains,
16 besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies whowereover the projectandwho ruled over the people who were doing the work.
17 Then the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones.
18 So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.
—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1KI/5-09b38ad66025385186994eca0268bb4b.mp3?version_id=100—