AB - I Kings - 5

5:1  And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to anoint Solomon in the place of David his father, because Hiram always loved David.

5:2  And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

5:3  You knew 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.

5:4  And 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.

5:5  And 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, Your son whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build a house for My name.

5:6  And now command, and let men cut wood for me out of Lebanon. And behold, my servants shall be with your servants, and I will give you the wages of your service, according to all that you shall say, because you know that we have no one skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians.

5:7  And it came to pass, as soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be God this day, who has given to David a wise son over this numerous people.

5:8  And he sent to Solomon, saying, I have listened concerning all that you have sent to me, for I will do all your will: as for timber of cedar and fir,

5:9  my servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea: I will form them into rafts, and bring them to the place which you shall send to me about; and I will land them there, and you shall take them up; and you shall do my will, in giving bread to my household.

5:10  So Hiram gave to Solomon cedars, and fir trees, and all his desire.

5:11  And Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of beaten oil; thus Solomon gave to Hiram yearly.

5:12  And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made a covenant between them.

5:13  And the king raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men.

5:14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand taking turn every month; they were a month in Lebanon and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy.

5:15  And Solomon had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the mountain;

5:16  besides the rulers that were appointed over the works of Solomon, there were three thousand six hundred masters who wrought in the works.

5:18  And they prepared the stones and the timber during three years.