1 Kings, 5

1. And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

1. Now, Hiram King of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that he had been anointed king in place of his father. For David had always been Hiram's friend.

2. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

2. Solomon then sent this message to Hiram,

3. Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

3. "You know that David my father could not build a temple for Yahweh his God because his enemies were at war with him until the time when Yahweh gave him victory over them.

4. But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, [so that there is] neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

4. But now Yahweh my God has given me peace on all sides and there is no enemy or calamity that afflicts us.

5. And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

5. And so I intend to build a temple for Yahweh my God as Yahweh told David my father, 'Your son, whom I will set upon your throne, shall build the House for my Name.

6. Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that [there is] not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

6. Now, therefore, give orders to have cedars of Lebanon cut for me. My servants will join yours and I will pay your servants the wages you set, for you know that none of us can cut timber like the Sidonians."

7. And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed [be] the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

7. When Hiram heard the answer of Solomon, he was exceedingly glad and said, "Blessed be Yahweh this day who has given David a wise son to rule over this great people."

8. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: [and] I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

8. Then Hiram sent a messenger to Solomon with these words, "I have heard the message you sent me and I am ready to do whatever you want concerning the cedar and cypress timber.

9. My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive [them]: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

9. My servants shall have it sent down to the sea from Lebanon. I will make it into rafts and deliver them by sea to the place you choose. I will have the rafts broken up there and you can take the timber away. You, for your part, will provide food for my household."

10. So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees [according to] all his desire.

10. So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber that he wanted,

11. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat [for] food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

11. while Solomon gave Hiram every year twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty thousand cors of pure oil.

12. And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

12. Yahweh gave wisdom to Solomon as he had promised him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon who bound themselves by a treaty.

13. And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

13. King Solomon conscripted thirty thousand men from all Israel for forced labor.

14. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, [and] two months at home: and Adoniram [was] over the levy.

14. He sent them to Lebanon in relays of ten thousand a month, so that they would be in Lebanon for a month and at home for two months. Adoniram was in charge of the draft of laborers.

15. And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;

15. Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stone cutters in the hill country,

16. Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which [were] over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

16. in addition to three thousand three hundred overseers in charge of the people engaged in the work.

17. And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, [and] hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

17. By order of the king, they quarried large and expensive stones to give the temple a foundation of hewn stones.

18. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew [them], and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

18. Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders, along with the Gebalites did the hewing and prepared both timber and stone to build the temple.