Hiram king of Tyre agreeth to furnish timber and workmen for building
the temple: the number of workmen and overseers.
5:1. And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent his servants to Solomon: for he heard
that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram had
always been David's friend.
5:2. Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:
5:3. Thou knowest the will of David, my father, and that he could not
build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars that
were round about him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his
feet.
5:4. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest round about; and there
is no adversary nor evil occurrence.
5:5. Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord my
God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will
set upon the throne, in thy place, he shall build a house to my name.
5:6. Give orders, therefore, that thy servants cut me down cedar trees,
out of Libanus, and let my servants be with thy servants: and I will
give thee the hire of thy servants whatsoever thou wilt ask: for thou
knowest how there is not among my people a man that has skill to hew
wood like to the Sidonians.
5:7. Now when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced
exceedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who hath given
to David a very wise son over this numerous people.
5:8. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have heard all thou hast
desired of me; and I will do all thy desire concerning cedar trees, and
fir trees.
5:9. My servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: and I
will put them together in floats, on the sea, and convey them to the
place, which thou shalt signify to me, and will land them there, and
thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt allow me necessaries to furnish
food for my household.
5:10. So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees, according to all
his desire.
5:11. And Solomon allowed Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat, for
provision for his house, and twenty measures of the purest oil: thus
gave Solomon to Hiram every year.
5:12. And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he promised him: and there
was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league
together.
5:13. And king Solomon chose workmen out of all Israel, and the levy was
of thirty thousand men.
5:14. And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month, by turns,
so that two months they were at home: and Adoniram was over this levy.
5:15. And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty
thousand to hew stones in the mountain:
5:16. Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three
thousand and three hundred, that ruled over the people, and them that
did the work.
5:17. And the king commanded that they should bring great stones, costly
stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them:
5:18. And the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram, hewed them:
and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.