5
1 And Sh'lomo reigned as Melech over kol hamamlechot (all the kingdoms) from the Nahar ([Euphrates] River) unto Eretz Pelishtim (Philistines), and unto the border of Mitzrayim: they brought minchah (tribute), and served Sh'lomo all the days of his life.
2 And Lechem Sh'lomo for one day was thirty kor of solet (fine flour), and threescore kor of flour, 3 Ten stall fed bakar, and twenty bakar out of the pastures, and a hundred tzon, beside deer, and gazelle, and roebuck, and choice fowl. 4 For he had dominion over all the region beyond the Nahar, from Tiphsach even to Azah (Gaza), over all the melachim beyond the Nahar;* and he had shalom on all sides around him. 5 And Yehudah and Yisroel dwelt securely, every ish under his gefen and under his te'enah (fig tree), from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva, all the days of Sh'lomo. 6 And Sh'lomo had forty thousand stalls of susim for his merkavot, and twelve thousand parashim. 7 And these Nitzavim† provided for HaMelech Sh'lomo, and for all that came near unto Shulchan HaMelech Sh'lomo, every ish in his chodesh; they lacked nothing. 8 Se'orim (barley) also and straw for the susim and swift steeds brought they unto the makom (place) where it should be, each according to his mishpat (charge, quota, duty, responsibility).
9 And Elohim gave Sh'lomo chochmah and tevunah (understanding, insight) exceeding much, and rochav lev (largeness of heart), even as the chol (sand) that is on the seashore. 10 And the chochmah Sh'lomo excelled the chochmat kol Bnei Kedem and kol chochmat Mitzrayim. 11 For he was wiser than kol Adam; than Eitan the Ezrachi, and Heman, and Kalkol, and Darda, the Bnei Machol; and shmo was in kol HaGoyim all around. 12 And he uttered three thousand mashal; and his shir (songs) were one thousand and five. 13 And he spoke of etzim (trees), from the erez (cedar tree) that is in the Levanon even unto the ezov (hyssop) which grows out of the wall; he spoke also of behemah (animal), and of oph (fowl, bird), and of remes (crawling creature), and of dagim (fish). 14 And there came of kol Amim to hear the chochmat Sh'lomo, from kol Malkhei Ha'Aretz, which had heard of his chochmah.
15 And Chiram Melech Tzor sent his avadim unto Sh'lomo; for he had heard that they had anointed him Melech in the place of his av; for Chiram was ever an ohev (friend) of Dovid. 16 And Sh'lomo sent to Chiram, saying, 17 Thou knowest how that Dovid Avi could not build Bayit unto the Shem of Hashem Elohav due to the milchamah which was about him on every side, until Hashem put them under the kappot (soles) of his raglayim. 18 But now Hashem Elohai hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither satan (adversary) nor pega rah (evil occurrence, misfortune). 19 And, now behold, I purpose to build a Beis for the Shem of Hashem Elohai, just as Hashem spoke unto Dovid Avi, saying, Binecha‡ whom I will set upon thy Kisse in thy place, he shall build HaBayit for My Shem. 20 Now therefore command thou that they cut for me arazim (cedar trees) out of the Levanon; and my avadim shall be with thy avadim; and unto thee will I give sachar (wage) for thy avadim according to all that thou shalt appoint; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are skilled to hew etzim (wood, timber) like unto the Tzidonim.
21 And it came to pass, when Chiram heard the divrei Sh'lomo, that he rejoiced with simchah me'od, and said, Baruch Hashem this day, Who hath given unto Dovid a ben chacham over HaAm Harav hazeh (this great people). 22 And Chiram sent to Sh'lomo, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for; and I will do all thy chefetz (desire) concerning atzei arazim (cedar timber), and concerning atzei b'roshim (cypress wood). 23 My avadim shall bring them down from the Levanon unto the yam (sea),§ and I will convey them by yam on rafts unto the makom (place) that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my chefetz (desire), in giving lechem for my bais (household). 24 So Chiram gave Sh'lomo atzei arazim (cedar logs) and atzei b'roshim (cypress wood) according to all his chefetz. 25 And Sh'lomo gave Chiram twenty thousand kor of chittim (wheat) for provision for his bais, and twenty kor of shemen katit (pressed olive oil): thus gave Sh'lomo to Chiram shanah b'shanah. 26 And Hashem gave Sh'lomo chochmah, just as He promised him; and there was shalom between Chiram and Sh'lomo; and they had a brit (treaty, a political alliance), the two of them.
27 And HaMelech Sh'lomo conscripted mas (forced labor) out of kol Yisroel; and the mas was thirty thousand ish. 28 And he sent them to the Levanon, ten thousand a month by chalifot (courses, shifts); a month they were in the Levanon, and two months they were b'bayit (at home); and Adoniram was in charge of the mas. 29 And Sh'lomo had threescore and ten thousand that were burden bearers, and fourscore thousand who were stone cutters in the har (mountains); 30 This was in addition to the chief of Sh'lomoʼs Nitzavim, who were over the project, three thousand three hundred, who supervised the people that wrought in the work. 31 And HaMelech commanded, and avanim gedolot (great stones) they quarried, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the Bayit with hewn stones. 32 And the Bonei Sh'lomo and Bonei Chiram did chisel them, and the stonesquarers; so they prepared etzim (timber) and avanim (stones) to build the Bayit.*
* 5:4 i.e., west of the Euphrates † 5:7 al kol Yisroel, see 4:7-19 ‡ 5:19 i.e., Ben Dovid § 5:23 i.e., Mediterranean Sea * 5:32 the Beis Hamikdash — see Ps 118:22 and Isa 53