CHAPTER 5
1 Also Hiram, king of Tyre, sent his servants to Solomon; for he heard that they had anointed him king for his father; for Hiram was friend of David in all time.
2 And also Solomon sent to Hiram, and said,
3 Thou knowest the will of David, my father, and for he might not build an house to the name of his God, for [the] battles nighing by compass, till the Lord gave them under the step of his feet.
4 But now my Lord God hath given rest to me by compass, and none adversary is, neither evil assailing;
5 wherefore I think to build a temple to the name of my Lord God, as God spake to David, my father, and said, Thy son, whom I shall give to thee for thee upon thy throne, he shall build an house to my name.
6 Therefore command thou, that thy servants hew down to me cedars of the Lebanon; and my servants be with thy servants; and I shall give to thee the meed of thy servants, whatever thou shalt ask; for thou knowest, that in my people is not a man that can hew trees, as Sidonians or the men of Sidon can.
7 Therefore when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he was full glad, and said, Blessed be the Lord God today, that hath given to David the son most wise upon this people full much.
8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, and said, I have heard whatever things thou sentest to me; I shall do all thy will, in trees of cedars, and in trees of box.
9 My servants shall put down those trees from the Lebanon to the sea, and I shall array those trees in ships in the sea, unto the place that thou shalt signify to me; and I shall dress those [or them] there, that thou take those [or them]; and thou shalt give necessaries to me, that meat be given to mine house.
10 And so Hiram gave to Solomon cedar trees, and box trees, by all his will;
11 and Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat, into meat to his house, and twenty cors of purest oil; Solomon gave these things to Hiram by all years.
12 Also the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he spake to him; and peace was betwixt Hiram and Solomon, and both they smote together bond of peace.
13 And king Solomon chose work-men out of all Israel; and the sum was thirty thousand of men.
14 And Solomon sent them into the Lebanon, ten thousand by each month by whiles, so that in two months by whiles they were in their houses; and Adoniram was on such a sum.
15 And so seventy thousand of them, that bare burdens, were to Solomon, and fourscore thousand of masons in the hills,
16 without the sovereigns, that were masters of all the works, by the number of three thousand and three hundred, commanding to the people, and to them that made work.
17 And the king commanded, that they should take great stones, and precious or heavy stones, into the foundament of the temple,
18 and that they should make those square; which stones the masons of Solomon and the masons of Hiram hewed. And [the] men of Byblos made ready [the] trees and stones, to the house to be builded.