5:1¹ King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to Solomon when he heard that he had been designated² king in his father’s place. (Hiram had always been an ally of David.) 5:2 Solomon then sent this message to Hiram: 5:3 “You know that my father David was unable to build a temple to honor the LORD³ his God, for he was busy fighting battles on all fronts while the LORD subdued his enemies.⁴ 5:4 But now the LORD my God has made me secure on all fronts; there is no adversary or dangerous threat. 5:5 So I have decided⁵ to build a temple to honor the LORD⁶ my God, as the LORD instructed my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, he is the one who will build a temple to honor me.’⁷ 5:6 So now order some cedars of Lebanon to be cut for me. My servants will work with your servants. I will pay your servants whatever you say is appropriate, for you know that we have no one among us who knows how to cut down trees like the Sidonians.”

5:7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy. He said, “The LORD is worthy of praise today because he⁸ has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.” 5:8 Hiram then sent this message to Solomon: “I received⁹ the message you sent to me. I will give you all the cedars and evergreens you need.¹⁰ 5:9 My servants will bring the timber down from Lebanon to the sea. I will send it by sea in raftlike bundles to the place you designate.¹¹ There I will separate the logs¹² and you can carry them away. In exchange you will supply the food I need for my royal court.”¹³

5:10 So Hiram supplied the cedars and evergreens Solomon needed,¹⁴ 5:11 and Solomon supplied Hiram annually with 20,000 cors¹⁵ of wheat as provision for his royal court,¹⁶ as well as 20,000 baths¹⁷ of pure¹⁸ olive oil.¹⁹ 5:12 So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And Hiram and Solomon were at peace and made a treaty.

5:13 King Solomon conscripted²⁰ work crews²¹ from throughout Israel, 30,000 men in all. 5:14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 men per month. They worked in Lebanon for one month, and then spent two months at home. Adoniram was supervisor of²² the work crews. 5:15 Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers²³ and 80,000 stonemasons²⁴ in the hills, 5:16 besides 3,300 officials who supervised the workers.²⁵ 5:17 By royal order²⁶ they supplied large valuable stones in order to build the temple’s foundation with chiseled stone. 5:18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s construction workers,²⁷ along with men from Byblos,²⁸ did the chiseling and prepared the wood and stones for the building of the temple.