1 Kings 5:6-11

6 “So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the LORD today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon: “I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs.

9 My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food for my royal household.”

10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted,

11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors^[a] of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths^[b][c] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year.

1 Kings 5:6-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 5

This chapter relates Solomon's preparation for building the temple: on Hiram, king of Tyre, sending a congratulatory letter to him, he returned another to him, signifying his intention to build an house for God, and requesting him to supply him with timber, and men to work it, 1Ki 5:1-6; to which Hiram readily agreed, and sent him cedar and fir, and Solomon in return sent him food for his household; and things went on very amicably between them, 1Ki 5:7-12; the chapter concludes with an account of Solomon's workmen, where, how, and in what they were employed, 1Ki 5:13-18.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Chronicles 14:1; 1 Chronicles 22:4
• 2. 1 Kings 10:9; Isaiah 60:6
• 3. Ezra 3:7
• 4. ver 11; Ezekiel 27:17; Acts 12:20
• 5. S ver 9

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,250 metric tons
• [b]. Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 2:10); Hebrew "twenty cors"
• [c]. That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters