1 Kings 5:6-16

6 Therefore command thou, that thy servants hew down to me cedars of the Lebanon (And so command thou, that thy servants cut down cedars in Lebanon for me); and my servants (shall) 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 (there) is not a man that can hew trees, as (well as the) Sidonians can (do it)/as (well as) the men of Sidon.
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. (And so when Hiram had heard Solomon's words, he was very glad, and said, Blessed be the Lord God today, who hath given David a most wise son to rule over this great people.)
8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, and said, I have heard whatever things thou sentest to me (for); I shall do all thy will, in trees of cedars, and in trees of box (and I shall provide all the cedar, and fir, or pine, trees, that thou needeth, or wanteth).
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 direct those there, that thou take those; and thou shalt give necessaries to me, that meat be given to mine house. (My servants shall bring down that wood from Lebanon to the sea, and I shall convey it in sea-worthy ships, to the place that thou shalt signify to me; and I shall send them there, so that thou can have them; and thou shalt give necessities to me, so that food shall be given to all my household.)
10 And so Hiram gave to Solomon cedar trees, and box trees, by all his will; (And so Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar, and fir, or pine, trees, that he needed, or wanted;)
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. (and Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat, for food for his household, and twenty cors of purest oil; Solomon gave these things to Hiram annually.)
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 (a) bond of peace. (And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he said he would; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they struck a covenant together.)
13 And king Solomon chose workmen (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. (And Solomon sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand each month by turn, and then for two months by turn, they went back to their own houses; and Adoniram was in charge of them all.)
15 And so seventy thousand of them, that bare burdens, were to Solomon, and fourscore thousand of masons in the hill(s), (And so working for Solomon were seventy thousand men who carried loads, and fourscore thousand stonemasons 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. (besides the sovereigns, or the foremen, who were masters over all the work, three thousand and three hundred in number, commanding the people who did the work.)

1 Kings 5:6-16 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.