Parallel Bible results for "1 kings 5"

1 Kings 5

Common English Bible CEB

1 Because King Hiram of Tyre was loyal to David throughout his rule, Hiram sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had become king after his father.

2 Solomon sent the following message to Hiram:

3 "You know that my father David wasn't able to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God. This was because of the enemies that fought him on all sides until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

4 Now the LORD my God has given me peace on every side, without enemies or misfortune.

5 So I'm planning to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God, just as the LORD indicated to my father David, ‘I will give you a son to follow you on your throne. He will build the temple for my name.'

6 Now give the order and have the cedars of Lebanon cut down for me. My servants will work with your servants. I'll pay your servants whatever price you set, because you know we have no one here who is skilled in cutting wood like the Sidonians."

7 Hiram was thrilled when he heard Solomon's message. He said, "Today the LORD is blessed because he has given David a wise son who is in charge of this great people."

8 Hiram sent word back to Solomon: "I have heard your message to me. I will do as you wish with the cedar and pinewood.

9 My servants will bring the wood down the Lebanon Mountains to the sea. I'll make rafts out of them and float them on the sea to the place you specify. There I'll dismantle them, and you can carry them away. Now, as for what you must do for me in return, I ask you to provide for my royal house."

10 So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and pinewood that he wanted.

11 In return, Solomon gave an annual gift to Hiram of twenty thousand kors of wheat to eat, and twenty thousand kors of pure oil for his palace use.

12 Now the LORD made Solomon wise, just as he had promised. Solomon and Hiram made a covenant and had peace.

13 King Solomon called up a work gang of thirty thousand workers from all over Israel.

14 He sent ten thousand to work in Lebanon each month. Then they would spend two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the work gang.

15 Solomon had 70,000 laborers and 80,000 stonecutters in the highlands.

16 This doesn't include Solomon's 3,300 supervisors in charge of the work, who had oversight over the laborers.

17 At the king's command, they quarried huge stones of the finest quality in order to lay the temple's foundation with carefully cut stone.

18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram, along with those of Byblos, prepared the timber and the stones for the construction of the temple.

The Message Bible MSG

1 Hiram king of Tyre sent ambassadors to Solomon when he heard that he had been crowned king in David's place. Hiram had loved David his whole life.

2 Solomon responded, saying,

3 "You know that David my father was not able to build a temple in honor of God because of the wars he had to fight on all sides, until God finally put them down.

4 But now God has provided peace all around - no one against us, nothing at odds with us.

5 "Now here is what I want to do: Build a temple in honor of God, my God, following the promise that God gave to David my father, namely, 'Your son whom I will provide to succeed you as king, he will build a house in my honor.'

6 And here is how you can help: Give orders for cedars to be cut from the Lebanon forest; my loggers will work alongside yours and I'll pay your men whatever wage you set. We both know that there is no one like you Sidonians for cutting timber."

7 When Hiram got Solomon's message, he was delighted, exclaiming, "Blessed be God for giving David such a wise son to rule this flourishing people!"

8 Then he sent this message to Solomon: "I received your request for the cedars and cypresses. It's as good as done - your wish is my command.

9 My lumberjacks will haul the timbers from the Lebanon forest to the sea, assemble them into log rafts, float them to the place you set, then have them disassembled for you to haul away. All I want from you is that you feed my crew."

10 In this way Hiram supplied all the cedar and cypress timber that Solomon wanted.

11 In his turn, Solomon gave Hiram 125,000 bushels of wheat and 115,000 gallons of virgin olive oil. He did this every year.

12 And God, for his part, gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised. The healthy peace between Hiram and Solomon was formalized by a treaty.

13 King Solomon raised a workforce of 30,000 men from all over Israel.

14 He sent them in shifts of 10,000 each month to the Lebanon forest; they would work a month in Lebanon and then be at home two months. Adoniram was in charge of the work crew.

15 Solomon also had 70,000 unskilled workers and another 80,000 stonecutters up in the hills

16 - plus 3,300 foremen managing the project and supervising the work crews.

17 Following the king's orders, they quarried huge blocks of the best stone - dressed stone for the foundation of The Temple.

18 Solomon and Hiram's construction workers, assisted by the men of Gebal, cut and prepared the timber and stone for building The Temple.