1 Kings 5:11-18

11 and Solomon hath given to Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat, food for his house, and twenty cors of beaten oil; thus doth Solomon give to Hiram year by year.

12 And Jehovah hath given wisdom to Solomon as He spake to him, and there is peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they make a covenant both of them.

13 And king Solomon lifteth up a tribute out of all Israel, and the tribute is thirty thousand men,

14 and he sendeth them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month, by changes, a month they are in Lebanon, two months in their own house; and Adoniram [is] over the tribute.

15 And king Solomon hath seventy thousand bearing burdens, and eighty thousand hewing in the mountain,

16 apart from the heads of the officers of Solomon, who [are] over the work, three thousand and three hundred, those ruling over the people who are working in the business.

17 And the king commandeth, and they bring great stones, precious stone, to lay the foundation of the house, hewn stones;

18 and the builders of Solomon, and the builders of Hiram, and the Giblites hew, and prepare the wood and the stones to build the house.

1 Kings 5:11-18 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.