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¹ Hiram king of Tzor sent his servants to Shlomo; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. ² Shlomo sent to Hiram, saying, ³ You know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. ⁴ But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence. ⁵ Behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your room, he shall build the house for my name. ⁶ Now therefore command you that they cut me cedar trees out of Levanon; and my servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you hire for your servants according to all that you shall say: for you know that there is not among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Tzidonim. ⁷ It happened, when Hiram heard the words of Shlomo, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people. ⁸ Hiram sent to Shlomo, saying, I have heard [the message] which you have sent to me: I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. ⁹ My servants shall bring them down from Levanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them; and you shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

¹⁰ So Hiram gave Shlomo timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire. ¹¹ Shlomo gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Shlomo to Hiram year by year. ¹² The LORD gave Shlomo wisdom, as he promised him; and there was shalom between Hiram and Shlomo; and they two made a league together. ¹³ King Shlomo raised a levy out of all Yisra'el; and the levy was thirty thousand men. ¹⁴ He sent them to Levanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Levanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor. ¹⁵ Shlomo had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains; ¹⁶ besides Shlomo's chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bore rule over the people who labored in the work. ¹⁷ The king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone. ¹⁸ Shlomo's builders and Hiram's builders and the Givli did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.