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¹ [xr] Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, because he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always loved David.² Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying: ³ You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the Lord put his foes [fn] 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 And behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to my father David, saying, "Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name." ⁶ Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians. ⁷ So it was, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, 4 Blessed be the LORD this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people! ⁸ Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: 4 I have considered the message which you sent me, and I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs. ⁹ My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you indicate to me, and will have them broken apart there; then you can take them away. And you shall fulfill my desire by giving food for my household.

¹⁰ Then Hiram gave Solomon cedar and cypress logs according to all his desire.¹¹ And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty [fn] kors of pressed oil. Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year. ¹² So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. ¹³ Then King Solomon raised up a labor force out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men.¹⁴ And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the labor force.¹⁵ Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried stone in the mountains,¹⁶ besides three thousand three hundred [fn] from the chiefs of Solomon's deputies, who supervised the people who labored in the work. ¹⁷ And the king commanded them to quarry large stones, costly stones, and hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the temple. [fn] ¹⁸ So Solomon's builders, Hiram's builders, and the Gebalites quarried them; and they prepared timber and stones to build the temple.