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¹ And Hiram king of Tyre sent his slaves to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.² And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,³ You know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet.⁴ But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.⁵ And, look, I purpose to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, 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 for me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my slaves shall be with your slaves; and I will give you wages for your slaves according to all that you shall say: for you know that there is not among us any that knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.⁷ And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Yahweh this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.⁸ And Hiram sent to Solomon, 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 slaves shall bring them down from Lebanon 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 Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire.¹¹ And Solomon gave Hiram twenty cors of wheat for food to his household, and twenty cors of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.¹² And Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and the two made a league together.¹³ And king Solomon raised slave labor out of all Israel; and the slave labor was thirty thousand men.¹⁴ And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to slave labor.¹⁵ And Solomon had 70,000 that bore burdens, and 80,000 that were hewers in the mountains;¹⁶ besides Solomon's chief officers that were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bore rule over the people that wrought in the work.¹⁷ And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with wrought stone.¹⁸ And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites fashioned them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.