1 Kings 5

King James Version

Full text for 1 Kings Chapter 5

1¶ And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

3Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto 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.

4But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, [so that there is] neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

5And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

6Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that [there is] not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

7And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed [be] the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: [and] I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

9My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive [them]: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

10¶ So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees [according to] all his desire.

11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat [for] food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

12And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

14And 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 levy.

15And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;

16Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which [were] over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, [and] hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew [them], and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Hiram of Tyre, a friend of David, sent envoys to Solomon upon his ascension. Solomon requested cedar and fir timber from Hiram for building the Temple, explaining that his father David could not due to wars, but he now had peace. Hiram agreed, praising the Lord for Solomon's wisdom, and a trade agreement was established for materials in exchange for provisions. Solomon then organized a vast workforce of Israelites and foreigners to prepare timber and stones for the Temple's foundation.

Medium Summary

Upon hearing of Solomon's ascension, King Hiram of Tyre, a loyal friend to David, dispatched servants to Jerusalem. Solomon reciprocated by sending a message to Hiram, explaining his intention to build a temple for the Lord, a task his father David was unable to complete due to constant warfare. Solomon emphasized that the Lord had now granted him peace, enabling this divine undertaking, and requested cedar and fir timber from Lebanon, acknowledging the superior skill of Hiram's Sidonian woodcutters. Hiram, greatly pleased, praised the Lord for Solomon's wisdom and readily agreed to supply the desired timber, transported by sea. In return, Solomon pledged to provide Hiram's household with wheat and pure oil annually. This agreement solidified a peaceful league between the two kings, demonstrating the Lord's wisdom bestowed upon Solomon. To execute the massive construction project, Solomon levied 30,000 Israelites for labor in Lebanon, overseen by Adoniram, and employed an additional 70,000 burden bearers and 80,000 hewers in the mountains, along with 3,300 officers. Together, Solomon's and Hiram's builders prepared the necessary timber and costly, hewed stones for the Temple's foundation.

Long Summary

The chapter begins with King Hiram of Tyre, a long-standing friend of David, sending his servants to King Solomon upon hearing of his anointing. Solomon responds by communicating his divine mandate to build a house for the Lord, a task his father David was prevented from accomplishing due to incessant wars. Solomon highlights that the Lord has now granted him widespread peace, with "neither adversary nor evil occurrent," thus creating the opportune moment for this sacred construction, as prophesied to David concerning his son. He requests that Hiram's servants hew cedar trees from Lebanon, offering to pay for their labor, recognizing the unparalleled skill of the Sidonians in timber work. Hiram, upon hearing Solomon's words, rejoices greatly and blesses the Lord for bestowing such wisdom upon David's son. He readily agrees to supply both cedar and fir timber, promising to transport them by sea in floats to a designated location. In exchange, Hiram requests provisions for his household. Consequently, Hiram provides Solomon with all the desired timber, and Solomon, in turn, supplies Hiram annually with twenty thousand measures of wheat and twenty measures of pure oil. The text notes that the Lord granted Solomon wisdom as promised, fostering a strong peace and a formal league between Hiram and Solomon. To manage the immense undertaking of building the Temple, King Solomon institutes a levy across Israel, conscripting thirty thousand men. These laborers are sent to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand per month, spending one month in Lebanon and two months at home, with Adoniram overseeing this levy. Beyond this, Solomon also employs seventy thousand men as burden bearers and eighty thousand as hewers in the mountains, demonstrating the scale of the required workforce. Supervising these laborers were three thousand three hundred chief officers. The king further commanded the quarrying and preparation of great, costly, and hewed stones for the Temple's foundation. Both Solomon's and Hiram's builders, along with skilled stone squarers, diligently prepared the timber and stones, laying the groundwork for the magnificent house of the Lord.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Mandate for Temple BuildingSolomon articulates that the responsibility to build the Temple for the Lord was divinely appointed to him, fulfilling a promise made to his father David, now that a period of peace has been granted.
  • Wisdom of SolomonThe chapter underscores the Lord's fulfillment of His promise to grant Solomon wisdom, which is evident in his diplomatic dealings with Hiram and his efficient organization of the vast labor force for the Temple.
  • Resource AcquisitionSolomon's primary need for the Temple construction is timber, specifically cedar and fir from Lebanon, which he procures through a trade agreement with Hiram, exchanging Israelite agricultural produce for Tyrian wood and expertise.
  • Massive Labor ForceThe scale of the Temple project is highlighted by the immense number of laborers Solomon employs, including a levy of 30,000 Israelites, 70,000 burden bearers, and 80,000 hewers, all supervised by numerous officers.
  • Preparation of MaterialsThe chapter details the initial phase of the Temple construction, focusing on the quarrying of great, costly, and hewed stones for the foundation, alongside the preparation of timber by both Israelite and Tyrian craftsmen.
  • Peace and ProsperityThe narrative emphasizes that the Lord granted Solomon peace on all sides, a prerequisite for the Temple's construction, contrasting with David's era of constant warfare, thereby signifying a period of stability and divine favor.