Solomon Asks Hiram To Help Build the Temple

¹King Hiram of Tyre had always been friends with Solomon's father David. When Hiram learned that Solomon was king, he sent some of his officials to meet with Solomon.[#5.1 The most important city in Phoenicia. It was located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea north of Israel, in what is today southern Lebanon.]

²Solomon sent a message back to Hiram:

⁷Hiram was so happy when he heard Solomon's request that he said, “I am grateful that the Lord gave David such a wise son to be king of that great nation!”

⁸Then he sent back his answer:

¹⁰Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and pine logs he needed.

¹¹In return, Solomon gave Hiram over 2,000 tons of wheat and almost 4,000 liters of pure olive oil each year.

¹²The Lord kept his promise and made Solomon wise. Hiram and Solomon signed a treaty and never went to war against each other.

Solomon's Workers

¹³Solomon ordered 30,000 people from all over Israel to cut logs for the temple,

¹⁴and he put Adoniram in charge of these workers. Solomon divided them into three groups of 10,000. Each group worked one month in Lebanon and had two months off at home.[#1 K 12.15-19.]

¹⁵He also had 80,000 workers to cut stone in the hill country of Israel, 70,000 workers to carry the stones,

¹⁶and over 3,000 assistants to keep track of the work and to supervise the workers.

¹⁷He ordered the workers to cut and shape large blocks of good stone for the foundation of the temple.

¹⁸Solomon's and Hiram's men worked with men from the city of Gebal, and together they got the stones and logs ready for the temple.[#5.18 Later known as Byblos.]