1 Kings 5

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, down to the border of Egypt; they paid Solomon tribute and were his vassals as long as he lived.	1 Hiram, the king of Tyre, also sent his servants to Solomon. For he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father. Now Hiram had been a friend to David the entire time.
2 Solomon's supplies for each day were thirty kors of fine flour, sixty kors of meal,	2 Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying:
3 ten fatted oxen, twenty pasture-fed oxen, and a hundred sheep, not counting harts, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl.	3 “You know the will of my father David, and that he was not able to build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars that were imminent all around him, until the Lord set them under the steps of his feet.
4 He ruled over all the land west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and over all its kings, and he had peace on all his borders round about.	4 But now the Lord my God has given rest to me on all sides. And there is no adversary, nor occurrence of evil.
5 Thus Judah and Israel lived in security, every man under his vine or under his fig tree from Dan to Beer-sheba, as long as Solomon lived.	5 For this reason, I intend to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying: ‘Your son, whom I will set in your place, upon your throne, he himself shall build a house to my name.’
6 Solomon had four thousand stalls for his twelve thousand chariot horses.	6 Therefore, order that your servants may cut down for me cedars from Lebanon. And let my servants be with your servants. Then I will give to you, for the wages of your servants, whatever you will ask. For you know that there is not a man among my people who knows how to cut wood as well as the Sidonians.”
7 These commissaries, one for each month, provided food for King Solomon and for all the guests at the royal table. They left nothing unprovided.	7 Therefore, when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and he said, “Blessed be the Lord God this day, who gave to David a very wise son over this numerous people!”
8 For the chariot horses and draft animals also, each brought his quota of barley and straw to the required place.	8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: “I have heard the things that you would entrust to me. And I will do your whole will concerning the cedar trees and spruce trees.
9 Moreover, God gave Solomon wisdom and exceptional understanding and knowledge, as vast as the sand on the seashore.	9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. And I will arrange them together as rafts on the sea, as far as the place that you will indicate to me. And I will land them there, and you will take them. And you shall offer to me what is necessary to give food to my house.”
10 Solomon surpassed all the Cedemites and all the Egyptians in wisdom.	10 And so, Hiram gave to Solomon cedar trees and spruce trees, in accord with his whole will.
11 He was wiser than all other men--than Ethan the Ezrahite, or Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the musicians--and his fame spread throughout the neighboring nations.	11 Then Solomon offered to Hiram twenty thousand cor of wheat, as food for his house, and twenty cor of the purest oil. These things Solomon gave as a tribute to Hiram every year.
12 Solomon also uttered three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five.	12 And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he said to him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two struck a pact.
13 He discussed plants, from the cedar on Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall, and he spoke about beasts, birds, reptiles, and fishes.	13 And king Solomon chose workers from all of Israel, and the conscription was of thirty thousand men.
14 Men came to hear Solomon's wisdom from all nations, sent by all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.	14 And he sent them into Lebanon, ten thousand each month, in turns, so that for two months they were in their own houses. And Adoniram was over this type of conscription.
15 When Hiram, king of Tyre, heard that Solomon had been anointed king in place of his father, he sent an embassy to him; for Hiram had always been David's friend.	15 And Solomon had seventy thousand of those who were carrying burdens, and eighty thousand of those who cut stones from the mountain,
16 Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:	16 aside from the commanders who were over each work, in number three thousand and three hundred, who gave orders to the people and to those who were doing the work.
17 "You know that my father David, because of the enemies surrounding him on all sides, could not build a temple in honor of the LORD, his God, until such a time as the LORD should put these enemies under the soles of his feet.	17 And the king ordered them to bring great stones, precious stones, for the foundation of the temple, and to square them.
18 But now the LORD, my God, has given me peace on all sides. There is no enemy or threat of danger.	18 And these were shaped by the stoneworkers of Solomon and the stoneworkers of Hiram. And the men of Gebal also prepared the wood and the stones in order to build the house.
19 So I purpose to build a temple in honor of the LORD, my God, as the LORD predicted to my father David when he said: 'It is your son whom I will put upon your throne in your place who shall build the temple in my honor.'
20 Give orders, then, to have cedars from the Lebanon cut down for me. My servants shall accompany yours, since you know that there is no one among us who is skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians, and I will pay you whatever you say for your servants' salary."
21 When he had heard the words of Solomon, Hiram was pleased and said, "Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given David a wise son to rule this numerous people."
22 Hiram then sent word to Solomon, "I agree to the proposal you sent me, and I will provide all the cedars and fir trees you wish.
23 My servants shall bring them down from the Lebanon to the sea, and I will arrange them into rafts in the sea and bring them wherever you say. There I will break up the rafts, and you shall take the lumber. You, for your part, shall furnish the provisions I desire for my household."
24 So Hiram continued to provide Solomon with all the cedars and fir trees he wished;
25 while Solomon every year gave Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat to provide for his household, and twenty thousand measures of pure oil.
26 The LORD, moreover, gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, since they were parties to a treaty.
27 King Solomon conscripted thirty thousand workmen from all Israel.
28 He sent them to the Lebanon each month in relays of ten thousand, so that they spent one month in the Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft.
29 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountain,
30 in addition to three thousand three hundred overseers, answerable to Solomon's prefects for the work, directing the people engaged in the work.
31 By order of the king, fine, large blocks were quarried to give the temple a foundation of hewn stone.
32 Solomon's and Hiram's builders, along with the Gebalites, hewed them out, and prepared the wood and stones for building the temple.