Preparations for the Temple
King Hiram of Tyre was a loyal friend...
King Hiram of Tyre was a loyal friend of David (2 Samuel 5:11–12). This likely means they had a treaty. Hiram was an important ally and business partner (1 Kings 5:7–11, 18; 9:11, 26–28; 10:22). His name is a shorter version of Ahiram, found in other Phoenician writings.
1Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
Solomon sent a message to Hiram through his...
Solomon sent a message to Hiram through his ambassadors. He said he planned to build a temple to honor the name of the Lord. This followed the desire of his father David, who had already made plans and gathered materials for its construction (2 Samuel 7:1–3; 1 Chronicles 17:1–15; 22:14–19; 28:9–12).
2And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram:
3“As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet.
Unlike David, Solomon had peace [literally rest] on...
Unlike David, Solomon had peace [literally rest] on all sides. Solomon’s name (Hebrew shlomoh) might be a version of the word for “peace” (Hebrew shalom).
The name of the Lord represents God’s revealed character and reputation. The Hebrew term translated as the name was sometimes used when reading Scripture aloud to avoid saying God’s personal name (the tetragrammaton—YHWH). The New Testament uses the term “the name” to refer to Jesus (Acts 5:41; 3 John 1:7).
Unlike David, Solomon had peace [literally rest] on all sides. Solomon’s name (Hebrew shlomoh) might be a version of the word for “peace” (Hebrew shalom).
The name of the Lord represents God’s revealed character and reputation. The Hebrew term translated as the name was sometimes used when reading Scripture aloud to avoid saying God’s personal name (the tetragrammaton—YHWH). The New Testament uses the term “the name” to refer to Jesus (Acts 5:41; 3 John 1:7).
4But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.
5So behold, I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, according to what the LORD said to my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the house for My Name.’
6Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.”
Hiram’s Reply to Solomon
Hiram's response to Solomon confirmed and continued the...
Hiram's response to Solomon confirmed and continued the friendly relations he had with David. The partnership benefited both sides. Solomon got the construction materials he needed for the temple. In return, he provided necessities for Hiram's household (1 Kings 5:9–10) and paid Hiram's workers (1 Kings 5:6). This passage shows the Phoenicians' skill in business and Solomon's great wealth. It also highlights Solomon's wisdom, which he believed was a gift from God. The mainly business-focused venture led to a formal peace alliance (1 Kings 5:12).
7When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day! He has given David a wise son over this great people!” 8Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying:
“I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress† timber. 9My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea,† and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.”
10So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted, 11and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil.††
12And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.†
Solomon’s Labor Force
This passage explains Solomon's workforce and how they...
This passage explains Solomon's workforce and how they divided the work. Forced labor was common in the ancient Near East (see study note on 1 Kings 4:6).
13Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. 14He sent them to Lebanon in monthly shifts of 10,000 men, so that they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. And Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.
15Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, 16not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.†
Workers likely cut large, high-quality stone blocks to...
Workers likely cut large, high-quality stone blocks to size (see 1 Kings 7:10) in a quarry near Jerusalem (6:7). Handling these massive stones probably led Solomon to start using forced labor. The craftsmen included men from Gebal (Byblos), a port known for exporting timber, according to ancient Egyptian inscriptions.
17And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones. 18So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple.