1 Kings 5 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Hiram king of Tyre sent his officials to Solomon because he had heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father. Hiram had always been an ally of David.

Solomon sent word back to Hiram:

"You know that my father David wasn't able to build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of all the wars surrounding him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under his feet.

But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side — no adversary, no threat of disaster.

So I intend to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, just as Yahweh told my father David: 'Your son, the one I'll put on your throne after you — he's the one who will build the house for my name.'

Now give orders to cut down cedars from Lebanon for me. My workers will work alongside yours, and I'll pay your workers whatever wages you set. You know we don't have anyone who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians do."

When Hiram heard Solomon's message, he was thrilled. He said, "Today I praise Yahweh, who has given David a wise son to rule over this great people!"

Hiram sent word to Solomon: "I received your message. I'll do everything you want with the cedar and cypress timber.

My workers will haul them down from Lebanon to the sea. I'll float them as rafts by sea to whatever location you specify. I'll have them broken apart there, and you can take them away. In return, you'll provide food for my household."

So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,

and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, plus twenty cors of pressed olive oil. Solomon provided this to Hiram year after year.

Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a formal treaty.

King Solomon drafted forced laborers from all of Israel — thirty thousand men.

He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand per month — one month in Lebanon, two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.

Solomon also had seventy thousand porters and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hill country,

plus thirty-three hundred foremen who supervised the workers and directed the project.

The king ordered them to quarry large, expensive stones to lay a foundation of cut stone for the Temple.

Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders, along with the Gebalites, cut and prepared the timber and stone for building the Temple.