Back to 1 Kings 5

1 Kings 5:8-18

Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning cypress timber. My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”

So Hiram gave Solomon cedar timber and cypress timber according to all his desire. Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat for food to his household, and twenty cors of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; for a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor. Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains; besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who ruled over the people who labored in the work. The king commanded, and they cut out large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone. Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

World English Bible · Public Domain
Show the surrounding paragraph

1 Kings 5:8-18 sits inside this longer paragraph.

When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh today, who has given to David a wise son to rule over this great people.” Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning cypress timber. My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”

So Hiram gave Solomon cedar timber and cypress timber according to all his desire. Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat for food to his household, and twenty cors of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; for a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor. Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains; besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who ruled over the people who labored in the work. The king commanded, and they cut out large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone. Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

Read all of 1 Kings 5 →

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning cypress timber.

    My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”

    So Hiram gave Solomon cedar timber and cypress timber according to all his desire.

    Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat for food to his household, and twenty cors of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.

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

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

    He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; for a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor.

    Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains;

    besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who ruled over the people who labored in the work.

    The king commanded, and they cut out large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone.

    Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

  • KJV King James Version

    And 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.

    My 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.

    So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.

    And 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.

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

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

    And 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.

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

    Beside 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.

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

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

Show all 3 translations
  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    (5-22) And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: 'I have heard that which thou hast sent unto me; I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress.

    (5-23) My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.'

    (5-24) So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of cypress according to all his desire.

    (5-25) And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil; thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

    (5-26) And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

    (5-27) And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

    (5-28) And 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.

    (5-29) And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bore burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains;

    (5-30) besides Solomon's chief officers that were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bore rule over the people that wrought in the work.

    (5-31) And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with hewn stone.

    (5-32) And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

View more translations →

Examined in Scripture Analysis

Contradictions (2)

Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.

Explore Contradictions →

Cross-references (41)

  • 1 Kings 3:12 (v12) behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there has been no one like you…
  • Ezra 3:7 (v9) They also gave money to the masons, and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, to bring…
  • Ezekiel 27:17 (v9) “ ‘ “Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise.
  • Joshua 13:5 (v18) and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad under Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath;
  • 1 Kings 6:7 (v17) The house, when it was under construction, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and no hammer or ax or any tool of iron was heard in…
Show all 41 cross-references
  • 1 Kings 9:15 (v13) This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build Yahweh’s house, his own house, Millo, Jerusalem’s wall, Hazor, Megiddo,…
  • 1 Kings 9:23 (v16) These were the five hundred fifty chief officers who were over Solomon’s work, who ruled over the people who labored in the work.
  • 1 Chronicles 22:2 (v17) David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build God’s…
  • 1 Kings 4:6 (v13) Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.
  • 1 Kings 9:20-22 (v15) As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the…
  • 2 Chronicles 2:16 (v9) and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you need. We will bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa; then you shall carry it up to…
  • Ezekiel 27:9 (v18) The old men of Gebal and its wise men were your repairers of ship seams in you. All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to…
  • Amos 1:9 (v12) Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they delivered up the whole…
  • Acts 12:20 (v9) Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal…
  • Genesis 21:32 (v12) So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the…
  • 1 Kings 15:19 (v12) “There is a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold. Go,…
  • 2 Chronicles 1:12 (v12) therefore wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have…
  • 2 Chronicles 2:2 (v16) Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, eighty thousand men who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand…
  • 2 Chronicles 2:10 (v11) Behold, I will give to your servants, the cutters who cut timber, twenty thousand cors of beaten wheat, twenty thousand baths of barley,…
  • 2 Chronicles 2:17-18 (v15) Solomon counted all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, after the census with which David his father had counted them; and they…
  • James 1:5 (v12) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
  • Deuteronomy 3:25 (v9) Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that fine mountain, and Lebanon.”
  • 2 Samuel 6:5 (v8) David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed…
  • 1 Kings 4:6-19 (v14) Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor. Solomon had twelve officers over all…
  • 1 Kings 4:22 (v11) Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour, sixty measures of meal,
  • 1 Kings 4:29 (v12) God gave Solomon abundant wisdom and understanding, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the seashore.
  • 1 Kings 6:15 (v8) He built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on…
  • 1 Kings 6:34 (v8) and two doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
  • 1 Kings 7:9 (v17) All these were of costly stones, even of cut stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside, even from the foundation to…
  • 1 Chronicles 27:1-15 (v14) Now the children of Israel after their number, the heads of fathers’ households and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their…
  • 2 Chronicles 1:15 (v9) The king made silver and gold to be as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars to be as common as the sycamore trees that are in…
  • 2 Chronicles 3:5 (v8) He made the larger room with a ceiling of cypress wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and chains.
  • 2 Chronicles 8:7-9 (v15) As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel;…
  • Ezra 2:58 (v15) All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two.
  • Nehemiah 7:57 (v15) The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
  • Nehemiah 7:60 (v15) All the temple servants and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred ninety-two.
  • Psalms 83:7 (v18) Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
  • Isaiah 28:16 (v17) Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure…
  • 1 Corinthians 3:11-12 (v17) For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds on the foundation with…
  • 1 Peter 2:6-7 (v17) Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious: He who believes in him will not be…
  • Revelation 21:14-21 (v17) The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. He who spoke with me had for a…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (19 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv9, 11, 12, 16, 18 Or, floats.

Or, floats.

While my servants are occupied about thy business.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv8–18 1Ki 5:8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18 Hiram sent a letter, 2Ch 2:11.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v10 Here is, I. The performance of the agreement between…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv8–18 And Hiram sent to Solomon,.... A letter to him,…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv9, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18 The sea - The mid-land sea. Floats - Or,…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18 Verse 9. Shall bring them down from Lebanon unto…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18 1Ki 5:9. From Lebanon unto the sea — The…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18 See the marginal reference. The timber was first carried…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Fir-trees. Some take these to be another species of…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv8, 10, 11, 13, 17, 18 Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 8. Timber of cedar, and… of fir — The…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv8–18 8. and Hiram sent to Solomon] The Chronicler says…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv9, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18 (9) Shall bring them.—The timber was to be carried…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv8–18 Ver. 8. And Hiram sent to Solomon in writing,…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 17 A month they were in Lebanon, and two months…
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v11 Arrangements Concerning Material
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv9, 10, 13, 15, 17 General Information:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv13, 16, 17 5:13-18 This passage describes Solomon’s work force and the…
Share