1 Kings5

King Hiram of Tyre, a friend of David, sent envoys to Solomon upon his ascension. Solomon requested cedar and fir timber from Hiram for building the Temple, explaining that his father David could not due to wars, but he now had peace. Hiram agreed, praising the Lord for Solomon's wisdom, and a trade agreement was established for materials in exchange for provisions. Solomon then organized a vast workforce of Israelites and foreigners to prepare timber and stones for the Temple's foundation.

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Alliance with Hiram of Tyre

¶ And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

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.

Organization of the Temple Workforce

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.

Study Notes for 1 Kings 5

Verse 1

Hiram, king of the powerful Phoenician city-state of Tyre, maintained a long-standing political and economic alliance with the Davidic dynasty, recognizing Solomon's succession immediately upon hearing the news.

Verse 3

Solomon justifies the delay in building the Temple by citing David’s constant warfare. This contrasts the previous era of conquest with Solomon's current era of peace, which God required for the construction of His permanent dwelling.

Verse 4

The 'rest on every side' signifies the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish David’s kingdom securely, allowing Solomon to focus on domestic and religious infrastructure instead of defense.

Verse 5

Solomon frames the Temple construction not as a personal ambition but as the fulfillment of the divine covenant promise made to David (2 Sam 7:13), establishing the theological necessity of the project.

Verse 6

Solomon recognizes the superior skill of the Phoenicians (referred to as Sidonians, Tyre’s neighbors) in forestry, logging, and large-scale maritime transport, necessitating this international cooperation.

Verse 7

Hiram's praise of the LORD (Yahweh) is both a diplomatic courtesy and a testament to the international reputation of Solomon’s God-given wisdom, which enabled this successful negotiation.

Verse 9

This verse details the highly efficient logistics: the logs would be brought down from the mountains to the sea and then towed in large rafts ('floats') along the Mediterranean coast to a port near Jerusalem (likely Joppa).

Verse 11

The payment in wheat and oil demonstrates the economic exchange: agricultural Israel had limited timber and expertise, while coastal Tyre lacked agricultural land, making this trade mutually beneficial.

Verse 12

The LORD’s gift of wisdom (promised in 1 Kgs 3) is immediately validated by the successful conclusion of the treaty ('league') with Hiram, securing vital resources and peace.

Verse 13

The 'levy' (*mas*) refers to compulsory labor (corvée). While earlier kings used this on conquered populations, Solomon extended this obligation to all Israel, a policy that later caused significant resentment and rebellion (1 Kgs 12).

Verse 14

The rotation system (one month on, two months off) was designed to manage the strain of the forced labor on the Israelite economy, ensuring that conscripts could still tend to their farms for most of the year.

Verse 15

The 70,000 bearers and 80,000 hewers were likely drawn primarily from the Amorites, Hittites, and other non-Israelite populations residing in the kingdom, who were subject to heavier labor demands than the Israelites.

Verse 17

The use of 'great stones' and 'costly stones' emphasizes the eternal quality of the Temple foundation, demonstrating the commitment to building a permanent structure worthy of God’s dwelling place.

Verse 18

The final preparation involved collaboration between Israelite and Phoenician craftsmen, ensuring that the stones were perfectly squared and ready for immediate placement according to the precise architectural plans.

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1 Kings5

Alliance with Hiram of Tyre

Organization of the Temple Workforce

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