5:7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy. He said, “The Lord is worthy of praise today because he 1 has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.” 5:8 Hiram then sent this message to Solomon: “I received 2 the message you sent to me. I will give you all the cedars and evergreens you need. 3 5:9 My servants will bring the timber down from Lebanon to the sea. I will send it by sea in raft-like bundles to the place you designate. 4 There I will separate the logs 5 and you can carry them away. In exchange you will supply the food I need for my royal court.” 6
5:10 So Hiram supplied the cedars and evergreens Solomon needed, 7 5:11 and Solomon supplied Hiram annually with 20,000 cors 8 of wheat as provision for his royal court, 9 as well as 20,000 baths 10 of pure 11 olive oil. 12 5:12 So the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he had promised him. And Hiram and Solomon were at peace and made a treaty. 13
5:13 King Solomon conscripted 14 work crews 15 from throughout Israel, 30,000 men in all. 5:14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 men per month. They worked in Lebanon for one month, and then spent two months at home. Adoniram was supervisor of 16 the work crews. 5:15 Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers 17 and 80,000 stonecutters 18 in the hills, 5:16 besides 3,300 19 officials who supervised the workers. 20 5:17 By royal order 21 they supplied large valuable stones in order to build the temple’s foundation with chiseled stone. 5:18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s construction workers, 22 along with men from Byblos, 23 did the chiseling and prepared the wood and stones for the building of the temple. 24