Why does Solomon ask Hiram to supply timber for the Lord’s house?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

He says David could not build it because of surrounding wars, but the Lord has now given Solomon rest without an adversary or evil occurrence. He plans to build the house as the Lord told David his son would do, and asks for timber and the skill of the Sidonians to cut it.

Chapter breakdown

Hiram, king of Tyre, sends servants to Solomon after hearing that he has been anointed king in his father’s place; Hiram has always been David’s friend. Solomon replies that Hiram knows David’s wish and why he could not build a house to the Lord his God’s name: wars surrounded him until the Lord put them under his feet. Solomon says the Lord has now given him rest on every side, with no adversary or evil occurrence. He therefore purposes to build a temple to the Lord’s name, as the Lord told David that the son placed on his throne would build a house to his name.

Solomon asks Hiram to order his servants to cut cedar trees from Libanus and let Solomon’s servants work with them. He promises to pay the hire of Hiram’s servants at whatever amount Hiram asks, explaining that no one among his own people has skill in hewing wood like the Sidonians.

Hiram rejoices greatly on hearing Solomon’s words and blesses the Lord God for giving David a very wise son over so numerous a people. He replies that he has heard all Solomon desired and will supply the cedar and fir trees he wants. Hiram’s servants will bring them from Libanus to the sea, put them together in floats and convey them to the place Solomon names. Hiram will land them there for Solomon to receive, and Solomon is to provide what is needed to feed Hiram’s household.

Hiram gives Solomon cedar and fir trees according to all his desire. Solomon gives Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for his household and twenty measures of the purest oil, every year. The Lord gives Solomon wisdom as promised. There is peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they make a league together.

Solomon chooses workmen from all Israel in a levy of thirty thousand men. He sends ten thousand to Libanus each month by turns, so they are at home for two months; Adoniram is over the levy. Solomon also has seventy thousand burden carriers and eighty thousand men hewing stones in the mountain. Besides these, three thousand three hundred overseers rule over the people and workers in every work.

Solomon commands that great, costly stones be brought for the temple’s foundation and squared. His masons and Hiram’s masons hew them, and the Giblians prepare timber and stones to build the house.

The story inside

The work begins with an exchange of messages. Hiram sends servants because he has heard of Solomon’s appointment and has been David’s friend. Solomon explains the change from David’s surrounding wars to his own stated rest, names the house he intends to build and asks for cedar and skilled cutting. Hiram answers with a plan for timber floats and household food. The account records the timber delivered, the yearly wheat and oil, peace and a league. It then turns to the work force: the rotating levy, burden carriers, stone hewers and overseers. A final command concerns costly squared foundation stones, with both kings’ masons and the Giblians preparing materials.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Solomon gives a specific reason for beginning the work now. David’s wars had prevented him from building, while Solomon says the Lord has given him rest. He also ties his purpose to the Lord’s stated word that David’s son would build the house, rather than supplying a new reason for the project.
2
The arrangement includes both delivery and payment details. Hiram will move the timber in floats to a place Solomon identifies and land it there; he asks for household food. The actual annual provision is twenty thousand measures of wheat and twenty measures of purest oil. Those terms should remain without new geography or altered figures.
3
The labor figures describe different duties. Thirty thousand men rotate to Libanus in groups of ten thousand, with two months at home. Seventy thousand carry burdens, eighty thousand hew mountain stone, and three thousand three hundred oversee the work. The text states the schedule without saying why that schedule was chosen.

Test your recall

How do Solomon’s stated rest and need for skilled timber cutting lead to Hiram’s delivery plan and the yearly provision for his household?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 35198–35219
3 Kings Chapter 5 Hiram king of Tyre agreeth to furnish timber and workmen for building the temple: the number of workmen and overseers. 5:1. And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent his servants to Solomon: for he heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram had always been David’s friend. 5:2. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying: 5:3. Thou knowest the will of David, my father, and that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars that were round about him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 5:4. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest round about; and there is no adversary nor evil occurrence. 5:5. Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will set upon the throne, in thy place, he shall build a house to my name.
Lines 35221–35225
5:6. Give orders, therefore, that thy servants cut me down cedar trees, out of Libanus, and let my servants be with thy servants: and I will give thee the hire of thy servants whatsoever thou wilt ask: for thou knowest how there is not among my people a man that has skill to hew wood like to the Sidonians.
Lines 35227–35239
5:7. Now when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who hath given to David a very wise son over this numerous people. 5:8. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have heard all thou hast desired of me; and I will do all thy desire concerning cedar trees, and fir trees. 5:9. My servants shall bring them down from Libanus to the sea: and I will put them together in floats, on the sea, and convey them to the place, which thou shalt signify to me, and will land them there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt allow me necessaries to furnish food for my household.
Lines 35241–35250
5:10. So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees, according to all his desire. 5:11. And Solomon allowed Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat, for provision for his house, and twenty measures of the purest oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram every year. 5:12. And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league together.
Lines 35252–35263
5:13. And king Solomon chose workmen out of all Israel, and the levy was of thirty thousand men. 5:14. And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month, by turns, so that two months they were at home: and Adoniram was over this levy. 5:15. And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountain: 5:16. Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three thousand and three hundred, that ruled over the people, and them that did the work.
Lines 35265–35270
5:17. And the king commanded that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them: 5:18. And the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram, hewed them: and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.