5:1
Solomon was overlord of all the kingdoms from the River to the territory of the Philistines and the Egyptian border. They brought tribute and served him all his life long.
5:2
The daily provisions for Solomon were: thirty measures of fine flour and sixty measures of meal,
5:3
ten fattened oxen, twenty free-grazing oxen, one hundred sheep, besides deer and gazelles, roebucks and fattened poultry.
5:4
For he was master of all Transeuphrates -- of all the kings of Transeuphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza -- and he enjoyed peace on all his frontiers.
5:5
Judah and Israel lived in security, everyone under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, throughout the lifetime of Solomon.
5:6
And Solomon had four thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand cavalrymen.
5:7
These administrators provided the food for Solomon and for all those who were admitted by him to the royal table, each for the period of a month; they ensured that nothing was wanting.
5:8
They also provided the barley and straw for the horses and draught animals, where required, each according to the quota demanded of him.
5:9
God gave Solomon immense wisdom and understanding, and a heart as vast as the sand on the sea-shore.
5:10
The wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.
5:11
He was wiser than anyone else, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, than the sons of Mahol, Heman, Calcol and Darda; his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.
5:12
He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five.
5:13
He could discourse on plants from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing on the wall; and he could discourse on animals and birds and reptiles and fish.
5:14
Men from all nations came to hear Solomon's wisdom, and he received gifts from all the kings in the world, who had heard of his wisdom.
5:15
Hiram king of Tyre sent an embassy to Solomon, having learnt that he had been anointed king in succession to his father and because Hiram had always been a friend of David.
5:16
And Solomon sent this message to Hiram,
5:17
'You are aware that my father David was unable to build a temple for the name of Yahweh his God, on account of the wars waged on him from every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
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But now Yahweh my God has given me peace on every side: not one enemy, no calamities.
5:19
I propose, then, to build a temple for the name of Yahweh my God, in accordance with what Yahweh told my father David, "Your son whom I shall place on your throne to succeed you will be the man to build a temple for my name."
5:20
So now have cedars of Lebanon cut down for me; my servants will work with your servants, and I shall pay for the hire of your servants at whatever rate you fix. As you know, we have no one as skilled in felling trees as the Sidonians.'
5:21
When Hiram heard what Solomon had said, he was delighted. 'Now blessed be Yahweh,' he said, 'who has given David a wise son to rule over this great people!'
5:22
And Hiram sent word to Solomon, 'I have received your message. For my part, I shall supply you with all you require in the way of cedar wood and juniper.
5:23
Your servants will bring these down from Lebanon to the sea, and I shall have them towed by sea to any place you name; I shall discharge them there, and you will take them over. For your part, you will see to the provisioning of my household as I desire.'
5:24
So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar wood and juniper he wanted
5:25
while Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand kor of wheat to feed his household, and twenty thousand kor of pure oil. Solomon gave Hiram this every year.
5:26
Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised him; good relations persisted between Solomon and Hiram, and the two of them concluded a treaty.
5:27
King Solomon raised a levy throughout Israel for forced labour: the levy numbered thirty thousand men.
5:28
He sent these to Lebanon in relays, ten thousand a month; they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoram was in charge of the forced labour.
5:29
Solomon also had seventy thousand porters and eighty thousand quarrymen in the mountains,
5:30
as well as the administrators, officials who supervised the work, three thousand three hundred of them in charge of the men employed in the work.
5:31
At the king's orders they quarried huge stones, special stones for the laying of the temple foundations, dressed stones.
5:32
Solomon's workmen and Hiram's workmen and the Giblites cut and assembled the wood and stone for the building of the Temple.
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