1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent {vayishlach: dispatched envoys} to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, because Hiram had always loved {ohev: steadfast devotion} David.
2 And Solomon sent to Hiram {Hiram: king of Tyre}, saying {leemor: introductory formula}.
3 You know that David my father was not able to build a house for the Name of the LORD {YHWH, Name Exalted}, his God {Elohim, David’s Mighty One}, because of the war that surrounded him, until the LORD gave them under the soles of his feet.
4 And now the LORD my God {YHWH Elohai, Peace Giver} has given me rest on every side; there is no adversary {satan: Opposer} and no disaster {pega: Calamity}.
5 And now, behold, I declare that I will build a house for the name of the LORD my God {YHWH Elohai, Divine Sovereign} just as the LORD {YHWH, Promise Fulfiller} spoke to my father David, saying, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, will build the house for My name.”
6 And now command {ṣavveh: authoritative request} that they cut cedars for me from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants. As for the wages of your servants, I will give you whatever you ask, for you know that there is not among us anyone who cuts trees like the Sidonians {tsidonim: skilled lumberers}.
7 Now it happened, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed is the LORD {YHWH, Giver of Wisdom} today, who has given David a wise son {khakam: skilled heir} over this great people.”
8 And Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard all that you sent to me. I will do everything you desire {chefetz: requested purpose} concerning the cedar and cypress wood {arazim/beroshim: building timber}.”
9 My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will set them as rafts {doverot: log platforms} on the sea until the place you indicate to me; there they will be broken up, and you will carry them away. Then you will fulfill my desire by providing food for my household {beiti: my royal court}.
10 And Hiram {Hiram: royal supplier} supplied Solomon with all the cedar trees and cypress trees as he desired {cheftso: personal wish}.
11 Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 kors {kor: dry measure} of wheat as provisions for his household, and 20 kors of beaten {katith: crushed oil} oil; in this manner Solomon would give to Hiram year by year.
12 And the LORD {YHWH, Wisdom Giver} gave wisdom {chokhmah: deep understanding} to Solomon as He had spoken to him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.
13 And King Solomon {Shlomo: Peaceful one} raised a levy {mas: corvée service} from all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand in monthly shifts {chalifot: rotation cycles}; they were in Lebanon for one month and at home for two months, and Adoniram was over the forced labor {mas: levy service}.
15 And for Solomon {shlomoh: Peace Bringer} there were seventy thousand burden carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hill country {bahar: mountainous region}.
16 Besides these, Solomon’s {Shlomo: king in Jerusalem} chief officers over the work {melakhah: skilled labor}—three thousand and three hundred—ruled over the people doing the work.
17 The king commanded, and they removed large stones {gedolot: great in size} and precious stones {yekarot: high-value blocks} to lay the foundation of the house with hewn stones.
18 The builders of Solomon and the builders of Hiram, together with the Gebalites, carved {vayifselu: sculpted with precision} and prepared the timbers and stones to build the house {bayit: sacred dwelling}.