Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple
1Hiram was the king of Tyre. He heard that Solomon had been anointed as king. He heard that Solomon had become the next king after his father David. Hiram had always been David’s friend. So Hiram sent his messengers to Solomon. 2Then Solomon sent a message back to Hiram. Solomon said,
3“As you know, my father David had to fight many battles. His enemies attacked him from every side. So he couldn’t build a temple where the Lord his God would put his Name. That wouldn’t be possible until the Lord had put his enemies under his control. 4But now the Lord my God has given me peace and rest on every side. We don’t have any enemies. And we don’t have any other major problems either. 5So I’m planning to build a temple. I want to build it for the Name of the Lord my God. That’s what he told my father David he wanted me to do. He said, ‘I will put your son on the throne in your place. He will build a temple. I will put my Name there.’
6“So give your men orders to cut down cedar trees in Lebanon for me. My men will work with yours. I’ll pay you for your men’s work. I’ll pay any amount you decide on. As you know, we don’t have anyone as skilled in cutting down trees as the men of Sidon are.”
7When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very pleased. He said, “May the Lord be praised today. He has given David a wise son to rule over that great nation.”
8So Hiram sent a message to Solomon. Hiram said,
“I have received the message you sent me. I’ll do everything you want me to. I’ll provide the cedar and juniper logs. 9My men will bring them from Lebanon down to the Mediterranean Sea. I’ll make them into rafts. I’ll float them to the place you want me to. When the rafts arrive, I’ll separate the logs from each other. Then you can take them away. And here’s what I want in return. Provide food for all the people in my palace.”
10So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted. 11Solomon gave Hiram 3,600 tons of wheat as food for the people in his palace. He also gave him 120,000 gallons of oil made from pressed olives. He did that for Hiram year after year. 12The Lord made Solomon wise, just as he had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon. The two of them made a peace treaty.
13King Solomon forced men from all over Israel to work hard for him. There were 30,000 of them. 14He sent them off to Lebanon in groups of 10,000 each month. They spent one month in Lebanon. Then they spent two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the people who were forced to work. 15Solomon had 70,000 people who carried things. He had 80,000 who cut stones in the hills. 16He had 3,300 men in charge of the project. They also directed the workers. 17The people did what the king commanded. They removed large blocks of the best quality stone from a rock pit. They used them to provide a foundation for the temple. 18The skilled workers of Solomon and Hiram cut and prepared the logs and stones. They would later be used in building the temple. Workers from Byblos also helped.
预备建造圣殿
1泰尔王希兰素来与大卫修好，他听说以色列人膏立了所罗门继承大卫的王位，就遣使者来见所罗门。 2所罗门也派人去见希兰，说： 3“你知道，我父大卫因周围战事连连，未能为他的上帝耶和华建殿，要等到耶和华使仇敌伏在他脚下后再建。 4现在我的上帝耶和华使我四境太平，内外无忧， 5我想为我的上帝耶和华建殿，因为耶和华曾对我父大卫说，‘我必使你的儿子继承你的王位，他必为我的名建殿。’ 6请你命人为我砍伐黎巴嫩的香柏木。我会派人帮助你的人，并按你的要求付你的人工钱。因为你知道，我们没有人像西顿人那样善于砍伐树木。”
7希兰听了所罗门的话后，非常高兴，说：“今天当赞美耶和华！祂赐给大卫一个有智慧的儿子治理这伟大的民族。” 8他派人回复所罗门说：“我已收到你派人带来的口信。我一定会照你的心愿提供香柏木和松木。 9我的工人会将这些木料从黎巴嫩扎成木筏，经海道运到你指定的地点。木筏拆散以后，你就可以点收了。你也要成全我的心愿，供应我家食粮。” 10于是，希兰供应所罗门需用的香柏木和松木， 11所罗门每年供应希兰四百四十万升麦子和四千四百升橄榄油。 12耶和华照着应许赐给所罗门智慧。他跟希兰修好，缔结盟约。
13所罗门王从以色列征集了三万劳工， 14派他们每月轮班到黎巴嫩工作，每班一万人，在黎巴嫩一个月，在家两个月。亚多尼兰做他们的总管。 15所罗门又征用了七万名搬运工，八万名在山上凿石的匠人。 16此外，他还派了三千三百名监工，监督工人做工。 17他们按照王的命令在山上凿出珍贵的巨石，用来作殿的根基。 18于是，所罗门和希兰的工匠及迦巴勒人凿好石头，备好木料，准备建殿。
