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.
Kukonzekera Kumanga Nyumba ya Mulungu
1Hiramu mfumu ya ku Turo atamva kuti Solomoni wadzozedwa kukhala mfumu mʼmalo mwa abambo ake Davide, anatumiza akazembe ake kwa Solomoni, chifukwa mfumu Hiramu inali pa ubale wabwino ndi Davide nthawi zonse. 2Solomoni anabweza mawu awa kwa Hiramu:
3“Inu mukudziwa kuti chifukwa cha nkhondo zimene zinkachokera ku mbali zonse kulimbana ndi abambo anga, iwo sanathe kumangira Nyumba Yehova Mulungu wawo, mpaka Yehova atawayika adani awo pansi pa ulamuliro wawo. 4Koma tsopano Yehova Mulungu wanga wandipatsa mtendere mbali zonse za dziko ndipo ndilibe mdani kapena chovuta chilichonse. 5Choncho ine ndikufuna kumangira nyumba Yehova Mulungu wanga, monga momwe Iye anawuzira abambo anga Davide kuti, ‘Mwana wako amene ndidzamukhazike pa mpando waufumu mʼmalo mwako ndiye adzandimangire Nyumba.’
6“Choncho lamulani kuti andidulire mikungudza ya ku Lebanoni. Anthu anga adzagwira ntchito imeneyo pamodzi ndi anthu anuwo, ndipo ine ndidzalipira anthu anuwo malipiro amene inu mungakhazikitse. Inu mukudziwa kuti ife tilibe anthu aluso locheka matabwa monga Asidoni.”
7Hiramu anakondwa kwambiri atamva uthenga wa Solomoni ndipo anati, “Lero Yehova atamandike chifukwa wapatsa Davide mwana wanzeru kuti alamulire mtundu waukuluwu.”
8Tsono Hiramu anabweza mawu awa kwa Solomoni:
“Ndalandira uthenga umene mwanditumizira ndipo ine ndidzachita zonse zimene mukufuna pokupatsani mitengo ya mkungudza ndi payini. 9Anthu anga adzatsika nayo kuchokera ku Lebanoni mpaka ku nyanja, ndipo adzayiyandamitsa pa nyanja mpaka ku malo amene munene. Kumeneko ndidzayimasula ndipo mudzayitenga. Ndipo inu mudzakwaniritsa chokhumba changa pondipatsa chakudya cha banja langa laufumu.”
10Motero Hiramu anapereka kwa Solomoni mitengo yonse ya mkungudza ndi payini imene ankayifuna, 11ndipo Solomoni anamupatsa Hiramu mitanga ya tirigu 20,000 ngati chakudya cha pa nyumba yake, kuwonjezera pa migolo ya mafuta a olivi yokwana 20,000. Solomoni anapitiriza kupereka zimenezi chaka ndi chaka. 12Yehova anamupatsa Solomoni nzeru monga momwe analonjezera. Panali ubale wa mtendere pakati pa Solomoni ndi Hiramu, ndipo awiriwa anachita pangano.
13Mfumu Solomoni inasonkhanitsa anthu ogwira ntchito ya thangata mʼdziko lonse la Israeli ndipo anthu athangatawo analipo 30,000. 14Iye ankatumiza anthu 10,000 ku Lebanoni pa mwezi mosinthanasinthana, kotero kuti ankakhala ku Lebanoniko mwezi umodzi ndipo kwawo ankakhalako miyezi iwiri. Adoniramu ndiye ankayangʼanira ogwira ntchito yathangatayo. 15Solomoni anali ndi anthu amtengatenga 70,000, anthu 80,000 osema miyala ku mapiri, 16ndi akapitawo 33,000 amene ankayangʼanira ntchitoyi ndiponso anthu ogwira ntchito zina. 17Molamulidwa ndi mfumu, anakumba ndi kusema miyala ikuluikulu kwambiri yoti akamangire maziko a Nyumba ya Mulungu. 18Amisiri a Solomoni ndi a Hiramu ndiponso anthu a ku Gebala anasema miyala ndi kukonza matabwa ndi miyala yomangira Nyumba ya Mulungu.
