1 Kings 5:1-12

I. PREPARATIONS FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE 5:1-18

Preparations for Temple construction commenced long before Solomon ascended the throne. The Temple siteMt. Moriahhad been indicated by God to David in connection with the cessation of the plague against Jerusalem (2 Samuel 24:18-25). But much had to be done in both leveling and raising that ground in order to secure a flat construction area. This work may have begun while David was yet king. The Scriptures explicitly state that David energetically engaged in gathering various materials for the Templegold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and precious stones (1 Chronicles 29:2-5). Once Solomon had successfully established himself on the throne of his father, he wholeheartedly devoted himself to those final preparations which were necessary before actual construction could commence. Chapter 5 tells (1) of his negotiations with Hiram of Tyre (1 Kings 5:1-12); and (2) of the laboring force which he conscripted to assist in the project (1 Kings 5:13-18).

A. NEGOTIATIONS WITH HIRAM 5:1-12

TRANSLATION

(1) Now Hiram, king of Tyre, sent his servants unto Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him as king instead of his father, for Hiram had always been friendly to David. (2) And Solomon sent (a message) unto Hiram, saying, (3) You surely know that David my father was not able to build a house to the name of the LORD his God because of the war with which they surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. (4) But now the LORD my God has given to me rest on every side; there is no adversary, nor evil happenstance. (5) So behold I am proposing to build a house to the name of the LORD my God as the LORD spoke unto David my father, saying, Your son whom I will set upon your throne in place of you, he shall build the house for My name. (6) And now issue a command that they may cut for me cedar trees from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants, and the hire of your servants I will give you according to all that you say, for you surely know that there is not among us a man skilled in cutting timber like the Sidonians. (7) And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon that he rejoiced exceedingly and said, Blessed be the LORD this day who has given to David a wise son over this great people. (8) And Hiram sent unto Solomon, saying, I have heard (the message) which you sent unto me; I will surely do all your desire in regard to the cedar trees and fir trees. (9) My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will surely make them rafts (to go) by sea unto the place which you shall designate unto me; and I will break them up there, and you will take them up; and as for you, do what I desire by giving bread to my house. (10) So Hiram supplied Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees according to his desire. (11) And Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of pure oil; thus would Solomon give to Hiram year by year. (12) Now the LORD gave wisdom to Solomon just as He had spoken to him; and there was peace between Solomon and Hiram and they made a covenant between them.

COMMENTS

Before his death King David had gathered considerable materials for the building of the Temple, including the highly valued cedars from Lebanon (1 Chronicles 22:1-4). This precious timber was coveted by all the kings of antiquity from the Tigris-Euphrates valley to the land of the Pharaohs. The cordial relations which existed between David and Hiram[157] king of Tyre continued under the reign of Solomon. Hiram sent a delegation to Solomon to recognize and congratulate the youthful king, and at the same time to make overtures of friendship. A continuing peaceful relationship with Israel was essential to Hiram in view of the fact that Solomon controlled the vital trade routes which led to Tyre. Furthermore, the Phoenicians in this period seem to have been dependent upon the grains produced in the fertile valleys of Israel. Thus when Hiram heard that Solomon had been anointed king of Israel in place of his father David, he sent his ambassadors to Jerusalem (1 Kings 5:1).

[157] In 1 Kings 5:10; 1 Kings 5:18 the name is spelled Hirom while in Chronicles with one exception (1 Chronicles 14:1) the name appears as Huram. According to some authorities, two kings in succession bore the same name, the first being the friend of David and the second of Solomon. According to others Hiram was a synonym for king of Tyre as Pharaoh was for king of Egypt.

Solomon responded to the friendly gesture of his neighbor by sending a letter[158] to Hiram (1 Kings 5:2). In this communication Solomon made reference to his father's intention to build a house that would be dedicated to the LORD his God. Hiram knew of David's plans, and had already furnished a large number of trees for the project (1 Chronicles 22:4). But David's dream had not been realized during his lifetime. Because he had been surrounded by adversaries throughout his reign, he had been forced to devote most of his attention to war and bloodshed (1 Kings 5:3). Solomon's reign, however, had thus far been peaceful and free from any evil (i.e., unfortunate) occurrence such as rebellion, famine or pestilence (1 Kings 5:4). Since God had revealed that David's successor would be the Temple builder, and since political circumstances now made that project feasible, Solomon had determined to proceed with it (1 Kings 5:5).

[158] Josephus (Ant., VIII, 2.8) reports that this letter and Hiram's reply to it (1 Kings 5:8) were preserved in the public archives of Tyre in the first century A.D.

Solomon made two requests of Hiram. First, he asked that Hiram make available to him the valuable timber from the Lebanon mountains. The inscription of the Sumerian king Gudea (c. 2100 B.C.) and the Report of the Egyptian official Wenamon (c. 1100 B.C.) indicate that Lebanon had supplied timber and stone for the building of temples in very early times and in places far more distant than Jerusalem.[159] In addition to the building materials, Solomon also requested that his royal friend send a skilled craftsman to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 2:7). In exchange for these provisions Solomon agreed to supply manpower to assist in the logging operation and also to pay the wages of the Tyrian laborers.[160] In a closing complimentary remark, Solomon alluded to the skill of the Sidonians in woodmanship (1 Kings 5:6). The subjects of Hiram are called Sidonians because in earlier times Sidon was the most important city of Phoenicia. This usage was also followed by Greek and Latin writers and apparently to some extent by the Phoenicians themselves.[161]

[159] Barton, AB, pp. 451,455.
[160] This latter suggestion is amplified in the account in Chronicles where Solomon is said to have promised to give Hiram's workmen twenty thousand kors of wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine and twenty thousand baths of oil (2 Chronicles 2:10).

[161] A Phoenician inscription on a bronze bowl refers to a Hiram (probably eighth century B.C.) king of the Sidonians. See Honor, JCBR, p. 83.

Hiram rejoiced at the prospect of continued friendly relations with Israel and burst forth in praise to God for having given David so wise a son as his successor (1 Kings 5:7). The wisdom of the young king was evident to Hiram because (1) Solomon had chosen the path of peaceful coexistence; (2) he earnestly desired to fulfill his wise father's purposes; and (3) he had made the worship of God the foremost concern of his reign. Hiram's praise for God need not imply that he believed in the exclusive divinity of the God of Israel, but simply that he regarded the Lord as being as real as one of his own deities. Attributing the guidance of Israel's destiny to Israel's Deity conformed completely with the religious notions of Hiram's time.

Without delay Hiram sent his letter of reply to Solomon indicating that he was favorably disposed to providing the cedar and fir trees[162] which Solomon had requested (1 Kings 5:8). The plan called for Hiram's servants to bring the logs down the rugged and dangerous mountain road from Lebanon to the sea. At some Phoenician port, possibly Gebal (Byblus), the timber would be lashed into rafts and floated down the Mediterranean seacoast to Joppa (2 Chronicles 2:16). At that point the lumber would be broken up into separate trees and delivered to Solomon who would be responsible for moving it the forty steep and rugged miles to Jerusalem.

[162] The absence of any reference to fir trees in 1 Kings 5:6 is an indication that the report of Solomon's request to Hiram has been condensed.

Solomon had to pay for the Phoenician timber by providing grain for the household of Hiram (1 Kings 5:9). This payment for Hiram's household is in addition to the wages of the laborers which Solomon had volunteered to pay (1 Kings 5:6) and had stipulated (2 Chronicles 2:10) in his letter to Hiram. It seems as though Hiram set a rather high price on his goods and services, a policy quite different from that which prevailed at the time he gave assistance to David (2 Samuel 5:11). That Hiram would designate food as the payment for the timber is quite understandable in view of the geographical situation of Phoenicia. That land occupied a coastal plain which extended for some twenty-eight miles but which averaged only about one mile in breadth. Hence it was essential that Phoenicia import agricultural products from neighboring lands.

Both kings being agreeable to the contractual arrangements, the building material began to move southward to Jerusalem (1 Kings 5:10). In compensation for this timber Solomon paid Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat (about 103,200 bushels) and twenty (about 1,100 gallons) of pure (Heb., beaten) oil, i.e., oil that was obtained by pounding the olives just before they ripened. This kind of oil was whiter in color and gave a clearer light than that furnished by ripe olives. Each year as long as the construction work continued (or possibly longer) Solomon made these payments to the royal court at Tyre. These successful negotiations with Hiram and the mutually advantageous treaty which resulted are regarded by the author of Kings as a further indication of Solomon's wisdom[163] (1 Kings 5:12). In accordance with Phoenician policy,[164] Hiram sealed the renewal by presenting Solomon with his daughter (cf. 1 Kings 11:1).

[163] Ellison (NBC, p. 306) and Wilson (WBC, p. 251) feel that this league necessarily involved Solomon in a recognition of Hiram's gods. But had such religious compromise been involved, it is hardly likely that the author of Kings would have cited this league as an example of Solomon's wisdom.
[164] Olmstead, HPS, p. 340.

SOLOMON'S ANNUAL PAYMENT TO HIRAM

For Hiram's Court
1 Kings 5:11

For Hiram's Workers
2 Chronicles 2:10

103,200 Bushels of Wheat

103,200 Bushels of Wheat

1,100 Gallons of Beaten Olive Oil

103,200 Bushels of Barley

110,000 Gallons of Wine

110,000 Gallons of Oil