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Kur Hirami, mbret i Tiros, mësoi që Salomoni ishte vajosur mbret në vend të atit të tij, dërgoi shërbëtorët e tij, sepse Hirami kishte qenë gjithnjë mik i Davidit.

Atëherë Salomoni dërgoi t’i thotë Hiramit:

"Ti e di që ati im David nuk ka mundur të ndërtojë një tempull në emër të Zotit, Perëndisë të tij, për shkak të luftrave të ndërmarra nga çdo anë kundër tij, deri sa Zoti i vuri armiqtë e tij nën shputën e këmbëve të tij.

Por tani Zoti, Perëndia im, më ka dhënë paqe rreth e qark; dhe nuk kam më kundërshtarë, as ndonjë fatkeqësi.

Prandaj tani kam ndërmend të ndërtoj një tempull në emër të Zotit, Perëndisë tim, sipas premtimit që i bëri Zoti atit tim David, kur i tha: "Yt bir, që unë do të vendos mbi fronin tënd, ka për të qënë ai që do të ndërtojë një tempull në emrin tim".

Jep urdhër, pra, që të priten për mua kedrat e Libanit. Shërbëtorët e mi do të punojnë me shërbëtorët e tu, dhe si pagë unë do t’u jap shërbëtorëve të tu tërë ato që do të më kërkosh ti. Ti e di mirë që ndër ne nuk ka njeri që di t’i presë drurët si ata të Sidonit".

Kur Hirami i dëgjoi fjalët e Salomonit, u gëzua së tepërmi dhe tha: Qoftë i bekuar sot Zoti, që i ka dhënë Davidit një bir të urtë për tëë mbretëruar mbi këtë popull të madh".

Pastaj Hirami dërgoi t’i thotë Salomonit: "E shqyrtova me kujdes mesazhin që më çove. Unë do të bëj të gjitha ato që dëshiron ti lidhur me lëndën e kedrit dhe të qiparisit.

Shërbëtorët e mi do t’i sjellin nga Libani deri në det dhe do t’i transportojnë që andej me trap deri në vendin që ti do të më tregosh; pastaj do t’i shkarkojnë atje dhe ti do t’i çosh tutje. Si shpërblim, ti do të plotësosh dëshirën time, duke furnizuar me ushqime shtëpinë time".

10 Kështu Hirami e furnizoi Salomonin me tërë lëndën e kedrit dhe të qiparisit që ai kishte nevojë.

11 Salomoni nga ana e tij e furnizoi Hiramin me njëzet mijë kore gruri për të mbajtur shtëpinë e tij dhe njëzet kore vaj të pastër ulliri; Salomoni i jepte Hiramit çdo vit tërë këto gjëra.

12 Zoti i dha dituri Salomonit, ashtu siç ia kishte premtuar; kështu mbretëroi paqja midis Hiramit dhe Salomonit, dhe të dy bënë aleancë.

13 Mbreti Salomon rekrutoi njerëz për punë të detyruar në tërë Izraelin, dhe ata që u caktuan për punë të detyruar ishin tridhjetë mijë njerëz.

14 I dërgonte me turne në Liban nga dhjetëmijë në muaj; kalonin një muaj në Liban dhe dy muaj në shtëpitë e tyre; Adonirami ishte drejtuesi i punimeve të detyruara.

15 Salomoni kishte gjithashtu shtatëdhjetë mijë njerëz që transportonin ngarkesa dhe tetëdhjetë mijë gurgdhëndës në male,

16 pa llogaritur tremijë e treqind përgjegjës të caktuar nga Salomoni për veprimtaritë e ndryshme dhe për të mbikqyrur personat e caktuar në punimet.

17 Mbreti urdhëroi të nxirreshin gurë të mëdhenj, gurë me vlerë dhe gurë katërkëndësh për të bërë themelet e tempullit.

18 Kështu punëtorët e Salomonit dhe punëtorët e Hiramit dhe Giblejtë nxorën gurët, dhe përgatitën lëndën e drurit dhe gurët për ndërtimin e tempullit.

Preparations for Building the Temple(A)

[a]When Hiram(B) king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

“You know that because of the wars(C) waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build(D) a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet.(E) But now the Lord my God has given me rest(F) on every side, and there is no adversary(G) or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple(H) for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’(I)

“So give orders that cedars(J) of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord(K) today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

So Hiram sent word to Solomon:

“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea(L), and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food(M) for my royal household.”

10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors[b] of wheat as food(N) for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths[c][d] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom,(O) just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.(P)

13 King Solomon conscripted laborers(Q) from all Israel—thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram(R) was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred[e] foremen(S) who supervised the project and directed the workers. 17 At the king’s command they removed from the quarry(T) large blocks of high-grade stone(U) to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. 18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram(V) and workers from Byblos(W) cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-18 is numbered 5:15-32.
  2. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,250 metric tons
  3. 1 Kings 5:11 Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 2:10); Hebrew twenty cors
  4. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters
  5. 1 Kings 5:16 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 2:2,18) thirty-six hundred

And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.

11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.

15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;

16 Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.