Sermon Central
Melachim Alef 5
1And Chiram Melech Tzor sent his avadim unto Sh'lomo; for he had heard that they had anointed him Melech in the place of his av; for Chiram was ever an ohev (friend) of Dovid.
2And Sh'lomo sent to Chiram, saying,
3Thou knowest how that Dovid Avi could not build Bayit unto the Shem of Hashem Elohav due to the milchamah which was about him on every side, until Hashem put them under the kappot (soles) of his raglayim.
4But now Hashem Elohai hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither satan (adversary) nor pega rah (evil occurrence, misfortune).
5And, now behold, I purpose to build a Beis for the Shem of Hashem Elohai, just as Hashem spoke unto Dovid Avi, saying, Binecha
6Now therefore command thou that they cut for me arazim (cedar trees) out of the Levanon; and my avadim shall be with thy avadim; and unto thee will I give sachar (wage) for thy avadim according to all that thou shalt appoint; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are skilled to hew etzim (wood, timber) like unto the Tzidonim.
7And it came to pass, when Chiram heard the divrei Sh'lomo, that he rejoiced with simchah me'od, and said, Baruch Hashem this day, Who hath given unto Dovid a ben chacham over HaAm Harav hazeh (this great people).
8And Chiram sent to Sh'lomo, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for; and I will do all thy chefetz (desire) concerning atzei arazim (cedar timber), and concerning atzei b'roshim (cypress wood).
9My avadim shall bring them down from the Levanon unto the yam (sea, T.N. i.e., Mediterranean Sea); and I will convey them by yam on rafts unto the makom (place) that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my chefetz (desire), in giving lechem for my bais (household).
10So Chiram gave Sh'lomo atzei arazim (cedar logs) and atzei b'roshim (cypress wood) according to all his chefetz.
11And Sh'lomo gave Chiram twenty thousand kor of chittim (wheat) for provision for his bais, and twenty kor of shemen katit (pressed olive oil): thus gave Sh'lomo to Chiram shanah b'shanah.
12And Hashem gave Sh'lomo chochmah, just as He promised him; and there was shalom between Chiram and Sh'lomo; and they had a brit (treaty, a political alliance), the two of them.
13And HaMelech Sh'lomo conscripted mas (forced labor) out of kol Yisroel; and the mas was thirty thousand ish.
14And he sent them to the Levanon, ten thousand a month by chalifot (courses, shifts); a month they were in the Levanon, and two months they were b'bayit (at home); and Adoniram was in charge of the mas.
15And Sh'lomo had threescore and ten thousand that were burden bearers, and fourscore thousand who were stone cutters in the har (mountains);
16This was in addition to the chief of Sh'lomo's Nitzavim, who were over the project, three thousand three hundred, who supervised the people that wrought in the work.
17And HaMelech commanded, and avanim gedolot (great stones) they quarried, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the Bayit with hewn stones.
18And the Bonei Sh'lomo and Bonei Chiram did chisel them, and the men from Geval; so they prepared etzim (timber) and avanim (stones) to build the Bayit [the Beis Hamikdash].