¹Hiram, rey de Tiro, envió sus siervos a Salomón^a, cuando oyó que lo habían ungido rey en lugar de su padre, pues Hiram siempre² había sido amigo de David^b. 2 ^aEntonces Salomón envió palabra a Hiram^b, diciendo: 3 Tú sabes que mi padre David no pudo edificar una casa al nombre del SEÑOR su Dios a causa de las guerras en que se vio envuelto, hasta que el SEÑOR puso a sus enemigos¹ bajo las plantas de sus pies^a. 4 Mas ahora el SEÑOR mi Dios me ha dado paz por todas partes^a; no hay adversario ni calamidad¹. 5 Y he aquí, pienso¹ edificar una casa al nombre del SEÑOR mi Dios, como el SEÑOR habló a mi padre David, diciendo: «Tu hijo, a quien pondré sobre el trono en tu lugar, él edificará la casa a mi nombre^a». 6 Ahora pues, ordena que me corten cedros del Líbano, y mis siervos estarán con tus siervos; y te daré salarios para tus siervos conforme a todo lo que tú digas, pues sabes que no hay nadie entre nosotros que sepa labrar madera como los sidonios^a.

7 Y sucedió que cuando Hiram oyó las palabras de Salomón, se alegró mucho y dijo: Bendito sea hoy el SEÑOR, que ha dado a David un hijo sabio sobre este pueblo tan numeroso. 8 Y envió Hiram respuesta a Salomón, diciendo: He oído el mensaje que me enviaste; haré lo que tú quieras¹ en cuanto a las maderas de cedro y de ciprés. 9 Mis siervos las bajarán desde el Líbano hasta el mar; y haré de ellas balsas para ir por mar hasta el lugar adonde me indiques¹, y allí haré que las desaten y tú te las llevarás^a. Entonces cumplirás² mi deseo dando alimento^b a mi casa. 10 Dio¹, pues, Hiram² a Salomón todo lo que deseaba³ de las maderas de cedro y de ciprés. 11 Y Salomón daba a Hiram veinte mil coros¹ de trigo como alimento para su casa, y veinte coros² de aceite batido^a; esto daba Salomón a Hiram año tras año. 12 El SEÑOR dio sabiduría a Salomón, tal como le había prometido^1a, y hubo paz entre Hiram y Salomón, y los dos hicieron un pacto.

13 El rey Salomón^a impuso¹ una leva a todo Israel, y la leva fue de treinta mil hombres. 14 Y los envió al Líbano, en relevos de diez mil cada mes; y se quedaban un mes en el Líbano y dos meses en su casa. Y Adoniram^a estaba al frente de¹ la leva. 15 Salomón tenía setenta mil hombres que llevaban las cargas, y ochenta mil canteros en las montañas^a, 16 además de los tres mil trescientos oficiales¹ de Salomón que estaban al frente de la obra y que gobernaban la gente que hacía el trabajo^a. 17 Entonces el rey dio órdenes, y sacaron grandes piedras, piedras costosas, para echar los cimientos de la casa con piedras labradas^a. 18 Y los constructores de Salomón, los constructores de Hiram¹ y los giblitas^a cortaron y prepararon las maderas y las piedras para edificar la casa.

^1aNow Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for ^bHiram had ²always been a friend of David. 2 Then ^aSolomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that ^aDavid my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now ^athe LORD my God has secured me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor ¹misfortune. 5 So behold, ^aI ¹intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, just as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6 Now then, issue orders that they cut ^acedars from Lebanon for me, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants in accordance with all that you say, for you yourself know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he greatly rejoiced; and he said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you sent me; I will do everything you wish concerning the cedar and juniper timber. 9 My servants will bring the timbers down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will have them made into rafts to go by sea ^ato the place where you ¹direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you will carry them away. Then ^byou shall do what I wish, by giving food to my household.” 10 So ¹Hiram ²gave Solomon all that he wished of the cedar and juniper timber. 11 ^aSolomon then gave ¹Hiram ²twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and ³twenty kors of pure oil; this is what Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 And ^athe LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He ¹promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

13 Now ^aKing Solomon ¹conscripted forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered thirty thousand men. 14 Then he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts; they were in Lebanon for a month, and two months at home. And ^aAdoniram was in charge of the forced laborers. 15 Now ^aSolomon had seventy thousand porters, and eighty thousand stonemasons in the mountains, 16 ^abesides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were in charge of the ¹project and ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17 Then ^athe king issued orders, and they quarried large stones, valuable stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18 So Solomon’s builders and ¹Hiram’s builders and ^athe Gebalites ²cut the stones, and they prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.

^1aNow Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for ^bHiram had ²always been a friend of David. 2 Then ^aSolomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that ^aDavid my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now ^athe LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor ¹misfortune. 5 Behold, ^aI ¹intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6 Now therefore, command that they cut for me ^acedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do ¹what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber. 9 My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea ^ato the place where you ¹direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then ^byou shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.” 10 So ¹Hiram ²gave Solomon ³as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. 11 ^aSolomon then gave Hiram 20,000 ¹kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty ²kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 ^aThe LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He ¹promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

13 Now ^aKing Solomon ¹levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers ²numbered 30,000 men. 14 He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And ^aAdoniram was over the forced laborers. 15 Now ^aSolomon had 70,000 ¹transporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains, 16 ^abesides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the ¹project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17 Then ^athe king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18 So Solomon’s builders and ¹Hiram’s builders and ^athe Gebalites ²cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.