1 Kings 5:1-18 - Solomon's Wisdom: Architecture
1 Hiram, king of Tyre, also sent his slaves unto Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram had always loved David.
2 Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3 Thou knowest how David, my father, could not build a house unto the name of the LORD his God, for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put his enemies under the soles of his feet. 4 Now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side so that there is neither adversary nor evil encounter. 5 And, therefore, I have determined to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God as the LORD spoke unto David, my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy place, he shall build a house unto my name.
6 Command, therefore, now that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon, and my slaves shall be with thy slaves, and I will give thee for thy slaves the hire that thou shalt appoint, for thou knowest that there is no one among us with the skill to hew timber like the Sidonians.
7 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given unto David a wise son over this great people. 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou didst send to tell me, and I will do all thy desire concerning the timber of cedar and concerning the timber of fir. 9 My slaves shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea, and I will convey them by sea in rafts 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 thousand measures of pure oil; this 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 the two made a covenant together.
13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men, 14 whom he sent to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; they were a month in Lebanon and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy. 15 And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens and eighty thousand hewers in the mountains; 16 besides Solomon's chief officers who were over the work, there were three thousand three hundred who ruled over the people that did the work. 17 And the king commanded that they bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the house, and hewed stones. 18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders hewed them, and the stonesquarers; so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.