1 Kings 5:1-18
Q.1. Why did Solomon form an alliance with King Hiram? What could Hiram provide for him? – (1 Kgs.5:1-6)
Tyre was the great maritime trading nation at that time. Hiram, the king of Tyre, had been a friend of King David’s (1Kgs.5:1). Later he would help Solomon build a fleet of ships that sailed from Ezion-geber, through the Gulf of Aqaba, to bring back the wealth of nations (c.f. 1 Kgs.9:26-28). Hiram had an abundance of cypress trees and cedars of Lebanon in his territory. Solomon explained – Behold, I intend 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’ (1 Kgs.5:5). The Tyrians were expert wood- cutters. Solomon agreed to pay Hiram a fair price for the timber (1 Kgs.5:6).
Q.2. What was Hiram’s response to Solomon? How was the covenant between the two kings beneficial to both nations? – (1 Kgs.5:7-12)
Hiram rejoiced with the news and replied – Blessed be the Lord today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people (1 Kgs.5:7). Solomon was able to procure as much cypress and cedar as he needed, to build the Temple. The wood was taken by rafts to Israel’s shores (1 Kgs.5:8-9). Hiram and his people also became more prosperous from the exports – 11 Solomon then gave Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat [four hundred and forty thousand] as food for his household, and twenty kors of beaten oil [four thousand, four hundred litres]; this Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12 The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant (1 Kgs.5:11-12). Both nations prospered from the covenant of peace.
Q.3. How did Solomon obtain the materials he needed for such a massive task? What is the lesson for us? – (1 Kgs.5:13-18)
The distance to take logs of timber from the coast to Jerusalem even today, is sixty-five kilometres by road (from Jaffa). The temple on Mount Zion was elevated. Solomon appointed – seventy thousand transporters and eighty thousand stonemasons … great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the temple with cut stones (1 Kgs.5:15 & 17). Solomon rostered ten thousand overseers and workers in Lebanon, so that they were at home two out of three months (1 Kgs.5:14). In all, his – forced labourers numbered thirty thousand men (1 Kgs.5:13). He organized them, along with Hiram’s builders, to prepare the materials (1 Kgs.5:18). Chronicles informs us that he used foreigners for much of the task – Solomon numbered all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, following the census which his father David had taken; and one hundred and fifty-three thousand, six hundred were found (2 Chron.2:17). To do a great work for God, requires wise and effective organization, training, and delegation (c.f. Eph.4:11-13; 2 Tim.2:2).