1 Kings 5:1-12 Meaning: The Right Time to Build
1Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David.
2Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
4But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no evil occurrence.
5Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place shall build the house for my name.’
6Now therefore command that cedar trees be cut for me out of Lebanon. 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 nobody among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
7When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh today, who has given to David a wise son to rule over this great people.”
8Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning cypress timber.
9My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”
10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar timber and cypress timber according to all his desire.
11Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat for food to his household, and twenty cors of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.
12Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together.
1And 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.
2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3Thou 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.
4But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5And, 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.
6Now 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.
7And 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.
8And 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.
9My 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.
10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
11And 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.
12And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
1And 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.
2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3Thou knowest how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Jehovah his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.
4But now Jehovah my God hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.
5And, behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the house for my name.
6Now therefore command thou that they cut me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that knoweth how to cut timber like unto the Sidonians.
7And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the message which thou hast sent unto me: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
10So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire.
11And 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.
12And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
1And Hiram king of Tyre sendeth his servants unto Solomon, for he heard that they had anointed him for king instead of his father, for Hiram was a lover of David all the days;
2and Solomon sendeth unto Hiram, saying,
3`Thou hast known David my father, that he hath not been able to build a house to the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars that have been round about him, till Jehovah's putting them under the soles of his feet.
4`And now, Jehovah my God hath given rest to me round about, there is no adversary nor evil occurrence,
5and lo, I am saying to build a house to the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son whom I appoint in thy stead on thy throne, he doth build the house for My name.
6`And now, command, and they cut down for me cedars out of Lebanon, and my servants are with thy servants, and the hire of thy servants I give to thee according to all that thou sayest, for thou hast known that there is not among us a man acquainted with cutting wood, like the Sidonians.'
7And it cometh to pass at Hiram's hearing the words of Solomon, that he rejoiceth exceedingly, and saith, `Blessed is Jehovah to-day, who hath given to David a wise son over this numerous people.'
8And Hiram sendeth unto Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou hast sent unto me, I do all thy desire concerning cedar-wood, and fir-wood,
9my servants bring down from Lebanon to the sea, and I make them floats in the sea unto the place that thou sendest unto me, and I have spread them out there; and thou dost take them up, and thou dost execute my desire, to give the food of my house.'
10And Hiram is giving to Solomon cedar-trees, and fir-trees, all his desire,
11and Solomon hath given to Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat, food for his house, and twenty cors of beaten oil; thus doth Solomon give to Hiram year by year.
12And Jehovah hath given wisdom to Solomon as He spake to him, and there is peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they make a covenant both of them.
1And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram always loved David.
2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3Thou knowest that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.
4But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side: there is neither adversary nor evil event.
5And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto my name.
6And now command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are experienced in cutting timber like to the Zidonians.
7And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.
8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the things which thou sentest to me for: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress.
9My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will convey them by sea [in] rafts to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.
10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees [according to] all his desire.
11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
12And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league.
Meaning in one sentence
Solomon explains why now is the time to build the temple. See how God gave rest, wisdom, and a partnership with Hiram to fulfill His promise.
Context
Solomon sits on a throne at peace. For decades his father David had fought wars on every side, gathering materials but never able to build the house he dreamed of for God. Now the fighting is finished. Enemies are subdued. The kingdom is secure. And Solomon picks up where David left off. He sends word to Hiram, king of Tyre, a long-time ally of his father. The temple project, first promised to David and now passed to his son, is about to begin. This chapter records how Solomon secured the skilled labor and timber needed from Lebanon. It shows a king using the wisdom and peace God gave him to start the great work. The treaty with Hiram opens a new chapter for Israel, moving from conquest to worship.
Key Words
Solomon's message uses one word that carries the whole story: rest. His father David had none. Wars circled him year after year. But now "Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side." The Hebrew word behind rest suggests a settled quiet, a place to breathe. It is the opposite of the constant threat David knew. For Solomon, this rest is not just leisure. It is the necessary condition for building. You cannot construct something permanent when you are always fighting.
Then Solomon says he "purposes" to build. The verb in the original is the ordinary word for "say", but here it means a settled intention, a decision spoken aloud (Cambridge Bible). He declares his plan. But notice he does not start in his own strength. He turns to Hiram, acknowledging that Israel has no one skilled to cut timber like the Sidonians. Wisdom, as the chapter closes, is what God gives, and that wisdom shows itself in knowing what you lack and asking for help.
The "name of the Lord" is also rich. As Keil and Delitzsch note, it means the manifestation of God's presence, a visible pledge that He dwells among His people. Building a house for His name means creating a place where God's presence can be honored and encountered.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage with different emphases. The identity of Hiram is one question: some scholars believe this is the same Hiram who helped David decades earlier, making him very old; others argue it is a successor with the same name (Barnes, Gill). Both sides point to ancient records.
Hiram's blessing of the Lord also divides readers. Adam Clarke insists his words show he worshipped the true God. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown is more cautious, noting Hiram might be using polytheistic courtesy, acknowledging Yahweh as Israel's God without fully embracing Him. The passage itself does not resolve this, leaving room for both possibilities.
Beyond historicity, many traditions see the temple as a type: a foreshadowing of Christ, who builds a spiritual house. The partnership between Israel and Tyre also raises questions about alliances with non-believers, which Christians have weighed differently across the centuries.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to assume Hiram's exclamation "Blessed be the Lord" proves he converted to faith in Yahweh. In fact, as Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes, such language was standard diplomatic courtesy in the ancient Near East. Kings often blessed the gods of other nations when dealing with them, without abandoning their own deities. The passage focuses on the treaty itself, not on Hiram's personal religion. We are not told enough to be sure, so it is best to leave that question open.
Living This Out
Maybe you have a good work in mind but feel you lack the skills or resources. Solomon did not have lumberjacks, but he knew who did. He asked. You can do the same. Is there someone with the experience you need? A church, a friend, a neighbor? The first step is to name what you lack and then reach out.
Or maybe you are in a season of peace right now. Work is steady. Relationships are calm. That might be the very time God has set aside for you to build something for His glory. Do not let the rest pass unused. Take the quiet moment and start the project that has been waiting.
The temple was a long time coming. David had the promise but not the peace. Solomon had both. Your delay may not be a closed door. It may be God's timing preparing a way.
Main takeaway: God provides rest, wisdom, and partnerships so we can build what He has promised and honor His name.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Solomon wanted to build a big, beautiful house for God. But he needed special trees from far away. A king named Hiram was his friend and helped him. They worked together, and that made God happy.
For ages 9, 12
Solomon didn't just start building the temple. He waited until the wars were over and God gave peace. Then he asked Hiram, the king of Tyre, to provide cedar logs and workers. Solomon knew he couldn't do it alone. He traded wheat and oil for the timber. This shows that big projects for God need planning, patience, and partnership. Solomon also used the wisdom God gave him to make a fair deal. You can do the same: when you have a goal, look for people who can help, and ask God for wisdom to do it well.
Questions People Ask
Was Hiram the same king who helped David?
Commentators disagree. Some think this Hiram is the same person who sent workers to David decades earlier, which would make him very old. Others believe it was a later king with the same name. The Bible does not clarify, but both views are possible.
Did Hiram worship the true God?
Hiram said, 'Blessed be the Lord this day.' Some Christians take this as evidence he believed in Yahweh. Others note that ancient kings often blessed the gods of their allies without converting. The passage leaves it ambiguous.
Why did Solomon need Hiram's help?
Israel did not have skilled timber cutters like the Sidonians. Hiram controlled the forests of Lebanon and the expertise to harvest and ship cedar and cypress. Solomon acknowledged his own lack and asked for help.
What does 'rest on every side' mean in verse 4?
It means the kingdom was at peace with no enemies or threats. David had constant wars, but Solomon enjoyed a season of security. This rest was the condition for building the temple without interruption.
How does this passage show God's wisdom?
Verse 12 says God gave Solomon wisdom as promised. That wisdom appears in Solomon's diplomatic skill and the fair treaty he made with Hiram. The whole project flows from God's gift of understanding.
For pastors & researchers
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