Verse 7
SOLOMON AND HIRAM MADE A TREATY
"And 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. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the message which thou hast sent unto me: I will do all thy desire concerning the timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. My 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. So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together."
"Blessed be Jehovah this day" (1 Kings 5:7) This word in the mouth of Hiram should not be understood as indicating his conversion to the knowledge of the One True and Only God It was merely his recognition of Jehovah as the God of Israel whom he revered on a parity with the false gods of his own country.
"Timber of fir" (1 Kings 5:10). Jamieson identified this wood as cypress;[6] and as cypress is mentioned in the Chronicles account, this may well be the case.
"Twenty measures of pure oil" (1 Kings 5:11). The word `thousand' in this phrase is understood; and, accordingly, the RSV properly translates the place as "Twenty thousand measures of pure oil." It was an enormous annual payment. Furthermore, this does not include the enormous expenses of the slaves and forced laborers who were sent to Lebanon by Solomon (2 Chronicles 2:10).
"They two made a league together" (1 Kings 5:12). "Solomon sealed this alliance with an addition to his harem, for Sidonian women are listed among those foreign women whom he is said to have loved; and it is said that his heart was turned away after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians (1 Kings 11:1,4,5)."[7]
CONSCRIPTING SUFFICIENT LABORERS TO BUILD THE TEMPLE
Enthusiasts who manifest such appreciation for the Temple of the Jews should remember that it was built with slave-labor.
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