Solomon's Temple-Working with My Neighbor

By Mary Vee
I Kings 5

From Solomon's Scrolls

My father, David loved the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He wanted to honor the Name of the Lord by building a temple, but God said no. David was a man of war, obeying God as he went into battle to conquer the land . . . to make a home for all of us.

God rewarded my father's obedience by giving permission for his son, me, to build the temple. I have been on the throne a short time and can not wait to begin this wonderful project.

David had arranged for a lot of the materials to be ready, but we needed more. 

Recently Hiram, king of Tyre, sent a group of his representatives to greet me. My father, David had kept a friendly relationship with him. Hiram wanted to continue the friendship with me. I felt the continued friendship would work well to help me get the rest of the needed supplies to build the temple. 

I wrote a letter for his representatives to take back to Hiram:

Dear Hirram,

You are aware, of course, that my father, David could not build a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until our enemies were under our control. We now are in a time of peace. The Lord God has now made a way for me to build the temple through this time of rest.

Send me cedar logs as you did for my father. I plan to build a temple, dedicated to the Name of the Lord my God to burn fragrant incense before, display bread set aside for Him, and burn offerings every morning and evening, Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the Lord our God as a lasting ordinance for Israel.

I want to build a great temple for Him because our God is greater than all other gods. And even though there is no temple that could contain Him and I am not worthy to build this temple, except as a place for burnt sacrifices for Him, I will seek to honor Him.

Send me a skilled worker in gold, silver, bronze, iron, in engraving, and in purple, crimson, and blue yarn, to work with my skilled craftsmen whom my father David provided for this job.

Send also cedar, pine, and algum logs from Lebanon, pre-cut. My men will work with you to get the job done. The temple I build must be large and magnificent. 

In exchange, I will give you and your servants twenty thousand cors of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousands baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.

Sincerely, 

Solomon, King of Israel

A few days later I received Hiram's reply: 

Dear Solomon,

Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth. He has given King David a wise son who will build a temple for the Lord and a place for himself.

I am sending you Huram-Abi, a skilled worker whose mother is from Israel and father from Tyre. He is trained and a skilled worker in all the areas you need.

Now, please send the wheat, barley, olive, and wine you promised and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them in rafts by sea down to Joppa. You can then transport them up to Jerusalem.

Sincerely, 

Hiram, King of Tyre.

This was wonderful news. Now the planning and building of the temple can begin.

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1.  Solomon's father, David, had made friends with _____________________.
2. ___________________ sent his greetings and congratulations when he heard Solomon was crowned king.
3.  Solomon sent a letter with the visitors asking______________ for _____________ because Solomon wanted to build a _____________ for _______________.
4. _____________ said yes, he would be happy to send what Solomon needed.
5. _______________ agreed to be friends and to help Solomon.