Keraia
1 Kings 5

1 Kings 5:11

Hiram’s Reply to Solomon · 1 Kings 5:7–12
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Translations

Modern
…and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil.
Traditional
And 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.
Literal
And Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of pressed oil. Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.
Latin
Salomon autem præbebat Hiram coros tritici viginti millia in cibum domui ejus, et viginti coros purissimi olei: hæc tribuebat Salomon Hiram per singulos annos.

Original

Hebrew
English
…and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil.

Notes

1 Kings 5:7–12

Hiram's response to Solomon confirmed and continued the friendly relations he had with David. The partnership benefited both sides. Solomon got the construction materials he needed for the temple. In return, he provided necessities for Hiram's household (1 Kings 5:9–10) and paid Hiram's workers (1 Kings 5:6). This passage shows the Phoenicians' skill in business and Solomon's great wealth. It also highlights Solomon's wisdom, which he believed was a gift from God. The mainly business-focused venture led to a formal peace alliance (1 Kings 5:12).

1 Kings 5:1–18

King Hiram of Tyre was a loyal friend of David (2 Samuel 5:11–12). This likely means they had a treaty. Hiram was an important ally and business partner (1 Kings 5:7–11, 18; 9:11, 26–28; 10:22). His name is a shorter version of Ahiram, found in other Phoenician writings.

Theme notes and profiles

Solomon Solomon’s Wisdom

Events

Measurements

  • 20,000 cors of wheat: About 124,800 bu (4.4M l)
  • 20,000 baths of pure olive oil: About 116,000 gal (440,000 l)

Parallels

2 Chronicles 2:11–18

People

Hiram: King of Tyre, ally of David and Solomon Solomon: Son of David, king of Israel, known for his wisdom

Glossary

Alliance Hiram Kings, Books of First and Second Lebanon Money Oil Postexilic Period Solomon (Person) Tyre Weights and Measures

Topics

Agriculture or Farming: Produce of, Exported Bread: Made of Wheat Flour Commerce: Articles of Corn Commerce: Articles of Oil Commerce: The Barter of One Commodity for Another Contracts: Between Solomon and Hiram Cor: Rendered Measure In Covenants: Designed For: Promoting Commerce Diplomacy: Solomon, in his Alliance with Hiram Measure: A Cor, Equal to One Homer or Ten Ephahs, Equal to About Eleven and One-Ninth Bushels Oil: Exported Oil: Sold by Measure Temple: Solomon's: Materials For, Furnished by Hiram The Cedar: Extensive Commerce In the First Temple: Solomon: Contracted with Hiram for Wood, Stone, and Labour Treaty: Reciprocity Tyre: Kingdom of Men and Materials Sent From, to Solomon, for the Erection of the Temple and his Castles Wheat: Grown in Palestine