1 Kings 5:6

1 Kings 5:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now 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.
• New International Version (NIV)“So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians.

Context of 1 Kings 5:6

4But now that the Lord my God has given me rest [from war] on every side, there is neither adversary nor misfortune [confronting me]. 5Behold, I intend to build a house (temple) to the Name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord said to my father David: ‘Your son whom I will put on your throne in your place shall build the house for My Name and Presence.’ So now, command that they cut cedar trees from Lebanon for me, and my servants will join your servants, and I will give you whatever wages you set for your servants. For you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the men of Sidon.” 7When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given David a wise son [to be king] over this great people.” 8So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you sent to me; I will do everything you wish concerning the cedar and cypress timber.

1 Kings 5:6 word by word

וְעַתָּ֡ה צַוֵּה֩ וְיִכְרְתוּ־לִ֨י אֲרָזִ֜ים מִן־הַלְּבָנ֗וֹן וַֽעֲבָדַי֙ יִהְי֣וּ עִם־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּשְׂכַ֤ר עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לְךָ֔ כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמֵ֑ר כִּ֣י׀ אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתָּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין בָּ֛נוּ אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ לִכְרָת־עֵצִ֖ים כַּצִּדֹנִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• thou that they hewכָּרַתkârath · to cut: cutH3772
• me cedar treesאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• out of Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
• and my servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and unto thee will I giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: payH5414
• hireשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
• according to all that thou shalt appointאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• for thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not among us anyאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• timberעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
• like unto the Sidoniansצִידֹנִיtsîydônîy tsidônîy · SidonianH6722

Cross-references for 1 Kings 5:6

• 1 Kings 6:9So Solomon built the house (temple) and finished it, and roofed the house with beams and boards of cedar.
• 2 Chronicles 2:8Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And indeed my servants will work with your servants
• Psalms 29:5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
• Romans 12:17Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone.
• Philippians 4:8Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].
• 1 Corinthians 12:14For the [human] body does not consist of one part, but of many [limbs and organs].
• Ephesians 4:7Yet grace [God’s undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift.
• Genesis 10:15Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth
• Ezra 3:7They gave money to the masons and to the carpenters, and gave food, drink, and [olive] oil to the people from Sidon and Tyre, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the seaport of Joppa, in accordance with the authorization they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 5:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Any that can skill to hew timber - An obsolete and barbarous expression for any that know how to cut timber. They had neither sawyers, carpenters, joiners, nor builders among them, equal to the Sidonians. Sidon was a part of the territories of Hiram, and its inhabitants appear to have been the most expert workmen. It requires more skill to fell and prepare timber than is generally supposed. Vitruvius gives some rules relative to this, lib. ii., cap. 9…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Solomon‘s message to Hiram and Hiram‘s answer 1 Kings 5:8-9 are given much more fully in 2 Chronicles 2:3-16. Cedar-trees - The Hebrew word here and elsewhere translated “cedar,” appears to be used, not only of the cedar proper, but of other timber-trees also, as the fir, and, perhaps, the juniper. Still there is no doubt that the real Lebanon cedar is most commonly intended by it. This tree, which still grows on parts of the mountain, but which threatens…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Solomon's main message was his request for cedars from Lebanon, showing Hiram's broad commercial influence. Ancient Near Eastern writings often mention using Lebanese cedars to build and furnish temples and palaces. Sidonians was a general term for Phoenicians. Sidon was older than Tyre.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon--Nowhere else could Solomon have procured materials for the woodwork of his contemplated building. The forests of Lebanon, adjoining the seas in Solomon's time, belonged to the Phoenicians, and the timber being a lucrative branch of their exports, immense numbers of workmen were constantly employed in the felling of trees as well as the transportation and preparation of the wood. Hiram stipulated…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 5:6

• Cedar
• Commerce
• Diplomacy
• Sidon
• Treaty
• Tyre

In the dictionaries

• Lebanon
• Sidonians
• Building
• Cedar
• Levy
• Phenicia
• Solomon
• Appoint
• Commerce
• Crafts

Commentaries on 1 Kings 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings