New King James Version
1 Kings 5:6
6Now 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)“Therefore, please command that cedars from Lebanon be cut for me. Let my men work alongside yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you ask. As you know, there is no one among us who can cut timber like you Sidonians!”
Context of 1 Kings 5:6
4But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence. 5And behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name.” 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. 7So it was, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people! 8Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have considered the message which you sent me, and I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs.
Read all of 1 Kings 51 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
People and places in 1 Kings 5:6
Cross-references for 1 Kings 5:6
- 1 Kings 6:9So he built the temple and finished it, and he paneled the temple with beams and boards of cedar.
- 2 Chronicles 2:8Also send me cedar and cypress and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and indeed my servants will be with your servants,
- Psalms 29:5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
- Romans 12:17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
- Philippians 4:8Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
- 1 Corinthians 12:14For in fact the body is not one member but many.
- Ephesians 4:7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
- Genesis 10:15Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth;
- Ezra 3:7They also gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the permission which 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries