1 Kings 5 (Melachim Alef) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99441 Kings, Chapter 5
Shlomo rules from the river to the border of Mitzrayim, with his daily provision, his horses and peace on every side; God gives him wisdom above all men, with proverbs and songs; Chiram king of Tzor agrees to send cedar and fir from Levanon, and Shlomo raises a levy and prepares timber and stones to build the house.
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. Verses 1–14 here are 4:21–34 in most English Bibles, and verses 15–32 here are 5:1–18 there.
5:1And Shlomo (Solomon) reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and unto the border of Mitzrayim (Egypt): they brought presents, and served Shlomo all the days of his life.
אוּשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה הָיָ֤ה מוֹשֵׁל֙ בְּכָל־הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת מִן־הַנָּהָר֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם מַגִּשִׁ֥ים מִנְחָ֛ה וְעֹבְדִ֥ים אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃
5:2And Shlomo’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal,
בוַיְהִ֥י לֶֽחֶם־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְי֣וֹם אֶחָ֑ד שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים כֹּר֙ סֹ֔לֶת וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים כֹּ֖ר קָֽמַח׃
5:3Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
געֲשָׂרָ֨ה בָקָ֜ר בְּרִאִ֗ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים בָּקָ֛ר רְעִ֖י וּמֵ֣אָה צֹ֑אן לְ֠בַד מֵֽאַיָּ֤ל וּצְבִי֙ וְיַחְמ֔וּר וּבַרְבֻּרִ֖ים אֲבוּסִֽים׃
5:4For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tifsach (Tiphsah) even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
דכִּי־ה֞וּא רֹדֶ֣ה ׀ בְּכָל־עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֗ר מִתִּפְסַח֙ וְעַד־עַזָּ֔ה בְּכָל־מַלְכֵ֖י עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְשָׁל֗וֹם הָ֥יָה ל֛וֹ מִכָּל־עֲבָרָ֖יו מִסָּבִֽיב׃
5:5And Yehudah (Judah) and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Be’er Sheva (Beer-sheba), all the days of Shlomo.
הוַיֵּשֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵֽנָת֔וֹ מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
5:6And Shlomo had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
ווַיְהִ֣י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אֻרְוֺ֥ת סוּסִ֖ים לְמֶרְכָּב֑וֹ וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִֽׁים׃
5:7And those officers provided victual for king Shlomo, and for all that came unto king Shlomo’s table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
זוְכִלְכְּלוּ֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה אֶת־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה וְאֵ֧ת כָּל־הַקָּרֵ֛ב אֶל־שֻׁלְחַ֥ן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ חָדְשׁ֑וֹ לֹ֥א יְעַדְּר֖וּ דָּבָֽר׃
5:8Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
חוְהַשְּׂעֹרִ֣ים וְהַתֶּ֔בֶן לַסּוּסִ֖ים וְלָרָ֑כֶשׁ יָבִ֗אוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיֶה־שָּׁ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ כְּמִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃
5:9And God gave Shlomo wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
טוַיִּתֵּן֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים חָכְמָ֧ה לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה וּתְבוּנָ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְרֹ֣חַב לֵ֔ב כַּח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃
5:10And Shlomo’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Mitzrayim.
יוַתֵּ֨רֶב֙ חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵֽחָכְמַ֖ת כָּל־בְּנֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וּמִכֹּ֖ל חָכְמַ֥ת מִצְרָֽיִם׃
5:11For he was wiser than all men; than Etan (Ethan) the Ezrachi (Ezrahite), and Heman, and Kalkol (Chalcol), and Darda, the sons of Machol (Mahol): and his fame was in all nations round about.
יאוַיֶּחְכַּם֮ מִכָּל־הָֽאָדָם֒ מֵאֵיתָ֣ן הָאֶזְרָחִ֗י וְהֵימָ֧ן וְכַלְכֹּ֛ל וְדַרְדַּ֖ע בְּנֵ֣י מָח֑וֹל וַיְהִֽי־שְׁמ֥וֹ בְכָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם סָבִֽיב׃
5:12And he spoke three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
יבוַיְדַבֵּ֕ר שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים מָשָׁ֑ל וַיְהִ֥י שִׁיר֖וֹ חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה וָאָֽלֶף׃
5:13And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Levanon (Lebanon) even unto the hyssop that springs out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
יגוַיְדַבֵּר֮ עַל־הָֽעֵצִים֒ מִן־הָאֶ֨רֶז֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וְעַד֙ הָאֵז֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹצֵ֖א בַּקִּ֑יר וַיְדַבֵּר֙ עַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה וְעַל־הָע֔וֹף וְעַל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַל־הַדָּגִֽים׃
5:14And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Shlomo, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
ידוַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים לִשְׁמֹ֕עַ אֵ֖ת חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה מֵאֵת֙ כָּל־מַלְכֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמְע֖וּ אֶת־חָכְמָתֽוֹ׃
5:15And Chiram (Hiram) king of Tzor (Tyre) sent his servants unto Shlomo; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Chiram was ever a lover of David.
טווַ֠יִּשְׁלַח חִירָ֨ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צ֤וֹר אֶת־עֲבָדָיו֙ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י אֹת֛וֹ מָשְׁח֥וּ לְמֶ֖לֶךְ תַּ֣חַת אָבִ֑יהוּ כִּ֣י אֹהֵ֗ב הָיָ֥ה חִירָ֛ם לְדָוִ֖ד כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
5:16And Shlomo sent to Chiram, saying,
טזוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶל־חִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃
5:17“You know how that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Hashem his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Hashem put them under the soles of my feet.
יזאַתָּ֨ה יָדַ֜עְתָּ אֶת־דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֗י כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ לִבְנ֣וֹת בַּ֗יִת לְשֵׁם֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו מִפְּנֵ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבָבֻ֑הוּ עַ֤ד תֵּת־יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם תַּ֖חַת כַּפּ֥וֹת רַגְלָֽי (כתיב רגלו)׃
5:18But now Hashem my God has given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
יחוְעַתָּ֕ה הֵנִ֨יחַ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛י לִ֖י מִסָּבִ֑יב אֵ֣ין שָׂטָ֔ן וְאֵ֖ין פֶּ֥גַע רָֽע׃
5:19And, behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Hashem my God, as Hashem spoke unto David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set upon your throne in your room, he shall build a house unto My name.’
יטוְהִנְנִ֣י אֹמֵ֔ר לִבְנ֣וֹת בַּ֔יִת לְשֵׁ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־דָּוִ֤ד אָבִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בִּנְךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֶתֵּ֤ן תַּחְתֶּ֨יךָ֙ עַל־כִּסְאֶ֔ךָ הֽוּא־יִבְנֶ֥ה הַבַּ֖יִת לִשְׁמִֽי׃
5:20Now therefore command you that they hew me cedar trees out of Levanon; and my servants shall be with your servants: and unto you will I give hire for your servants according to all that you shall appoint: for you know that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Tzidonim (Sidonians).”
כוְעַתָּ֡ה צַוֵּה֩ וְיִכְרְתוּ־לִ֨י אֲרָזִ֜ים מִן־הַלְּבָנ֗וֹן וַֽעֲבָדַי֙ יִהְי֣וּ עִם־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּשְׂכַ֤ר עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לְךָ֔ כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמֵ֑ר כִּ֣י ׀ אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתָּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין בָּ֛נוּ אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ לִכְרָת־עֵצִ֖ים כַּצִּדֹנִֽים׃
5:21And it came to pass, when Chiram heard the words of Shlomo, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, “Blessed be Hashem this day, which has given unto David a wise son over this great people.”
כאוַיְהִ֞י כִּשְׁמֹ֧עַ חִירָ֛ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וַיִּשְׂמַ֣ח מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּר֤וּךְ יְהוָה֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן לְדָוִד֙ בֵּ֣ן חָכָ֔ם עַל־הָעָ֥ם הָרָ֖ב הַזֶּֽה׃
5:22And Chiram sent to Shlomo, saying, “I have considered the things which you sent to me for: and I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
כבוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח חִירָם֙ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר שָׁמַ֕עְתִּי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֖חְתָּ אֵלָ֑י אֲנִ֤י אֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ אֶת־כָּל־חֶפְצְךָ֔ בַּעֲצֵ֥י אֲרָזִ֖ים וּבַעֲצֵ֥י בְרוֹשִֽׁים׃
5:23My servants shall bring them down from Levanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and you shall receive them: and you shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”
כגעֲ֠בָדַי יֹרִ֨דוּ מִן־הַלְּבָנ֜וֹן יָ֗מָּה וַ֠אֲנִי אֲשִׂימֵ֨ם דֹּבְר֤וֹת בַּיָּם֙ עַֽד־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־תִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלַ֛י וְנִפַּצְתִּ֥ים שָׁ֖ם וְאַתָּ֣ה תִשָּׂ֑א וְאַתָּה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־חֶפְצִ֔י לָתֵ֖ת לֶ֥חֶם בֵּיתִֽי׃
5:24So Chirom gave Shlomo cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
כדוַיְהִ֨י חִיר֜וֹם נֹתֵ֣ן לִשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה עֲצֵ֧י אֲרָזִ֛ים וַעֲצֵ֥י בְרוֹשִׁ֖ים כָּל־חֶפְצֽוֹ׃
5:25And Shlomo gave Chiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Shlomo to Chiram year by year.
כהוּשְׁלֹמֹה֩ נָתַ֨ן לְחִירָ֜ם עֶשְׂרִים֩ אֶ֨לֶף כֹּ֤ר חִטִּים֙ מַכֹּ֣לֶת לְבֵית֔וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים כֹּ֖ר שֶׁ֣מֶן כָּתִ֑ית כֹּֽה־יִתֵּ֧ן שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה לְחִירָ֖ם שָׁנָ֥ה בְשָׁנָֽה׃
5:26And Hashem gave Shlomo wisdom, as He promised him: and there was peace between Chiram and Shlomo; and they two made a covenant together.
כווַיהוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן חָכְמָה֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־ל֑וֹ וַיְהִ֣י שָׁלֹ֗ם בֵּ֤ין חִירָם֙ וּבֵ֣ין שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ בְרִ֖ית שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
5:27And king Shlomo raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
כזוַיַּ֨עַל הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה מַ֖ס מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י הַמַּ֔ס שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃
5:28And he sent them to Levanon ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Levanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
כחוַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֣ם לְבָנ֗וֹנָה עֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֤ים בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ חֲלִיפ֔וֹת חֹ֚דֶשׁ יִהְי֣וּ בַלְּבָנ֔וֹן שְׁנַ֥יִם חֳדָשִׁ֖ים בְּבֵית֑וֹ וַאֲדֹנִירָ֖ם עַל־הַמַּֽס׃
5:29And Shlomo had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand hewers in the mountains;
כטוַיְהִ֧י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף נֹשֵׂ֣א סַבָּ֑ל וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֹצֵ֥ב בָּהָֽר׃
5:30Beside the chief of Shlomo’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
ללְ֠בַד מִשָּׂרֵ֨י הַנִּצָּבִ֤ים לִשְׁלֹמֹה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת הָרֹדִ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם הָעֹשִׂ֖ים בַּמְּלָאכָֽה׃
5:31And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
לאוַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וַיַּסִּעוּ֩ אֲבָנִ֨ים גְּדֹל֜וֹת אֲבָנִ֧ים יְקָר֛וֹת לְיַסֵּ֥ד הַבָּ֖יִת אַבְנֵ֥י גָזִֽית׃
5:32And Shlomo’s builders and Chirom’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
לבוַֽיִּפְסְל֞וּ בֹּנֵ֧י שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה וּבֹנֵ֥י חִיר֖וֹם וְהַגִּבְלִ֑ים וַיָּכִ֛ינוּ הָעֵצִ֥ים וְהָאֲבָנִ֖ים לִבְנ֥וֹת הַבָּֽיִת׃
Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Kings they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 4–5 (4:21–34 there is 5:1–14 here), 18 and 20 (where a sentence is divided at a different place) and 22; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.