1 Kings 5:9
in 1 Kings 5My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
KJV
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
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This verse in 1 Kings 5
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
See the marginal reference. The timber was first carried westward from the flanks of Lebanon to the nearest part of the coast, where it was collected into floats, or rafts, which were then conveyed southward along the coast to Joppa, now Jaffa, from where the land journey to Jerusalem was not more than about forty miles. A similar course was taken on the building of the second temple Ezr 3:
This site's exposition
I have received your message
on 1 Kings 5:8-9
Hiram accepts Solomon’s terms formally: “I will do all you desire”. A fuller text of his letter stands at 2 Chronicles 2:11. The logs go down the coast as rafts “to the place you specify”, most likely Joppa, for a land haul of about forty miles.
This site's exposition
float them as rafts by sea
Adam Clarke has Hiram’s servants cut the timber to fit its place in the temple before it left Lebanon. The logs then needed no further axe or saw. Clarke puts the landing at Joppa, some twenty-five miles from the temple site, where Albert Barnes counts about forty.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
12 And the L ORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together. 13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:95%@v12-13
The sea - The mid-land sea. It is thought the timber were tied together in the water, as now is usual, and so by the help of boats or ships, conveyed to the appointed place, which was at no great distance.
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea - As the river Adonis was in the vicinity of the forest of Lebanon, and emptied itself into the Mediterranean sea, near Biblos, Hiram could transport the timber all squared, and not only cut to scantling, but cut so as to occupy the place it was intended for in the building, without any farther need of axe or saw. It might be readily sent down the coast on rafts and landed at Joppa, or Jamnia, just opposite to Jerusalem, at the distance of about twenty-five miles. See 2Ch 2:16. The carriage could not be great, as the timber was all fitted for the building where it was hewn down. The materials had only to be put together when they arrived at Jerusalem. See 1Ki 6:7.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Than the wisdom of all the Eastern people. What was the wisdom of the children of the East? They were learned in the field of astronomy, etc. as it is [stated] in the Pesikta of Parah Adumah, and this entire chapter is expounded there according to its plain meaning.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֲ֠בָדַי | ʾavadai | servants my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יֹרִ֨דוּ | yoridu | they will bring [them] down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַלְּבָנ֜וֹן | halevanon | <the> Lebanon | H3844 → | 71 times |
| יָ֗מָּה | yamah | [the] sea towards | H3220 → | 396 times |
| וַ֠אֲנִי | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אֲשִׂימֵ֨ם | ʾasimem | I will make them | H7760 → | 584 times |
| דֹּבְר֤וֹת | doerot | rafts | H1702 → | |
| בַּיָּם֙ | baiyam | on the sea | H3220 → | 396 times |
| עַֽד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הַמָּק֞וֹם | hamakom | the place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תִּשְׁלַ֥ח | tishlach | you will send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֵלַ֛י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְנִפַּצְתִּ֥ים | venipatztim | and I will break up them | H5310 → | |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| תִשָּׂ֑א | tisa' | you will carry [them] away | H5375 → | 656 times |
| וְאַתָּה֙ | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה | taaseh | you will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֶפְצִ֔י | cheftzi | desire my | H2656 → | 39 times |
| לָתֵ֖ת | latet | by giving | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לֶ֥חֶם | lechem | [the] food of | H3899 → | 298 times |
| בֵּיתִֽי׃ | beiti | household my | H1004 → | 2046 times |
עֲ֠בָדַיservants my
ʾavadaiH5650 →799 times
יֹרִ֨דוּthey will bring [them] down
yoriduH3381 →381 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַלְּבָנ֜וֹן<the> Lebanon
halevanonH3844 →71 times
יָ֗מָּה[the] sea towards
yamahH3220 →396 times
וַ֠אֲנִיand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
אֲשִׂימֵ֨םI will make them
ʾasimemH7760 →584 times
דֹּבְר֤וֹתrafts
doerotH1702 →
בַּיָּם֙on the sea
baiyamH3220 →396 times
עַֽד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הַמָּק֞וֹםthe place
hamakomH4725 →401 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
תִּשְׁלַ֥חyou will send
tishlachH7971 →845 times
אֵלַ֛יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
וְנִפַּצְתִּ֥יםand I will break up them
venipatztimH5310 →
שָׁ֖םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
וְאַתָּ֣הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
תִשָּׂ֑אyou will carry [them] away
tisa'H5375 →656 times
וְאַתָּה֙and you
veatahH859 →1094 times
תַּעֲשֶׂ֣הyou will do
taasehH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חֶפְצִ֔יdesire my
cheftziH2656 →39 times
לָתֵ֖תby giving
latetH5414 →2011 times
לֶ֥חֶם[the] food of
lechemH3899 →298 times
בֵּיתִֽי׃household my
beitiH1004 →2046 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 12:20Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their…
it leads to
- Ezra 3:7
They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 11:21–22
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- Ezekiel 27:17
Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.
- Ezra 3:7
Through
Ezra 3:7They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by…
it leads to
- Acts 12:20
Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 5:6
Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there…
- Acts 12:20
Through
Ezekiel 27:17Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.
it leads to
- Judges 11:33
With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.
- Judges 11:33
Through
2 Chronicles 2:16We will cut logs from Lebanon, as many as you need, and we will float them to you as rafts by sea down to Joppa. Then you can take them up to Jerusalem.”
it leads to
- Joshua 19:46
Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory across from Joppa.
- 1 Kings 5:8–9
Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber.
- Joshua 19:46
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.