1 Kings 5:18 kjv
And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
1 Kings 5:18 nkjv
So Solomon's builders, Hiram's builders, and the Gebalites quarried them; and they prepared timber and stones to build the temple.
1 Kings 5:18 niv
The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram and workers from Byblos cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.
1 Kings 5:18 esv
So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.
1 Kings 5:18 nlt
Men from the city of Gebal helped Solomon's and Hiram's builders prepare the timber and stone for the Temple.
1 Kings 5 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 5:6 | "Now therefore command that they cut down cedars for me... " | Solomon's initial request to Hiram for materials. |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | "The house was built of stone prepared at the quarry... " | Explains materials were dressed off-site. |
| 2 Chr 2:1-18 | "...Solomon decided to build a house for the name of the LORD... " | Parallel account detailing Solomon's preparations for the Temple, including foreign laborers. |
| Exod 31:1-6 | "See, I have called by name Bezalel... and I have filled him... " | God's empowering of craftsmen (Bezalel and Oholiab) for the Tabernacle work, demonstrating divine enabling of skill. |
| Exod 35:30-35 | "...the Lord has called by name Bezalel... and has filled him..." | Similar to Exod 31, showing divine appointment and gifting for sacred construction. |
| 1 Chr 22:2-4 | "...David gave command to gather foreigners... for cutting stone... " | David's preliminary preparation of materials and laborers for the Temple. |
| 1 Chr 29:2 | "With all my might I have provided for the house of my God... " | David's dedication in accumulating materials for the Temple. |
| Ezra 3:7 | "So they gave money to the masons and to the carpenters... " | The work on the Second Temple, also involving Phoenicians and the preparation of materials. |
| Isa 60:10 | "Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you... " | Prophecy of gentile inclusion and contribution to God's people. |
| Hag 1:8 | "Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house... " | Exhortation to rebuild the Second Temple, emphasizing the bringing of materials. |
| Zec 4:7 | "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD..." | Divine empowerment is ultimate for completing God's work. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | "...you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God... " | Believers as living stones built into God's spiritual dwelling. |
| 1 Cor 3:9-11 | "For we are God's fellow workers... You are God's building..." | Christians as co-laborers with God, foundational to the spiritual temple. |
| 1 Pet 2:4-5 | "As you come to him, a living stone... being built up as a spiritual house..." | Believers as living stones being built into a spiritual house, reflecting physical temple imagery. |
| Neh 4:6 | "So we built the wall... for the people had a mind to work." | Emphasis on cooperative effort and dedication in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. |
| Phil 2:1-2 | "...complete my joy by being of the same mind... united in spirit..." | Call for unity and cooperation among believers, echoing the collaborative nature of Temple building. |
| Psa 127:1 | "Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build labor in vain..." | Divine sovereignty over human efforts, reminding that ultimate success comes from God. |
| Matt 16:18 | "...on this rock I will build my church..." | Christ as the builder of His spiritual "house," the Church. |
| Rev 21:18-20 | "The wall of the city was built of jasper, and the city itself was pure gold..." | Description of the New Jerusalem built with precious materials, an eternal dwelling. |
| Joel 3:10 | "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears..." | Inverted by Is 2:4 and Mic 4:3, contrasting focus on construction vs. destruction. |
1 Kings 5 verses
1 Kings 5 18 Meaning
This verse details the collaborative effort involved in preparing the vast quantities of timber and quarried stones for the construction of the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem. It highlights the division of labor and specialized skills, involving Solomon's Israelite builders, Hiram's Phoenician builders, and particularly the Giblites, renowned Phoenician craftsmen, who specifically handled the quarrying and precise preparation of materials. The meticulous pre-fabrication ensured all components were ready before being brought to the building site, demonstrating an organized and skilled undertaking for a sacred purpose.
1 Kings 5 18 Context
1 Kings chapter 5 focuses on King Solomon's preparations for building the Temple in Jerusalem. After his father David's desire to build God's house was granted (2 Sam 7), Solomon inherits this sacred task. He secures an alliance with Hiram, King of Tyre, who provides the invaluable cedar and cypress timber from Lebanon, as well as skilled laborers. In exchange, Solomon provides food for Hiram's household and grants him cities. The scale of the undertaking is immense, requiring massive human resources—Israelite forced labor for quarrying, transportation, and building (v. 13-17)—and skilled Phoenician craftsmen. Verse 18 specifies the master stonemasons and builders responsible for meticulously preparing the materials, underscoring the inter-regional cooperation and high level of craftsmanship applied to this divine project. This intense preparatory work leads directly into the detailed description of the Temple's construction in chapter 6.
1 Kings 5 18 Word analysis
- And Solomon's builders: Refers to the Israelites under Solomon's command who were engaged in the labor of construction, likely supervisors, stonecutters, and timber workers, working in conjunction with the skilled Phoenicians.
- and Hiram's builders: These were the skilled Phoenician craftsmen and laborers sent by King Hiram from Tyre. They were renowned for their expertise in logging, carpentry, and masonry, particularly with cedar. This collaboration highlights a divinely blessed international alliance for God's purposes.
- and the Giblites: (Hebrew: הַגִּבְלִים, ha-Giblim) Literally, "the men of Gebal." Gebal, known as Byblos to the Greeks, was an ancient Phoenician city on the coast north of Beirut. The Giblites were famed master stonemasons and boat builders, possessing unparalleled skills in quarrying, dressing, and fitting large stones. Their specific mention emphasizes their critical and specialized role in preparing the quarry stones to the exact specifications required for the Temple.
- quarried them: (Hebrew: וַיְפַסְּלוּ, vayfaslu) From the root פָּסַל (pasal), meaning "to hew," "cut out," or "carve." This indicates the precise and skilled work of shaping and dressing the stones from the quarry, rather than merely extracting them. This action directly supports 1 Kings 6:7, which states no hammer, ax, or any iron tool was heard at the temple site, implying that the stones were finished at the quarry.
- so they prepared: Implies a systematic and extensive process of shaping, refining, and getting the materials ready. It underscores the immense logistical effort involved. This preparatory work was crucial for the seamless construction described later.
- timber: (Hebrew: עֵצִים, etzim) Refers to the cut and shaped wooden materials, primarily cedar and cypress, for the Temple's framework, paneling, and interior elements. These would have been logged in Lebanon under Hiram's direction, transported to the coast, and rafted to Joppa, then overland to Jerusalem (1 Kgs 5:9).
- and stones: (Hebrew: אֲבָנִים, avanot) Refers to the massive, finely cut, and dressed stones from local quarries near Jerusalem. These constituted the very foundation and walls of the Temple. Their precise preparation was paramount for constructing such a monumental and holy structure.
- to build the house: Specifically, "the House of the LORD," or the First Temple in Jerusalem. This phrase identifies the ultimate purpose of all this strenuous and highly skilled labor—the creation of a dwelling place for the Name of God on earth. This grand objective unified the diverse efforts of all involved.
1 Kings 5 18 Bonus section
The mention of the Giblites (ha-Giblim) is significant as it provides archaeological insight into the highly advanced stone masonry skills of ancient Phoenicia. Their reputation for excellence meant they were the primary choice for such a prestigious and demanding project. This verse subtly contrasts human industriousness and earthly alliances with the divine blueprint, emphasizing that while man labors, it is for God's glory. The scale of the work also implies a substantial logistical and supervisory chain to manage such diverse groups of laborers, reflecting Solomon's famed administrative wisdom granted by God. The detailed nature of the preparatory work ensured the structural integrity and aesthetic grandeur of the completed Temple, making it a fitting dwelling place for the glory of the Lord.
1 Kings 5 18 Commentary
1 Kings 5:18 vividly illustrates the convergence of human skill, meticulous planning, and international cooperation in service of a divine purpose. The verse underscores that building for God, even a physical structure like the Temple, requires both human exertion and God-given abilities. The distinction between "Solomon's builders," "Hiram's builders," and "the Giblites" highlights specialized labor and the diverse resources God provided. The Giblites, renowned Phoenician craftsmen, were pivotal in executing the precise quarrying and dressing of the enormous stones, indicating a high standard of engineering and craftsmanship dedicated to this holy enterprise. The fact that materials were "prepared" off-site signifies an organized logistical operation, enabling the Temple's silent construction (1 Kgs 6:7) and underscoring the reverence for the sacred space even during its making. This verse serves as a testament to the immense commitment and effort expended in establishing God's dwelling place, foreshadowing how God can unite different people and nations in His greater spiritual building (Eph 2:19-22, 1 Pet 2:4-5).