1USolomoni wahlosa ukwakhela igama likaJehova indlu kanye nendlu yombuso wakhe.
2USolomoni wabala abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa ukuba bathwale imithwalo, nabantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishiyagalombili ukuba babe ngababazi bamatshe ezintabeni, nezinkulungwane ezintathu namakhulu ayisithupha ukubabonisa.
3USolomoni wathumela kuHiramu inkosi yaseTire, wathi: “Njengalokho wakwenza kuDavide ubaba, wathuma kuye imisedari,* azakhele ngayo indlu ukuba ahlale kuyo, yenze njalo nakimi.
4Bheka, ngiyakhela igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wami indlu ukuba ngimngcwelisele yona, ngishise phambi kwakhe impepho ethaphukayo, kubekwe njalo izinkwa zokubukwa, kunikelwe ngeminikelo yokushiswa ekuseni nakusihlwa ngamasabatha, nangokwethwasa kwenyanga, nangemikhosi emisiweyo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. Lokhu kungumthetho kwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade.
5“Indlu engiyakuyakha iyakuba nkulu, ngokuba mkhulu uNkulunkulu wethu phezu kwabo bonke onkulunkulu.
6Kodwa ngubani onamandla okumakhela indlu, lokhu izulu nezulu lamazulu lingemanele na? Pho, mina ngingubani ukuba ngimakhele indlu, ukuze kushiswe impepho phambi kwakhe na?
7“Ngalokho mawuthume kimi umuntu oyingcweti yokusebenza ngegolide, nangesiliva, nangethusi, nangensimbi, nangokububende, nangokubomvu, nangokuluhlaza, owazi ukuqopha yonke imiqopho kanye nezingcweti ezinami kwaJuda naseJerusalema, ezamiswa nguDavide ubaba.
8“Ngithumele futhi imisedari,* nemisayipuresi,* nemi-alimugi* evela eLebanoni, ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi izinceku zakho ziyakwazi ukugawula imithi eLebanoni; bheka, izinceku zami ziyakuba nezinceku zakho
9ukungilungisela imithi eminingi, ngokuba indlu engiyakuyakha iyakuba nkulu ngokumangalisayo.
10Bheka, ngiyakunika izinceku zakho, abagawuli abagawula imithi, amakhora* ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili kakolweni obhuliweyo, namakhora ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili ebhali,* namabhati* ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili ewayini, namabhati ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili amafutha.”
11UHiramu inkosi yaseTire waphendula ngokuloba, wakuthuma kuSolomoni, wathi: “Ngokuba uJehova uyathanda abantu bakhe, ukubeke inkosi phezu kwabo.”
12UHiramu wathi futhi: “Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli owenza izulu nomhlaba, nowanika uDavide inkosi indodana ehlakaniphileyo, enolwazi nengqondo, eyakwakhela uJehova indlu nendlu yombuso wakhe.
13“Manje sengithumile umuntu ohlakaniphileyo nonolwazi, uHiramu Abi,
14indodana yowesifazane wamadodakazi akwaDani; uyise wayengumuntu waseTire, owayekwazi ukusebenza ngegolide, nangesiliva, nangethusi, nangensimbi, nangamatshe, nangemithi, nangokububende, nangokuluhlaza, nangelineni elicolekileyo, nangokubomvu, nangokuqopha imiqopho yonke, nangokuqamba yonke imisebenzi yobungcweti, ukuba anikwe indawo kanye nezingcweti zakho nezingcweti zenkosi yami uDavide uyihlo.
15“Ngalokho ukolweni, nebhali,* namafutha, newayini, inkosi yami ekhulume ngakho, mayikuthume kuzo izinceku zayo.
16Thina siyakugawula imithi eLebanoni njengokuswela konke kwakho, siyiyise kuwe eJopha elwandle ngezihlenga, wena uyikhuphulele eJerusalema.”
17USolomoni wabala bonke abezizwe ababesezweni lakwa-Israyeli ngokubalwa uDavide uyise ayebabalile ngakho; kwafumaniseka ukuthi babe yizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisihlanu nezinkulungwane ezintathu namakhulu ayisithupha.
18Kubona wamisa izinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa ukuba bathwale imithwalo, nezinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili ukuba babe ngababazi ezintabeni, nezinkulungwane ezintathu namakhulu ayisithupha ukuba babe ngababonisi bokusebenzisa abantu.