The Cedars of Lebano

1 Kings 5:6: “So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My servants will help your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that we have no one among us as skilled in timber cutting as the Sidonians.”

The cedar trees that grow in the forests of Lebanon are slow-growing, reaching heights of up to 40 meters with main trunks up to 2.5 meters in diameter. Cedarwood has a fine grain, is durable, and its high resin content prevents mold growth. Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt both imported cedarwood as a superior timber for temples and palaces.

Tyre, a Phoenician seaport on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel, exported cedarwood, and the Phoenicians were skilled in construction. The king of Tyre had previously established friendly relations with David and helped him build his palace (2 Samuel 5:11-12). When Israel lacked the large timber, gold, and craftsmen needed to build the Temple, the king of Tyre willingly offered his assistance. His proactive appearance in the past showed David that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and made his kingdom prosperous for the sake of His people Israel (2 Samuel 5:12). The king of Tyre’s renewed initiative after Solomon became king indicated that the time for building the Temple had arrived. Both the preparation and construction of the Temple were under God’s guidance.