1 Kings 5:1-12. Preparations of timber and stone for Solomon's temple. League between Solomon and Hiram king of Tyre (2 Chronicles 2:3-16) 1. _Hiram king of Tyre_ The name of this king is spelt _Hirom_below in 1Ki 5:10; 1 Kings 5:18, and in 2 Chronicles 2:3 _Huram_. From the words of the latter narr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Solomon sent to Hiram_ Josephus (_l. c._) says that the message was by letter, as was also Hiram's answer. That Hiram wrote his reply is mentioned 2 Chronicles 2:11. Josephus also states that copies of these two letters still remained not only preserved in the Jewish records, but also among the Tyr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou knowest_ David's preparations must have been well known throughout the Phœnician kingdom, and so to Hiram even though he was not himself king. Cf. 1 Chronicles 22:4 where we are told that the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. The reason why David himself did not begi... [ Continue Reading ]
_rest on every side_ Cf. above 1 Kings 4:24. _evil occurrent_ -Occurrent" is the old English form of the noun for which we now use -occurrence." Cf. Bacon _Henry 7. (Pitt Press Series)_p. 68. -He paid the king large tribute of his gratitude in diligent advertisement of the _occurrents_of Italy." Pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_I purpose_ The verb in the original is that usually rendered -to say." It is similarly used 2 Samuel 21:16. -He _thought_to have slain David." It means -he said he would." _to build a house_. It should be noticed that between the narrative in Kings and Chronicles there is a marked difference here.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now therefore command thou_ Solomon's request is much expanded in 2 Chronicles 2:3-10, where he asks for a cunning workman in gold and other metals, and in purple, crimson and blue, and skilled in carving or engraving. He desires also much other wood beside cedar. Of the Sidonian purple we have fre... [ Continue Reading ]
_he rejoiced greatly_ For the alliance thus offered to him was that of the mightiest prince of all those round about. _Blessed_be _the Lord_ Hiram here uses the name of Jehovah in such wise as to shew that he acknowledged him as a true god, but probably only in the sense of being the national god of... [ Continue Reading ]
_and Hiram sent to Solomon_ The Chronicler says he answered in writing. _I have considered_the things _which thou sentest to me_for] More literally (see R.V.): -I HAVE HEARD the message WHICH THOU SENTEST TO ME." We need not with this literal rendering suppose Solomon's to have been a verbal reques... [ Continue Reading ]
_from Lebanon unto the sea_ Providing for the shortest land passage down the side of the mountain and to the coast of the Mediterranean. Probably Sidon itself would be as convenient a place as any to which to bring the timber down. We learn from Josephus (c. Apion i. 18) that Hiram was quite experie... [ Continue Reading ]
_cedar trees and fir trees_ The words are exactly the same as in 1 Kings 5:8, so we had better read here -timber of cedar &c." On -fir" see above.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Solomon gave Hiram_ The supply mentioned by the Chronicler (2 Chronicles 2:10) is more than what is here stated. There the payment is 20,000 measures of beaten wheat, 20,000 measures of barley, 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of oil. Josephus mentions wheat, wine and oil, but says nothing... [ Continue Reading ]
_they two made a league_ The friendship was a close one, as may be seen from 1 Kings 9:13, where Hiram calls Solomon -my brother." It is probable that this alliance between Tyre and the successors of Solomon continued, even when the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were separated. Jezebel, Ahab's wife,... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon's levy of forced labourers for the work on Lebanon (2 Chronicles 2:1-2; 2 Chronicles 2:17-18) 13. _a levy_ The men selected had to give their labour. Such compulsory service has been a not unusual demand of Oriental monarchs. If we take the census of the people as it is given in 2 Samuel 24:... [ Continue Reading ]
by _courses_ The word is that which is used of -changes" of raiment. These men came and went away by -turns." _Adoniram_ See 1 Kings 4:6. Josephus gives to this man the name Ἀδώραμος; he does not give a list to correspond with that in 1 Kings 4:2-6.... [ Continue Reading ]
_threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens_ The Chronicler (2 Chronicles 2:17) points out that these 70,000 were of the strangers that dwelt in the land of Israel. These the king compelled to do the harder and more menial work, and the whole number of these non-Israelites was called out for work... [ Continue Reading ]
_three thousand and three hundred_ This number differs by 300 from that given in the Chronicles. If the total of the census of the strangers there given be correct, then we ought to read 3600 as the number of the overseers. The LXX. has τρεῖς χιλιάδες καὶ ἑξακόσιοι, and adds that they were employed... [ Continue Reading ]
_they brought_ The verb is used most frequently of pulling up tent pegs when removing a tent. And it is hardly found with the mere sense of -bringing" or -bearing." Therefore in this passage and in Ecclesiastes 10:9, the R.V. has given it (with the authority of the Targum) the meaning -to hew out.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the stonesquarers_ The text of A.V. is due to the Targum, which translates by -masons". But the margin of A. V. suggests that the word is not a common but a proper noun and gives -Giblites" as in Ezekiel 27:9. This is certainly a much more natural combination, than to class along with the men o... [ Continue Reading ]