HIRAM, KING OF TYRE - Menander of Ephesus, who wrote a history of Tyre in Greek, founded upon native Tyrian documents, about 300 B.C., mentioned this Hiram as the son of Abibaal king of Tyre, and said that he ascended the throne when he was nineteen; that he reigned thirty-four years, and, dying at... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon’s presumption that Hiram knew David’s design has not appeared in the previous history, but it is in accordance with 1 Chronicles 22:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
The contrast is not between different periods of Solomon’s reign, but between his reign and that of his father. EVIL OCCURRENT - Rather, evil occurrence.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE LORD SPAKE - See the marginal references 1 Kings 7:13, and compare 1 Chronicles 22:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon’s message to Hiram and Hiram’s answer 1 Kings 5:8 are given much more fully in 2 Chronicles 2:3. CEDAR-TREES - The Hebrew word here and elsewhere translated “cedar,” appears to be used, not only of the cedar proper, but of other timber-trees also, as the fir, and, perhaps, the juniper. Still... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
The number of measures of wheat was considerably less than Solomon’s own annual consumption, which exceeded 32,000 cors 1 Kings 4:22; but the small amount of twenty cors of oil, which seems at first sight scarcely to match with the 20,000 cors of wheat, will not appear improbable, if we consider tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD GAVE SOLOMON WISDOM - It seems to be implied that Solomon’s divine gift of wisdom enabled him to make such favorable arrangements with Hiram.... [ Continue Reading ]
A LEVY OUT OF ALL ISRAEL - This was, apparently, the first time that the Israelites had been called upon to perform forced labor, though it had been prophesied 1 Samuel 8:16. David had bound to forced service “the strangers” 1 Chronicles 22:2; but hitherto the Israelites had escaped. Solomon now, in... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT BARE BURDENS ... - Compare the marginal references. These laborers, whose services were continuous, consisted of “strangers” - “the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites” - whom Solomon, following the example of his father 1 Chronicles 22:2, condemn... [ Continue Reading ]
Comparing this verse and 1 Kings 9:23 with 2 Chronicles 2:18; 2 Chronicles 8:10, the entire number of the overseers will be seen to be stated by both writers at 3,850; but in the one case nationality, in the other degree of authority, is made the principle of the division.... [ Continue Reading ]
Some of these “great, hewed (no and) stones,” are probably still to be seen in the place where they were set by Solomon’s builders, at the southwestern angle of the wall of the Haram area in the modern Jerusalem. The largest found so far is 38 ft. 9 in. long, and weighs about 100 tons.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STONE-SQUARERS - The Gebalites (see the margin), the inhabitants of Gebal, a Phoenician city between Beyrout and Tripolis, which the Greeks called Byblus, and which is now known as Jebeil.... [ Continue Reading ]