1, 17Solomon's labourers for the building of the temple. 3He sendeth to Huram for skilful artificers and timber. 11Huram's friendly answer.
1AND Solomon 1determined to build an 2house for 3the name of the LORD, and an 4house for his kingdom.
1 Hebr. said, namely, within himself, that is purposed, was minded, had concluded. See 1 Kings 5:5 and the annotation thereon.
2 That is, a temple. Compare Gen. 28 on verse 17 and Gen. 28 on verse 22.
3 That is, the Lord. See 1 Kings 5 on verse 3; likewise Deut. 28 on verse 58.
4 That is, a royal palace, in which he and those who would succeed him in the kingdom would dwell in. Also verse 12.
2And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand 5to hew in the 6mountain, anda three thousand and 7six hundred 8to oversee them.
5 See 1 Kings 5 on verse 15.
6 Namely, Lebanon. See 1 Kings 4 on verse 33.
a 1 Kings 5:16.
7 See 1 Kings 5 on verse 16.
8 Or, commanders, or, taskmasters. These were surveying officers, who had authority to supervise the laboring men, and to see that the work went on apace. See verse 18.
3¶And Solomon sentb to 9Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
b 1 Kings 5:2.
9 See of this king also 1 Kings 5 on verse 1, where he is called Hiram.
4Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to 10him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the 11continual shewbread, and for the burnt offeringsc morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance 12for ever to Israel.
10 That is, to hallow unto His glory and for the salvation of men unto the public and solemn duties of the holy worship of God. Compare Lev. 8 on verse 10.
11 Understand twelve showbreads, called a continual bread, Num. 4:7, because they ought always to lie upon the holy table, being for that purpose renewed every Sabbath Day, Exod. 25:30; Lev. 24:8.
c Num. 28:9, 10, 11.
12 Hebr. in eternity, that is, during the time of the law. See Gen. 13 on verse 15.
5And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
6But who is able to build him an house, seeingd the heaven and 13heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, 14save only to burn sacrifice before him?
d 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chron. 6:18; Job 11:7, 8, 9; Isa. 66:1; Jer. 23:24. Mat. 5:34, 35; Acts 7:49; 17:24.
13 See 1 Kings 8 on verse 27.
14 The meaning is, that he would not build that house in order that God, according to His Essence, Which is infinite, would be included in it, but that He would be worshipped there according to His revealed will.
7Send me now therefore a 15man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
15 Other, a wise man; that is, a cunning workman; and so in the sequel.
8Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and 16algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skille to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
16 See of this wood 1 Kings 10 on verse 11, where it is called almug trees.
e (verb) – to know how, to be skilled*
9Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
10And, behold, I will 17give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand 18measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand 19baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
17 Hebr. I have given, that is, firmly determined to give.
18 Hebr. cors. See of this measure 1 Kings 4 on verse 22, and compare this place with 1 Kings 5:11, and with the annotation thereon.
19 See of this measure 1 Kings 7 on verse 26.
11¶Then Huram the king of Tyre 20answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
20 Hebr. said.
12Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, thatf made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, 21endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
f Genesis 1; 2; Exod. 20:11; Psalm 33:6; 96:5; 102:25; 124:8; 136:5, 6; Acts 4:24; 14:15; Rev. 10:6.
21 Hebr. knowing prudence and understanding; also in the sequel.
13And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of 22Huram my father's,
22 Other, Huram my father, or, Huram my father’s, or, who was of my father Huram. Otherwise called: Huram Abiu, 2 Chron. 4:16, that is, Huram his father, or, of his father.
14The son of a 23woman of the 24daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every 25device 26which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.
23 Who was a widow, 1 Kings 7:14.
24 That is, one of the women who were of the tribe of Dan. Some suppose that 1 Kings 7:14 she is said to have been of the tribe of Naphtali, but that king Hiram reckons her here to the tribe of Dan, naming this tribe for the tribe of Naphtali through ignorance; as sometimes in Scripture some are brought in speaking, not according to truth, but according to their own opinion and meaning, whose words the Holy Ghost indeed recites, but not therefore approves, as 1 Sam. 4:8; Mark 6:1; John 1:45, etc. See yet another exposition of this place at 1 Kings 14 on verse 7.
25 Hebr. invention, that is, all kinds of ingenious work, which a skilful and cunning artificer would be able to invent, putting all his skill and judgment together.
26 Or, even as, or, according as shall be propounded to him.
15Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spokeng of, let him send unto his servants:
g verse 10.
16And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floatsh by sea to 27Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.
h rafts
27 Or, Japho. See Acts 10:32, a city situated on the border of the tribe of Dan by the Mediterranean Sea. See Joshua 19:46; Ezra 3:7; Jonah 1:3.
17¶And Solomoni numbered all the 28strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewithj David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
i 1 Kings 5:15.
28 These strangers were Canaanites, who yet remained in the land, whose ancestors the Israelites had not destroyed, although God had commanded them to do it, See 2 Chron. 8:7.
j 1 Chron. 22:2.
18And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be 29bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewersk in the 30mountain, and three thousand and six hundred 31overseers to set the people a work.
29 As such the Hebrew word is taken 2 Chron. 34:13; Neh. 4:10.
k choppers, cutters*
30 Namely, of Lebanon.
31 See on verse 2.