1.
And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
2.
And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
3.
And Solomon sent to Huram 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.
4.
Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings 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 for ever to Israel.
5.
And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
6.
But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
7.
Send me now therefore a man 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.
8.
Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
9.
Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
10.
And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
11.
Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
12.
Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
13.
And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,
2 Chronicles 2:13. And now I have sent a cunning man, &c.— Therefore I have sent unto thee a man of understanding, whom my father Huram had for his instructor. Houbigant.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, Solomon, being appointed to build God's house, and by his wisdom so highly qualified for it, begins to set about the glorious structure; and afterwards resolves to raise a palace for himself. Note; Let God be always first and best served. For this purpose he sends an embassage to Hiram, or Huram, king of Tyre, whose assistance he wanted in the work. He mentions the kindness that Hiram had shewn to David, as a reason for continuing his friendship to him his son; informs him of his design to build the house of God, of whose glory he speaks most highly. The God of Israel was above all gods, therefore a temple became him, such as nowhere else could be found: not that the most pompous structure could be worthy of the infinite God, or his immensity be circumscribed by the largest palace, since the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him. He pretended only to build a place to worship and sacrifice before him. The Tyrians being most expert workmen, he begs him to send him a capital artist in engraving and embroidery, who might instruct those that were ingenious among his own people; and requests that he would cut down, and convey to him from Lebanon, cedars and other timber; in which service he would send his own servants, with Hiram's, who were more skilled in the business. In consideration for which services, he offers to give, as wages and maintenance for Hiram's servants, twenty thousand measures of wheat and barley, and as many baths of wine and oil, commodities which Tyre wanted, and in which Canaan abounded. Note; (1.) We should desire to make our father's friends our own. (2.) They who have the knowledge of the true God themselves, would fain have others acquainted with him also. (3.) Though, when we have done our best, it is poor and unworthy of God, yet it speaks at least our humble gratitude.
2nd, Hiram was as ready to grant, as Solomon to ask, and that in the most friendly manner, congratulating Israel on so good a king, and blessing God for giving so gracious a son to his friend. He sent him an ingenious artist, half an Israelite, and therefore more likely to be hearty in the service; undertook to convey the timber to Joppa by sea, and accepted of the wages proposed. Note; (1.) The polite manner in which a favour is conferred doubles the obligation. (2.) The assistance of the Gentiles in building the church, was a figure of their incorporation in the fulness of time with the Israel of God.
Solomon immediately dispatched his servants to Lebanon, to meet Hiram's. He employed no Israelites in servile work, but the strangers who, probably by becoming proselytes, were incorporated among them; whether of the remnant of the old inhabitants or others. These, to the number of 153,600, David had registered before; and Solomon now set them to work for him, and, no doubt, well paid them for their labour.
14.
The son of a woman of the daughters 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 device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.
15.
Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:
16.
And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shall carry it up to Jerusalem.
17.
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18.
And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.