So Hiram, gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees ,.... Ordered his servants to cut them down from Lebanon, and sent them to him in floats, which he received: according to all his desire ; he had as many as he requested, and what he wanted. read more
And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household ,.... This measure was the Hebrew measure "cor", or "corus", and, according to Bishop Cumberland F5 Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 3. p. 86. , its contents were 17,477 solid inches; it was equal to ten ephahs, each of which held two gallons and an half, and the cor held seventy five wine gallons five pints, and somewhat more; according to some F6 Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. p. 517. , what... read more
And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him ,.... Which, among other things, appeared in his preparations for building the temple, and in his agreements with Hiram for timber and workmen for that purpose and by continuing and confirming friendship between himself and Hiram, who was so serviceable to him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league together ; in order to continue and establish peace and friendship between them, which Solomon might... read more
Hiram king of Tyre - It must have been at the beginning of Solomon's reign that these ambassadors were sent; and some suppose that the Hiram mentioned here is different from him who was the friend of David; but there seems no very solid reason for this supposition. As Hiram had intimate alliance with David, and built his palace, 2 Samuel 5:11 , he wished to maintain the same good understanding with his son, of whose wisdom he had no doubt heard the most advantageous accounts; and he... read more
Solomon sent to Hiram - Made an interchange of ambassadors and friendly greetings. Josephus tells us that the correspondence between Hiram and Solomon was preserved in the archives of the Tyrians even in his time. But this, like many other assertions of the same author, is worthy of little credit. read more
There is neither adversary - שטן אין eyn satan , there is no satan - no opposer, nor any kind of evil; all is peace and quiet, both without and within. God has given me this quiet that I may build his temple. Deus nobis haec otia fecit . read more
A house unto the name of the Lord - The name of God is God himself. I purpose to build a house to that infinite and eternal Being called Jehovah. read more
Any that can skill to hew timber - An obsolete and barbarous expression for any that know how to cut timber. They had neither sawyers, carpenters, joiners, nor builders among them, equal to the Sidonians. Sidon was a part of the territories of Hiram, and its inhabitants appear to have been the most expert workmen. It requires more skill to fell and prepare timber than is generally supposed. Vitruvius gives some rules relative to this, lib. ii., cap. 9, the sum of which is this: ... read more
Blessed be the Lord this day - From this, and indeed from every part of Hiram's conduct, it is evident that he was a worshipper of the true God; unless, as was the case with many of the heathens, he supposed that every country had its own god, and every god his own country, and he thanked the God of Israel that he had given so wise a prince to govern those whom he considered his friends and allies: but the first opinion seems to be the most correct. read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 5:9
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea ,.... The Mediterranean sea, on which Tyre stood: and I will convey them by sea in floats ; which were either a sort of carriage for the timber the Tyrians and Sidonians had, being furnished with various navigable vessels; or these were the timber itself, and the planks of it, which being fastened together, were set afloat under the direction of some boats with oars, of which they had plenty: unto the place that thou shalt... read more