John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 2:8
Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon ,.... Of the two first of these, and which Hiram sent, see 1 Kings 5:10 . The algum trees are the same with the almug trees, 1 Kings 10:11 by a transposition of letters; these could not be coral, as some Jewish writers think, which grows in the sea, for these were in Lebanon; nor Brazil, as Kimchi, so called from a place of this name, which at this time was not known; though there were trees of almug afterwards brought... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 2:1-10
Solomon's wisdom was given him, not merely for speculation, to entertain himself (though it is indeed a princely entertainment), nor merely for conversation, to entertain his friends, but for action; and therefore to action he immediately applies himself. Observe, I. His resolution within himself concerning his business (2 Chron. 2:1): He determined to build, in the first place, a house for the name of the Lord. It is fit that he who is the first should be served?first a temple and then a... read more