Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon ,.... In which letter he told him he had considered the contents of his, and would grant him all that he desired, see 1 Kings 5:8 . because the Lord hath loved his people; he hath made thee king over them ; which are much the same words the queen of Sheba said to Solomon; see Gill on 1 Kings 10:9 . read more
Huram said, moreover, blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth ,.... Huram seems to have had some good notions of the divine Being, not only as the God of the people of Israel, in a peculiar sense, but as the Former and Maker of all things: who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding ; see 1 Kings 5:7 . that might build an house for the Lord, and for his kingdom ; as in 2 Chronicles 2:1 . read more
And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding ,.... In such things as Solomon required he should, 2 Chronicles 2:7 . of Huram my father's ; a workman of his, whom he employed, and so might be depended upon as a good artificer; though rather Huram is the artificer's name: and Abi , we render "my father", his surname, that is, "Huram Abi"; and this is the opinion of several learned men F7 Luther. Emanuel Sa, Piscator, Schmidt, Beckius in Targum in loc. , and is... read more
The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan ,.... Here follows an account of the descent of the artificer, and of his skill in working; of what seeming disagreement there may be in this account, with that in 1 Kings 7:14 ; see Gill on 1 Kings 7:14 . read more
Now therefore, the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of ,.... In his letter to him, 2 Chronicles 2:10 as for the phrase "my lord", which some think is used, because Hiram was tributary to Solomon, it may only be a respectful way of speaking: let him send unto his servants ; Hiram accepted thereof as a proper reward for the work of his servants. read more
And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shall need ,.... Both cedar and fir, 1 Kings 5:8 , and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa ; a port in the Mediterranean sea, the same that Jonah went down to; see Gill on 1 Kings 5:9 , and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem ; in land carriages, about forty miles off. read more
Answered in writing - Though correspondence among persons of distinction was, in these early times, carried on by confidential messengers, yet we find that epistolary correspondence did exist, and that kings could write and read in what were called by the proud and insolent Greeks and Romans barbarous nations. Nearly two thousand years after this we find a king on the British throne who could not sign his own name. About the year of our Lord 700, Withred, king of Kent, thus concludes a... read more
I have sent a cunning man - His name appears to have been Hiram, or Hiram Abi: see the notes on 1 Kings 7:13 , 1 Kings 7:14 . read more
In floats by sea to Joppa - See the note on 1 Kings 5:9 , and on the parallel places, for other matters contained in this chapter. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 2:11-18
Here we have, I. The return which Huram made to Solomon's embassy, in which he shows a great respect for Solomon and a readiness to serve him. Meaner people may learn of these great ones to be neighbourly and complaisant. 1. He congratulates Israel on having such a king as Solomon was (2 Chron. 2:11): Because the Lord loved his people, he has made thee king. Note, A wise and good government is a great blessing to a people, and may well be accounted a singular token of God's favour. He does not... read more