2 Chronicles 2:3

HIS MESSAGE TO HURAM FOR SKILFUL ARTIFICERS. (Ch2 2:3-10)

Solomon sent to Huram--The correspondence was probably conducted on both sides in writing (Ch2 2:11; also see on Kg1 5:8).

As thou didst deal with David my father--This would seem decisive of the question whether the Huram then reigning in Tyre was David's friend (see on Kg1 5:1-6). In opening the business, Solomon grounded his request for Tyrian aid on two reasons: 1. The temple he proposed to build must be a solid and permanent building because the worship was to be continued in perpetuity; and therefore the building materials must be of the most durable quality. 2. It must be a magnificent structure because it was to be dedicated to the God who was greater than all gods; and, therefore, as it might seem a presumptuous idea to erect an edifice for a Being "whom the heaven and the heaven of heavens do not contain," it was explained that Solomon's object was not to build a house for Him to dwell in, but a temple in which His worshippers might offer sacrifices to His honor. No language could be more humble and appropriate than this. The pious strain of sentiment was such as became a king of Israel.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Ch 2:3 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].

Ver. 3. And Solomon sent to Huram.] See on 1Ki 5:1.

As thou didst deal with David my father.] By this thankful acknowledgment he seeketh to ingratiate. Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 2:3. And Solomon sent to Huram — Or Hiram, as he is called in the first book of Kings where we learn that he first sent to Solomon to congratulate him on his accession to the throne, and then Solomon sent to him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, Hiram.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 3. Solomon sent to Huram] This man's name is written חירם Chiram in Kings; and in Chronicles, חורם Churam: there is properly no difference, only a י yod and a ו vau interchanged. See on 1Kg 5:2.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) And Solomon sent to Huram.—Comp. 1Ki_5:2-11, from which we learn that Huram or Hiram had first sent to congratulate Solomon upon his accession. The account here agrees generally with the parallel passage of the older work. The variations which present themselves only prove that the chronicler has made independent use of his sources.

Huram.—In Kings the name is spelt Hiram (1Ki_5:1-2; 1Ki_5:7) and Hirom (1Ki_5:10; 1Ki_5:18, Hebr.). (Comp. 1Ch_14:1.) Whether the Tyrian name Sirômos (Herod. vii. 98) is another form of Hiram, as Bertheau supposes, is more than doubtful. It is interesting to find that the king of Tyre bore this name in the time of Tiglath-pileser II., to whom he paid tribute (B.C. 738), along with Menahem of Samaria. (Assyr. Hi-ru-um-mu, to which the Hîrôm of 1Ki_5:10; 1Ki_5:18 comes very near.)

As thou didst deal . . . dwell therein.—See 1Ch_14:1. The sense requires the clause, added by our translators, in italics, “Even so deal with me,” after the Vulg. “sic fac mecum.” 1Ki_5:3 makes Solomon refer to the wars which hindered David from building the Temple.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Huram] Another form of Hiram (1Ki_5:1 [15, Heb.]) which is a shortened form of Ahiram (Hebrew, Aḥ “brother” and râm “exalted”). Yet another form is Hirom (1Ki_5:10; see R.V. mg.). The Phœnician language is written with even fewer vowel signs than are found in ancient Hebrew; hence the uncertainty in the form of this name.

didst send him cedars] See 1Ch_14:1 = 2Sa_5:11.

3–10 [2–9, Heb.] (= 1Ki_5:2-6). Solomon’s Message to Huram

This passage is much fuller in Chron. than in 1 Kings, which offers no parallel to Solomon’s language with regard to the Temple; 2Ch_2:4-6. Again 2Ch_2:7 (the request for a “cunning man”) has no nearer parallel than 1Ki_7:13. For 2Ch_2:10 also there is no strict parallel in 1 Kings.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God,.... Am about to do it, and determined upon it, see Ch2 2:1,

to dedicate it to him; to set it apart for sacred service to him:

and to burn before him sweet incense; on the altar of incense:

and for the continual shewbread; the loaves of shewbread, which were continually on the shewbread table; which, and the altar of incense, both were set in the holy place in the tabernacle, and so to be in the temple:

and for the burnt offerings morning and evening; the daily sacrifice: on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God: at which seasons, besides the daily sacrifice, additional burnt offerings were offered, and all on the brasen altar in the court: this is an ordinance

for ever unto Israel: to offer the above sacrifices, even for a long time to come, until the Messiah comes; and therefore Solomon suggests, as Jarchi and Kimchi think, that a good strong house ought to be built.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Huram, the form used throughout Chronicles (except 1Ch 14:1) for the name both of the king and of the artisan whom he lent to Solomon 2Ch 2:13; 2Ch 4:11, 2Ch 4:16, is a late corruption of the true native word, Hiram (marginal note and reference).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Which words may be commodiously understood from the nature of the thing, and from the following words, such ellipses being frequent in the Hebrew. Or, without any ellipsis, the sense, being here suspended, is completed 2Ch 2:7, so send me, &c., the 4th, 5th, and 6th verses being inserted by way of parenthesis, to usher in and enforce his following request.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Huram — The original and more correct form of the name was Hiram. Comp. 2Sa_5:11.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Huram. So the name is spelt, whether of Tyrian king or Tyrian workman, in Chronicles, except, perhaps, in 1Ch_14:1. Elsewhere the name is written yhi, or sometimes instead of Geseuius draws attention to Josephus"s Greek rendering of the name, Eirwmov, with whom agree Menander, a historian of Ephesus, in a fragment respecting Hiram (Josephus, "Contra Apion," 1:18); and Dius, a fragment of whose history of the Phoenicians telling of Solomon and Hiram, Josephus also is the means of preserving ("Contra Apion,"1:17). The Septuagint write the name Ciram; the Alexandrian, Ceiram; the Vulgate, Hiram. The name of Hiram"s father was Abibaal. Hiram himself began to reign, according to Menander, when nineteen years of age, reigned thirty-four years (B.C. 1023-990), and died therefore at the age of fifty-three. Of Hiram and his reign in Tyre very little is known beyond what is so familiar to us from the Bible history of David and Solomon. The city of Tyre is among the most ancient. Though it is not mentioned in Homer, yet the Sidonians, who lived in such close connection with the Tyrians, are mentioned there ("Iliad.," 6:290; 23. 743; "Odys., " 4:84; 22:424), whilst Virgil calls Tyre the Sidonian city, Sidon being twenty miles distant ("AEn.," 1:12, 677; 4:545). The modern name of Tyre is Sur. The city was situate on the east coast of the Mediterranean, in Phoenicia, about seventy-four geographical miles north of Joppa, while the road distance from Joppa to Jerusalem was thirty-two miles. The first Bible mention of Tyre is in Jos_19:29. After that the more characteristic mentions of it are 2Sa_5:11, with all its parallels; 2Sa_24:7 Isa_23:1, 7 Eze_26:2 Eze_27:1-8; Zec_9:2, Zec_9:3. Tyre was celebrated for its working in copper and brass, and by no means only for its cedar and timber felling. The good terms and intimacy subsisting between Solomon and the King of Tyre speak themselves very plainly in Bible history, without leaving us dependent on doubtful history, or tales of such as Josephus ("Ant.," 8:5. "Contra Apion," 1:17). For the timber, metals, workmen, given by Hiram to Solomon, Solomon gave to Hiram corn and oil, ceded to him some cities, and the use of some ports on the Red Sea (1Ki_9:11-14, 1Ki_9:25-28; 1Ki_10:21-23. See also 1Ki_16:31) As thou didst deal with David and didst send him cedars. To this vers. 7 and 8 are the apodosis manifestly, while vers. 4, 5, 6 should be enclosed in brackets.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

to devote to Him for some purpose.

to burn before Him incense which is a way of honor[ing Him], and this is repeated further (verse 5): “but to burn incense before Him.”

making this permanent over Israel Therefore, I request of you to send to me [material] for a good and strong House, because it is required perpetually for Israel to offer up their sacrifice(s) in this House, which I am building.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.