Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Kings · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Verſ. 1. ANd Hiram king of Tyre ſent his ſervants unto Solomon, &c.] This Hiram king of Tyre, was alſo king of Zidon, which was neare unto Tyre; and therefore the Zidonians are called Hirams ſervants, verſe 6. VntoUnto thee will I give hire for thy ſervants— for thou knoweſt that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber, like unto the Sidonians; being therefore a neighbour prince, when he heard of Davids death, and his ſon Solomons ſucceeding him in the throne, he ſent, as it ſeemes, the cuſtome of princes then was, his Embaſſadours to Solomon, to congratulate his ſucceſſion; and that the rather, becauſe, as the Text ſaith, he had beene alwayes a conſtant friend to David, for Hiram was ever a lover of David. And hereby it is evident, that the eighty third Pſalme was not compoſed by David, becauſe there, the inhabitant… of Tyre, verſe 7. are named amongſt other enemies that were confederate againſt the Iſraelites, which doubtleſſe, was not in Davids and Hirams dayes.
Verſ. 3. Thou knoweſt how that David my father could not build an houſe, &c.] To wit, by common report. It is ſaid alſo, that Solomon alledged the kindneſſe Hiram had ſhowne to his father, in ſending him Cedars to build himſelfe an houſe, (whereof we have heard before, 2 Sam. 5.11.) and deſired him to afford him the like favour for the building of a Temple for the Lord, 2 Chron. 2.3. And Solomon ſent to Hiram the king of Tyre, ſaying, As thou dideſt deal with David my father, and diddeſt ſend him Cedars tO build him an houſe to dwell therein, even ſo deal with me.
Verſ. 4. There is neither adverſary nor evill occurrent.] That is, to hinder the work of building the Temple.
Verſ. 5. I purpoſe to build an houſe unto the name of the Lord, &c.] That is, for the honour and worſhip of God, of which, ſee the note Deut. 12.2. and herein was Solomon a Type of Chriſt, by whom the Church the ſpirituall temple of God is built.
Verſ. 6. Command thou, that they hew me Cedar trees out of Lebanon, &c.] Many Expoſitours hold, that Libanus was a part of Solomons land, and that he required of Hiram only workmen to hew timber. But 1. becauſe it is ſaid, that Hiram ſent Cedars as a preſent to David, 2 Sam. 5.11. And Hiram king of Tyre ſent meſſengers to David, and Cedar trees &c. And 2. becauſe of the great quantity of corne and oyle which Solomon gave to Hiram yeare by yeare, in liew of this which he required of him verſe 11. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thouſand meaſures of wheat for food to his houſhold, and twenty meaſures of pure oyle: thus gave Solomon to Hiram yeare by yeare. I rather thinke that Libanus was in the poſſeſſion of the king of Tyre, though it were the utmoſt bounds northward of the land of Canaan, and that Solomon therefore had the timber alſo from him: or elſe, it may be, that Libanus being a large tract of mountains, was partly in Solomons territories, though moſt in Hirams, and ſo both may be true, that moſt of the materials he had from Hiram, and that ſuch timber as was cut in Solomons territories, was hewed alſo by Hirams ſervants. Here is onelyonly mention made of Cedar trees, as being the chief timber he uſed; but he ſent alſo for Firre trees, and Algume trees, and for a man cunning to worke in gold and ſilver, &c. 2 Chron. 2.7, 8. It is indeed ſaid, that David before his death prepared abundantly both workemen and Cedar trees, and all other neceſſaries, 1 Chron. 22.2, 3, 4, 14.15. and 1 Chron. 29.2. But the meaning of that is only, that he prepared exceeding much, not that he prepared enough or more then enough, both for the houſe, and the holy utenſiles therof; though he had provided exceeding aboundantly, yet there was much more wanting, which Solomon therefore now takes care to provide.
And unto thee will I give hire for thy ſervants, according to all that thou ſhalt appoint.] See the note, verſe 11.
Verſ. 7. He rejoyced greatly, and ſaid, Bleſſed be the Lord this day, &c.] In 2 Chron. 2.12. it is, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael that made heaven and earth, &c. now hence, and becauſe he calls the God of Iſrael Jehovah, ſome Expoſitors conclude that he was a Proſelyte; which others deny, and that becauſe his people the Tyrians and Sidonians were at this time idolaters, and ſerved Aſhtaroth, who is therefore called the goddeſſe of the Zidonians, Chap. 11.5. and indeed even the heathens had in theſe times a kind of reverent opinion of the God of the Hebrews, and of the gods of other nations whom they worſhipped not, as we may ſee 1 Sam. 4.8. Woe unto us, who ſhall deliver us out of the hand of theſe mighty Gods? theſe are the Gods that ſmote the Egyptians, 1 Kings 20.23. And the ſervants of the King of Syria ſaid unto him, their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were ſtronger than we. Daniel 6, 16. Now the king ſpake and ſaid unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou ſerveſt continually, he will deliver thee: and Acts 17.23. For as I paſſed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this inſcription, To the unknowne God, So that nothing can be hence certainly determined, but howſoever, in Hirams and the Tyrians readineſſe, to conferre their helpe to the building of the Temple, we have a ſhadow of the calling of the Gentiles into the Church; of which the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Eph. 2.13, 14. But now in Chriſt Jeſus, ye who ſometime were farre off, are made nigh by the bloud of Christ, For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene us.
Verſ. 8. And Hiram ſent to Solomon, &c.] To wit, by writing a Letter, 2 Chron. 2.11.
Verſ. 9. And I will convey them by ſea in flotes, unto the place that thou ſhalt appoint me, &c.] It is ſaid, that he proffered to convey them to Joppa, 2 Chr. 2, 16, It ſeemes therefore, Hiram proffered to convey them to Joppa, or any other place which Solomon ſhould appoint.
And thou ſhalt accompliſh my deſire, in giving food for my houſhold.] This Hiram requires of Solomon, in liew of what he had yeelded to doe for him, in ſending him timber of Cedar, &c, and that becauſe Tyre and Zidon though rich with merchandize, were in a barren ſoyle, and had indeed alwayes moſt of their ſtore for corne and other proviſions, out of the land of Iſrael; whence it is ſaid of the Jews that were returned out of Babylon, Ezra 3.7. that they gave meat and drink and oyle unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring Cedar trees from Lebanon to the ſea of Joppa, for the rebuilding of the Temple; and where all the rich commodities are reckoned up that were continually brought into Tyre, it is ſaid, Ezek. 27.17. Judah and the land of Iſrael, they were thy merchants, they traded in thy market, wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oyl, and balme: and Acts 12.20. the reaſon that is given why the inhabitaats of Tyre and Zidon, were ſo eager to pacifie Herod, when he was diſpleaſed with them, is, becauſe their countrey was nouriſhed by the kings countrey.
Verſ. 11. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thouſand meaſures of wheat for food to his houſhould, &c.] Solomon when firſt he ſent to Hiram, proffered his ſervants twenty thouſand meaſures of beaten wheat, and as many of barley, twenty thouſand bathes of wine, and as many of oyl, for their hire and proviſion, as ye ſee it is plainly expreſſed, 2. Chron. 2.10. yea, it ſeems he added, that if that ſhould not like him he would give whatſoever hire himſelf would appoint (as we ſee above, verſ. 6.) now when Hiram anſwered Solomon by writing, he accepted of that proviſion that was proffered for his ſervants, 2. Chron. 2.15. but withall made it a requeſt to him, as we ſee above, verſ. 9. that Solomon would grant him liberty to tranſport a certain quantitie of proviſion every yeare, for his own houſhold, becauſe his countrey was but barren for ſuch things; and this is that which here it is ſaid Solomon gave Hiram; for that proviſion of wheat, and barley, and wine, and oyl, mentioned, 2. Chron. 2.10. was given to the ſubjects of the king of Tyre, that were employed about Solomons work: ſee the note alſo, chap. 9.11.
Verſ. 13. And king Solomon raiſed a levie out of all Iſrael, and the levie was thirty thouſand men.] That is, of the Iſraelites that were skilfull workmen, whether carpenters or maſons, throughout his kingdome; for though Solomon did make no bondmen of the children of Iſrael, 1. Kings 9.22. but imployed ſtrangers in the more ſervile imployments, and harder labours, of bearing burdens, and hewing in the mountains, 2. Chron. 2.17, 18. yet it is altogether improbable, that either there were no artificers amongſt the Iſraelites, though inferiour to the Tyrians, or that ſuch as were able for the work, were wholy neglected, and onelyonly ſtrangers imployed.
Verſ. 15. And Solomon had threeſcore and ten thouſand that bare burdens, &c.] And theſe were of the ſtrangers that were in the land, as we find it expreſſed, 2. Chron. 2.17, 18.
Verſ. 16. Beſides the chief of Solomons officers which were over the work, three thouſand and three hundred, &c.] But how can this agree with that place, 2. Chron. 2.18. where it is ſaid, that there were three thouſand ſix hundred overſeers, to ſet the people on work? I anſwer, ſome hold that there were but three thouſand three hundred as here, in ordinary ſervice, and then three hundred more were kept as a reſerve for ſupply, if need were: but I think rather, that thoſe three thouſand ſix hundred there mentioned, were of the ſtrangers there ſpoken of, as is very evident in that place, for verſ. 17. the totall number of the ſtrangers gathered together for this ſervice, is ſaid to have been an hundred fifty three thouſand ſix hundred, and then in the 18. verſ. it is particularly expreſſed, how all theſe were ſeverally imployed, to wit, ſeventy thouſand in bearing burdens, and eighty thouſand in hewing in the mountains, which makes one hundred and fifty thouſand, and then the remaining three thouſand ſix hundred, were appointed to be overſeers to ſet the people awork; but now theſe three thouſand three hundred, were ſuch as had the command of all that were imployed in the work, both the Tyrians and Iſraelites, and thoſe ſtrangers mentioned in that place of the Chronicles, and by whoſe command and directions all things were ordered; and therefore are they here called the chief of Solomons officers, and ſuch as did not onelyonly overſee the work, but alſo ruled over the people that wrought in the work; it is hard alſo to reconcile this place with that which is ſaid, 1. Kings 9.23. Theſe were the chief of the officers that were over Solomons work, five hundred and fifty which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work: 2. Chron. 8.10. and theſe were the chief of Solomons officers even two hundred and fifty that bare rule over the people: but for that ſee the note, chap. 9.23.
Verſ. 17. And they brought great ſtones, costly ſtones.] To wit, marble, Porphyries and ſuch like.
Verſ. 18. And Hirams builders did hew them, and the ſtone-ſquarers.] Or the Giblites, as it is in the margine of our Bible, and it is thought that theſe were a people belonging to Tyre, amongſt whom there were many excellent workmen, called ſo of Gebal, or Gebula, the place of their dwelling; whence is that, Ezek. 27.9. The ancients of Gebal, and the wiſe men thereof were in thee: and that Pſal. 83.7. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philiſtines with the inhabitants of Tyre.