2 Chronicles 2 Study Notes
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2:1 God had told David that one of his sons would build the temple, and David made plans for this (1Ch 22:2-10). Solomon not only affirmed God’s promise in his own decisions, but he planned the temple and his own royal palace on a much more impressive scale than David’s blueprints.
2:2 In vv. 17-18, where the same list is repeated, we learn that the workers conscripted by Solomon were aliens living in Israel. At this time, Solomon did not force any Israelites to work on his building projects (10:4). The first part of the project was to construct the walls out of large blocks of stone. These stones were quarried in the mountains. By shaping this work off-site, the laborers had more space to work on-site, plus they reduced the weight of each block to its minimum, making transportation easier.
2:3 Despite all the materials that David had accumulated, Solomon needed more, particularly cedar wood. He also needed expert advice on how to work with these materials. So he consulted his father’s old trading partner, King Hiram of Tyre.
2:4 Hiram was a shrewd trader. In proposing a business deal to Hiram, Solomon made sure he was informed about the importance of this project. He put Hiram on notice that if he cut corners with the materials he supplied, he would be offending the Lord. Solomon’s letter briefly described the functions of the temple.
2:5 Solomon emphasized to Hiram that the greatness of the temple should exceed any other temple because God was greater than any other gods. If this statement was offensive to Hiram, who worshiped his own gods, his response did not show it (v. 12).
2:6 In contrast to pagan gods whose presence was limited to their temples, the Lord was not confined to this temple. He filled all of heaven and earth.
2:7 Solomon asked Hiram for a craftsman who could work with precious metals as well as bronze and iron. In addition, he should be able to work with dyed textiles. The color purple, considered the color of royalty, was one of the chief exports of the Phoenicians. Solomon specified that this craftsman would be in charge of laborers who had been appointed by David. Solomon did not want Hiram to send a large labor force that might pose a military threat.
2:8-9 Not only did the Phoenicians have ready access to the wood that Solomon asked for, but they had more experience than the Israelites in working with it. Solomon sent Israelite servants to help with the labor and perhaps to assure the quality of the logs.
2:10 Tyre excelled in trade, but largely depended on other nations for food (Ac 12:20).
2:11-12 Hiram’s response showed he understood that he was not just dealing with Solomon but with Solomon’s God. Hiram’s praise of the Lord should not be taken to mean that he was a true follower of God. People of that time generally believed that each nation had its own god who was effective for his people, but who would have no jurisdiction over other geographic areas (2Kg 5:17). Hiram probably sincerely applauded the God of the Israelites, though the Lord would have had no personal value to him as a non-Israelite.
2:13-14 Hiram proposed to send Solomon a man named Huram-abi. Son of an Israelite mother and a Tyrian father, Huram-abi was competent in all the skills specified by Solomon and presumably understood Israelite religion. Solomon was in ultimate control of the building project, and Huram-abi, the Phoenician, was next in charge. A number of Israelite supervisors oversaw the large force of non-Israelites and their foremen.
2:15 This verse mentions the price Solomon was paying for Hiram’s help.
2:16 The Phoenicians were among the early pioneers of seafaring. They were willing to risk the dangerous but efficient method of shipping logs as rafts along the Mediterranean coast. Then they would be transported overland to Jerusalem.