1 Kings 5:1

Wood and stone for the temple

1 Because King Hiram of Tyre was loyal to David throughout his rule, Hiram sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had become king after his father.

1 Kings 5:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 5:1

And Hiram king of Tyre sent servants unto Solomon
His ambassadors, to condole him on the death of his father, and congratulate him on his accession to the throne; this king is called by the Phoenician historians ^F19 Hirom, and by Eupolemus ^F20 Suron, as he is Huram in ( 2 Chronicles 2:3 ) ; and by Theophilus of Antioch ^F21 Hierom the son of Abelmalus, in the twelfth year of whose reign the temple was built:

for he had heard that they had anointed him, king in the room of his
father;
that the Israelites had anointed him king:

for Hiram was ever a lover of David;
a friend and ally of his; and we never read of the Tyrians being at war with him, or assisting any of his enemies.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 17, 18.
F20 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 33, 34.
F21 Ad Antolyc. l. 3. p. 131, 132.

1 Kings 5:1 In-Context

1 Because King Hiram of Tyre was loyal to David throughout his rule, Hiram sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had become king after his father.

2 Solomon sent the following message to Hiram:

3 "You know that my father David wasn't able to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God. This was because of the enemies that fought him on all sides until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

4 Now the LORD my God has given me peace on every side, without enemies or misfortune.

5 So I'm planning to build a temple for the name of the LORD my God, just as the LORD indicated to my father David, ‘I will give you a son to follow you on your throne. He will build the temple for my name.'

Footnotes

• [a]. 5:15 in Heb
• [b]. Chronicles spells the king’s name Huram, for example, 2 Chron 2:3, 11–12; but cf 1 Chron 14:1 Kethib.