1 Kings 5:1

1 Hiram king of Tyre sent ambassadors to Solomon when he heard that he had been crowned king in David's place. Hiram had loved David his whole life.

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.


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 Hiram king of Tyre sent ambassadors to Solomon when he heard that he had been crowned king in David's place. Hiram had loved David his whole life.
2 Solomon responded, saying,
3 "You know that David my father was not able to build a temple in honor of God because of the wars he had to fight on all sides, until God finally put them down.
4 But now God has provided peace all around - no one against us, nothing at odds with us.
5 "Now here is what I want to do: Build a temple in honor of God, my God, following the promise that God gave to David my father, namely, 'Your son whom I will provide to succeed you as king, he will build a house in my honor.'
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.