2 Samuel 5:11

11 Hiram was king of Tyre. He sent messengers to David. He sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers. They worked with wood and stone. They built a palace for David.

2 Samuel 5:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 5:11

And Hiram king of Tyre
This was father of that Hiram that lived in the times of Solomon, whose name was Abibalus before he took the name of Hiram, which became a common name of the kings of Tyre; his former name may be seen in the ancient historians quoted by Josephus ^F19; of the city of Tyre, (See Gill on Isaiah 23:1); which was built one year before the destruction of Troy ^F20. This king, on hearing of David's being acknowledged king by all Israel, and of his taking Jerusalem out of the hands of the Jebusites,

sent messengers to David;
to congratulate him upon all this:

and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons;
these might not be sent at first, but David intending to build himself an house, might, by the messengers on their return, request of Hiram to send him timber and workmen for that purpose; the people of Israel being chiefly employed in cultivating their fields, and vineyards, and oliveyards, and feeding their flocks and herds, few of them had any skill in hewing: timber and stone, and building houses, at least not like the Tyrians and Sidonians; see ( 1 Kings 5:6 ) ; and accordingly he sent him cedars from Lebanon, a great part of which was in his dominions, and artificers in wood and stone, to build his house in the most elegant manner:

and they built David an house;
to dwell in, a stately palace, called an house of cedar, ( 2 Samuel 7:2 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Contr. Apion. l. 1. sect. 17, 18.
F20 Justin e Trogo, l. 18. c. 3.

2 Samuel 5:11 In-Context

9 David moved into the fort. He called it the City of David. He built up the area around the fort. He filled in the low places. He started at the bottom and worked his way up.

10 David became more and more powerful. That's because the LORD God who rules over all was with him.

11 Hiram was king of Tyre. He sent messengers to David. He sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers. They worked with wood and stone. They built a palace for David.

12 David knew that the LORD had made his position as king secure. He knew that he had made him king over the whole nation of Israel. He knew that the LORD had greatly honored his kingdom. The LORD had done it because the Israelites were his people.

13 After David left Hebron, he got more concubines and wives in Jerusalem. More sons and daughters were born to him there.