Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 2

Introduction

Second Chronicles Chapter 2

2 Chronicles 2:1 "And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom."

Solomon is just like a brand new Christian, here. He is determined to do a fabulous work for the glory of the LORD. I like the word determined, because it means he would not be easily discouraged. He would drive on to accomplish the job God gave him to do. He had his priorities straight, because the house for the name of the LORD was mentioned first, and then his own house.

2 Chronicles 2:2 "And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them."

This is saying, that Solomon set 70,000 men aside for the task of carrying burdens. He set 80,000 men to cut the timber and shape it for the buildings. There were 3,600 men to oversee all of this work. Solomon would build a complex, along with building the temple.

2 Chronicles 2:3 "And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, [even so deal with me]."

Huram is the same as Hiram. He had sent cedar for the home of David, and sent workers who were skilled in building with cedar. Solomon was sure that he would deal the same with him, as he did with his father David. David had sent grain to help them. It was not an exchange, but each sent the other a gift. Grain was plentiful in Israel, and Solomon would do the same.

2 Chronicles 2:4 "Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate [it] to him, [and] to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This [is an ordinance] for ever to Israel."

The burning of sweet incense symbolizes the prayers of the saints. The smoke and sweet smell rises to heaven like the prayers rise to heaven. The continual shewbread is speaking of the twelve loaves that were always in the temple before the LORD. This bread is symbolic of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Bread. This also is symbolic of that bread that fell from heaven to feed the Israelites. Twelve is a representative number of the whole. The body of Jesus took care of all of us. He gave His body {Bread} on the cross, that all men might be saved. Every one of the offerings and Sacrifices represent that one great sacrifice that Jesus made for us all. He fulfilled all of the law in that one act. The list of the times are special observances they made.

2 Chronicles 2:5 "And the house which I build [is] great: for great [is] our God above all gods." This is another way of saying, "Our God is God". 2 Samuel 7:22 "Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for [there is] none like thee, 174 neither [is there any] God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears."

2 Chronicles 2:6 "But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who [am] I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?"

The temple Solomon built to the LORD was the most magnificent house in the whole world at the time it was built. Even that was not enough to think that God would dwell there, because the world, and everything in it, belongs to God. Even all the world could not contain God. The temple, then, was built for man. It was a way man could try to convey his love for God. This was a point of contact for mortal man with his God. God is "omnipresent". He is everywhere all at the same time.

2 Chronicles 2:7 "Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that [are] with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide."

He needs a man like Bezaleel, that God sent to Moses. He is really speaking of a superviser, who can direct all of the work that must be done. There are men already provided to do the actual work, but this would have to be someone highly skilled, to see the work is perfect.

2 Chronicles 2:8 "Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants [shall be] with thy servants,"

Solomon was aware that Hiram’s men were more skilled at working with their native woods, than his men were. He would send men to do much of the menial labor, but the men of Hiram would have to do things that were not known by Solomon’s men.

2 Chronicles 2:9 "Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build [shall be] wonderful great." There would be a vast amount of timber needed to build the temple, the palace, and all of the buildings associated with them. There would not only have to be vast amounts, but huge individual trees, as well. The temple that Solomon was attempting to build was far beyond anything that any of them had ever worked on before.

2 Chronicles 2:10 "And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil."

This would be very good news to the land of Hiram. They could not grow enough grain to feed their people. There had been a great shortage of this type of food in their land. Each measure of grain would be 32 pecks. The beaten wheat was wheat to make bread with. 20,000 measures would be 640,000 pecks of beaten wheat. The barley would, also, be 640,000 pecks. A bath is 7 gallons. This means they would give them 140,000 gallons of wine and 140,000 gallons of oil. The wine would be from the many vineyards in Israel, and the oil would be of the olive trees.

2 Chronicles 2:11 "Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them."

This is a very complimentary letter to Solomon. It appears, from this, that Huram knew of the God of Israel. This would be the nicest thing a king could hear. When we live right, it sends a message to the unsaved around us. This was what Solomon had done here. Huram realized this was, because God had blessed Israel.

2 Chronicles 2:12 "Huram said moreover, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom."

Huram, or Hiram, as he was better known, had been a close friend of king David. He was pleased to know that God had sent a son to David to carry out the building of the temple, which David had so greatly desired to do. Again, it was the LORD God of Israel who brought this all about. Solomon would do the work that David had in his heart to do. Huram was pleased with Solomon’s desire to accomplish this.

2 Chronicles 2:13 "And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,"

2 Chronicles 2:14 "The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father [was] a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father."

It appears, that this very skilled worker was of a father of Tyre and a mother, who was of the tribe of Dan. It was not unusual for these marriages between the Hebrews and other nations to take place. There was quite a bit of exchange between them, in fact. He was, probably, an engraver, who worked with all of these things. Tyre was well known for the beautiful handwork they did in all of these things. If he was the best in their land, then he was very skilled.

2 Chronicles 2:15 "Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:"

Probably, the need for the food was immediate in their land. He was asking Solomon to go ahead and send it. He would immediately start on the work Solomon had asked them to do, as well.

2 Chronicles 2:16 "And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem."

Even today, logs are moved by letting them float in water to their destination. Joppa was a well-known port. It was known for its beautiful groves. The logs would be floated to Joppa, and the Israelites would be responsible for carrying them overland to Jerusalem, which was about 34 miles. There were thousands of men responsible for bearing burdens, in fact 176 70,000 men. This would be no problem then, if they could get the logs to Joppa.

2 Chronicles 2:17 "And Solomon numbered all the strangers that [were] in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred."

These strangers were there working on the building projects. There were 153,600 strangers in the land. They were mostly from Tyre. Many of them were engravers and those who carved wood.

2 Chronicles 2:18 "And he set threescore and ten thousand of them [to be] bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand [to be] hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work."

This is a repetition of the first verses of this lesson. There were 70,000 burden bearers. There were 80,000 men cutting wood in the mountains. The 3,600 men were overseers.

2 Chronicles 2 Questions

1. What had Solomon determined to do?

2. How many men would be burden bearers?

3. How many men would cut timber?

4. How many overseers would there be?

5. Huram is the same as ________.

6. What had Hiram done for David?

7. What had David done to help Hiram?

8. What did Solomon say was the purpose for the house built to the name of the LORD?

9. What does the burning of sweet incense symbolize?

10. The continual shewbread is speaking of what?

11. Twelve is a ___________ number of the whole.

12. Who was the true Bread?

13. What were some of the special observances?

14. 2 Chronicles 2:5 is another way of saying what?

15. Quote 2 Samuel 7:22.

16. Why could the temple Solomon built not hold God?

17. In verse 7, Solomon is asking for what type of man?

18. Why would they need so vast a supply of timber?

19. How much beaten wheat would Solomon send in return?

20. How large is a measure?

21. How many pecks of wheat was sent then?

22. How much barley was sent?

23. A bath is ______ gallons.

24. How many gallons of wine did Solomon send them?

25. How much oil did he send them?

26. How did Huram answer Solomon’s offer?

27. Quote 2 Chronicles 2:12.

28. Who was the mother of the cunning man, that Hiram sent to Solomon?

29. Why did Hiram ask Solomon to go ahead and send the food?

30. How are large logs moved from place to place?

31. How many strangers were in the land, when Solomon numbered them?

Verses 1-2

2Ch 2:1-2

2 Chronicles 2:1-2

FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE AND THE PALACE

"Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom. And Solomon counted out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand men were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them."

"And a house for his kingdom" (2 Chronicles 2:1). This refers to the house Solomon would build for himself. The Chronicler omitted many details that are found in Kings, simply because those details were already widely known. "Knowledge of the temple (and many other things) from Kings and other sources is taken for granted." Therefore, we reject as worthless the speculations of scholars regarding alleged "reasons" why this or that was abbreviated or left out altogether.

The 153,600 men mentioned here were slaves, composed of, "Descendants of those Canaanites whom the children of Israel did not drive out." From Kings it is clear that Israelites were also conscripted by Solomon for such slave labor and required to devote one month of every three to his service.

E.M. Zerr:

2 Chronicles 2:1. The house was the temple, and the house for his kingdom was the palace.

2 Chronicles 2:2. To oversee them means that the laborers worked under other men. All rules may be abused, but it is true that a man needs a "boss" over him to direct his activities as a laborer.

Verses 3-4

2Ch 2:3-4

2 Chronicles 2:3-4

SOLOMON REQUESTS HELP OF THE KING OF TYRE

"And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him a house to dwell therein, even so deal with me. Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt-offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah our God. This is a set ordinance for ever for Israel."

"Huram the king of Tyre" (2 Chronicles 2:3). This person is called Hiram in Kings; "But throughout Chronicles he is called Huram (except in 1 Chronicles 14:1)."

2 Chronicles 2:4 here is a summary of the principal rituals of the ancient tabernacle and an indication of their continued observance in the projected temple. The entire Pentateuch is, in a sense, summarized in this single verse, in keeping with the entire religious constitution of ancient Israel. Extensive sections of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are reflected in this single verse. No wonder the critics hate it. Elmslie looked at it, and wrote, "It looks like a heavy-handed addition." However, there is absolutely no evidence of any kind that this verse is an interpolation. It is the previous mind-set of critics that causes them to make such an allegation.

E.M. Zerr:

2 Chronicles 2:3. Huram is another spelling for "Hiram." The Mosaic system of government was secular or civil as well as religious. As king of a secular nation, therefore, it was proper for Solomon to have friendly dealings with Huram, another secular king. He did not forget that a friendship had existed between his father and the king of Tyre, and referred to it in his address to him.

2 Chronicles 2:4. All of the purposes for the proposed house mentioned in this verse were ordained by the law of Moses. The king of Tyre was given assurance, therefore, that Solomon was not planning on starting some new practice that might jeopardize the peace.

Verses 5-10

2Ch 2:5-10

2 Chronicles 2:5-10

"And the house which I build is great; for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him? Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that knoweth how to grave all manner of gravings, to be with the skillful men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide. Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and algum-trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that thy servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful. And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil."

"The heaven of heavens cannot contain him (God)" (2 Chronicles 2:6). "The notion that God could be confined in a house or a box is an error which skeptics have falsely attributed to the people of God during the O.T. period; but they knew that God was Lord of heaven and earth, and so declared it many times, as Solomon did here." Moreover, it was not a discovery by Solomon. He had most certainly learned it from David, whose Psalms often gave voice to the same truth. The Chronicler’s accurate record here of Solomon’s words refutes the critic’s allegations on this matter also, as well as denying their foolish fairy tale regarding a late date for the Pentateuch.

"That knoweth how to grave all manner of gravings" (2 Chronicles 2:7). The words here rendered grave and gravings are read as engrave and engravings in the RSV.

"And in purple, and crimson, and blue" (2 Chronicles 2:7) Thus, in the color scheme, "The temple, in this respect, as well as in others, conformed to the pattern of the tabernacle (Exodus 25:4; Exodus 26:1, etc.)." (See our Commentary, Vol. 8, of the N.T. Series (Hebrews), p. 172, for a discussion of the significance of these colors.)

"Algum-trees out of Lebanon" (2 Chronicles 2:8). Curtis wrote that these were probably, "Sandalwood or ebony."

"Wheat ... barley ... wine ... and oil" (2 Chronicles 2:10). The translation of the quantities of all these supplies into their modern equivalent is of no importance, and is also impossible.

E.M. Zerr:

2 Chronicles 2:5. The house that Solomon proposed to make was to be great. But there should be a just call for such a structure, else the other nations might wonder about the intentions of the neighbor. Solomon sets that matter in its true light by the statement for great is our God above all gods.

2 Chronicles 2:6. While the God whom Solomon served is great, he does not want to imply that he, an unworthy man, could construct a house worthy of Him. So he justifies his intentions by the explanation that the house is to be used in which to burn sacrifices. In other words, if man is going to prepare a building that could be available for service to God, nothing would be too good for him.

2 Chronicles 2:7. David had engaged skilled workmen in Judah to be ready for the service under Solomon. Solomon now wants to supplement these by skilled men from Huram’s country. The metals named were for the plating of the framework of the buildings. The purple and other colors named referred to fabrics of linen, to be used for the vails.

2 Chronicles 2:8. The trees were for the inner part of the framework, and the metals were to be used in overlaying it. The cedar and fir were species of evergreen trees, and were produced in the territory of Huram. The algums were imported from outside. Smith’s Bible Dictionary says: "The almug (algum) was brought in great plenty from Ophir for Solomon’s temple and house, and for the construction of musical instruments . . . The wood is very heavy, and of a beautiful garnet color."

2 Chronicles 2:9-10. Beaten wheat means threshed wheat. The weights and measures of Biblical times present so much variation as ’to their value that it is often difficult to discover just what the amount is. I can do no better in this instance than quote the translation of Moffatt. "200,000 bushels of grain for food, 200,000 bushels of barley, 180,000 gallons of wine, and 180,000 gallons of oil."

Verses 11-16

2Ch 2:11-16

2 Chronicles 2:11-16

THE RESPONSE OF THE KING OF TYRE

"Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because Jehovah loveth his people, he hath made thee king over them. Huram said moreover, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David a wise son, endued with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom. And now I have sent a skillful man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s, the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, and blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to grave any manner of graving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place appointed unto him with thy skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David thy father. Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants: and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need; and we will bring it to thee by floats to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem."

"Blessed be Jehovah ... lord of heaven and earth" (2 Chronicles 2:12). Critics find fault here, as they do at every possible excuse, because of Huram’s apparent belief in Jehovah; but anyone should be able to see that the king of Tyre said this in the same lack of sincerity with which he even called Solomon his `lord’ in 2 Chronicles 2:15. "In a polytheistic society politeness to a neighbor’s god cost nothing."

"Of Huram my father’s" (2 Chronicles 2:13). The RSV should be followed here, "I have sent a skillful man ... Huramabi."

"The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan" (2 Chronicles 2:14). Critics love to cite this as a discrepancy with 1 Kings 7:14, which refers to her as "a widow of the tribe of Naphtali," some even calling it a contradiction. Of course, the two passages teach that Huramabi’s mother was, by birth, of the tribe of Dan, and by residence of the tribe of Napthtali.

"Let him send unto his servants" (2 Chronicles 2:15). Huram, in these words, surely suggests that the supplies for the upkeep of all the workmen Solomon requested was expected to be paid in advance.

"In floats by sea to Joppa, and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem" (2 Chronicles 2:16). This was the nearest seaport to Jerusalem, located about 35 miles east of Joppa, with rugged territory in between. Solomon indeed needed many workmen to transport shiploads of lumber over that distance.

E.M. Zerr:

2 Chronicles 2:11-12. Tyre was a leading city of Phoenicia, a country lying between Palestine and the Mediterranean Sea. Being so near the country of the Israelites, its people had many opportunities of learning something of the God of Israel. The frequent demonstrations of divine power made them somewhat familiar with the Lord, hence this king speaks of him in much the same language as was used by the Jews. The conclusion that Huram formed was that love for his people would be the reason for placing over them such an unusual king as the son of David. This message of congratulations was put into writing and sent to Solomon.

2 Chronicles 2:13. In response to Solomon’s request (2 Chronicles 2:7) for a skilled workman, Huram sent a man who had been in the employ of his father, whose name also was Huram, and he was to supervise the mechanical work of the temple and its furniture.

2 Chronicles 2:14. This verse says the mother of Huram was of the tribe of Dan, but 1 Kings 7:14 says she was of the tribe of Naphtali. The explanation is that she was by blood of the tribe of Dan, but lived in the territory of Naphtali This man was to cooperate with the skilled workmen of Solomon’s country

2 Chronicles 2:15. Solomon had promised (2 Chronicles 2:10) to furnish these provisions for Huram’s workmen, of which he is here reminded. His servants means the workmen of the country of Tyre who were to labor in a service to Solomon

2 Chronicles 2:16. Lebanon was a district of Phoenicia containing the famous trees of that name. The timber was to be put into the water and formed into rafts or floats. It could then be moved downward to Joppa which was a seaport of Palestine. From there it would be transported by vehicles drawn by beasts of burden to Jerusalem, for use in building the temple.

Verses 17-18

2Ch 2:17-18

2 Chronicles 2:17-18

SOLOMON’S CENSUS OF HIS FORCED LABOR GANGS

"And Solomon numbered all the sojourners that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found a hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred. And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people at work."

"After the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them" (2 Chronicles 2:17). This means that Solomon’s numbering was sinful exactly as was David’s (1 Chronicles 21:1-17).

There is no device by which this paragraph could be construed as the Chronicler’s compliment to king Solomon. In fact, right here we have the clue to what was wrong with David’s `numbering Israel’ (1 Chronicles 22:2 f). Both he and Solomon were actually in the business of enslaving all of the aliens and sojourners in Israel, (descendants of the original Canaanites whom Israel did not drive out), for one purpose only, that of forcing them to labor in the building of the temple. Here is also the explanation of that total number given at the head of this chapter, namely, 150,000 workers and 3,600 overseers. The census came first, and Solomon compelled all those numbered to enter his forced labor gangs.

"To set the people at work" (2 Chronicles 2:18). "This means to compel them to work. Probably like the Egyptian and Assyrian overseers of forced labor, these officers carried whips to quicken the movement of the sluggish."

It was the brutal and heartless wickedness of Solomon in this very particular that precipitated the rebellion of the ten northern tribes in the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam. It happened, when Rehoboam sent the hated slave-driver Adoram to negotiate with the dissatisfied northern tribes (1 Kings 12:18). (See our further comment on this in 1Kings.)

E.M. Zerr:

2 Chronicles 2:17-18. The strangers were the foreigners who were scattered throughout the country of Israel. They had been enjoying the protection and other benefits of the country, now Solomon had them registered for service in his building project. He divided them into proper distribution for his service. There were three groups, those who worked the material, those who moved it, and those who supervised the work.