Verse 1

Hiram. Born of a Jewish mother (1 Kings 7:14. 2 Chronicles 2:14).

lover = ally, Hebrews always at amity with the Phoenicians. Never with Canaanites.

Verse 3

Thou knowest. Compare 2 Samuel 5:11. 1 Chronicles 14:1; 1 Chronicles 22:4.

could not. There were three reasons altogether: (1) not the time (2Sa 7); (2) not the opportunity (Luke 5:3); (3) not the man (1 Chronicles 22:8; 1 Chronicles 28:3, &c).

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

Verse 4

adversary. Hebrew. satan.

Verse 5

as the LORD spake = according as Jehovah spake. Compare 2 Samuel 7:12, 2 Samuel 7:13. 1 Chronicles 17:11, 1 Chronicles 17:12.

Verse 6

any = a man. Hebrew. "ish. App-14.

Verse 8

sent: i.e. wrote. Compare 2 Chronicles 2:11. See note on Exodus 17:14, and App-47.

fir. Or, cypress.

Verse 9

bring them down. Note the illustration in the conversion of sinners. Cut down from nature"s standing; down through the waters of death (Romans 6:11), before finding their place in the temple of God (Ephesians 2:20-22). Same with the stones. See note on 1 Kings 5:17.

Verse 10

gave = continued to give. Compare Psalms 45:12.

Verse 11

gave. Not the same as 2 Chronicles 2:10. That was for Hiram"s workmen in Lebanon. This was for his royal household at Tyre.

measures. See App-51.

pure = bruised (as in a mortar), not crushed in a press.

Verse 12

as = according as. Compare 1 Kings 3:12.

league =

a covenant. For breaking which Tyre was judged later. See Amos 1:9.

Verse 13

levy = tribute of men for free labour, not the bond service of 1 Kings 9:21, 1 Kings 9:22. Compare 1 Kings 4:6. 2 Samuel 20:24. Foretold in 1 Samuel 8:16. David employed forced service of resident aliens (1 Chronicles 22:2; and notes on 2 Samuel 12:31).

Verse 17

brought = quarried.

great stones. These stones illustrate the work of conversion in the sinner. Hewed out of nature"s dark quarry (Isaiah 51:1, Isaiah 51:2), out and carved for a place in the temple of glory (Ephesians 2:20-22).

Verse 18

stonesquarers = men of Gebal, or Giblites, as Ezekiel 27:9, now Jubeil, forty miles north of Sidon. Compare Psalms 83:7. Phoenician masons" marks still visible on them.

so = and.