2 Chronicles 2:1-18
Q.1. What was Solomon’s view of God? How did he manage to build the temple? From where did his labourers come? – (2 Chr.2:1-9, 17-18)
The young King Solomon started out wonderfully well. He wanted to be a wise ruler of God’s people and was aware of the privilege that he had been given to represent One so great – 5 The house which I am about to build will be great, for greater is our God than all the gods. 6 But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him? (2 Chr.2:5-6). He knew that he could not adequately accomplish the task of building the Temple without the most skilled people available. He asked for the help of his father’s friend, King Hiram of Tyre. So as not to drain the energy of his people, Solomon rostered on workers from among all the foreigners who had taken up residence in the land (2 Chr.2:17-18 c.f. 2 Chr.8:9-10).
Q.2. Did the king of Tyre share Solomon’s lofty view of God? What fitted Huram-abi for the task of beautifying the temple? What agreement did Hiram make with Solomon? – (2 Chr.2:10-16)
Hiram was close friends with David. He had concluded – … “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and a royal palace for himself (2 Chr.2:12). Solomon and Hiram entered into a trade agreement which was mutually beneficial to both kingdoms. Huram-abi was known to be a skilled craftsman in everything pertaining to the building of the Temple. Though his father was a Tyrian, his mother hailed from the tribe of Dan, so he doubtless had a strong attachment to Israel.