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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 2 Chronicles 2:3 - 2:3
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(2:2-9). Solomon, through his ambassadors, addressed himself to Huram king of Tyre, with the request that he would send him an architect and building wood for the temple. On the Tyrian king Huram or Hiram, the contemporary of David and Solomon, see the discussion on 2Sa 5:11. According to the account in 1 Kings 5, Solomon asked cedar wood from Lebanon from Hiram; according to our account, which is more exact, he desired an architect, and cedar, cypress, and other wood. In 1 Kings 5 the motive of Solomon's request is given in the communication to Hiram, viz., that David could not carry out the building of the proposed temple on account of his wars, but that Jahve had given him (Solomon) rest and peace, so that he now, in accordance with the divine promise to David, desired to carry on the building (1Ki 5:3-5). In the 2Ch 2:2-5, on the contrary, Solomon reminds the Tyrian king of the friendliness with which he had supplied his father David with cedar wood for his palace, and then announces to him his purpose to build a temple to the Lord, at the same time stating that it was designed for the worship of God, whom the heavens and the earth cannot contain. It is clear, therefore, that both authors have expanded the fundamental thoughts of their authority in somewhat freer fashion. The apodosis of the clause beginning with כַּאֲשֶׁר is wanting, and the sentence is an anacolouthon. The apodosis should be: “do so also for me, and send me cedars.” This latter clause follows in 2Ch 2:6, 2Ch 2:7, while the first can easily be supplied, as is done e.g., in the Vulg., by sic fac mecum.
2Ch 2:4
“Behold, I will build.” הִנֵּה with a participle of that which is imminent, what one intends to do. לֹו לְהַקְדִּישׁ, to sanctify (the house) to Him. The infinitive clause which follows (וגו לְהַקְטִיר) defines more clearly the design of the temple. The temple is to be consecrated by worshipping Him there in the manner prescribed, by burning incense, etc. סַמִּים קְטֹרֶת, incense of odours, Exo 25:6, which was burnt every morning and evening on the altar of incense, Exo 30:7. The clauses which follow are to be connected by zeugma with לְהַקְטִיר, i.e., the verbs corresponding to the objects are to be supplied from הקטיר: “and to spread the continual spreading of bread” (Exo 25:30), and to offer burnt-offerings, as is prescribed in Num 28 and 29. וגו זֹאת לְעֹולָם, for ever is this enjoined upon Israel, cf. 1Ch 23:31.
2Ch 2:5-6
In order properly to worship Jahve by these sacrifices, the temple must be large, because Jahve is greater than all gods; cf. Exo 18:11; Deu 10:17.
No one is able (כֹּוחַ עָצַר as in 1Ch 29:14) to build a house in which this God could dwell, for the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him. These words are a reminiscence of Solomon's prayer (1Ki 8:27; 2Ch 6:18). How should I (Solomon) be able to build Him a house, scil. that He should dwell therein? In connection with this, there then comes the thought: and that is not my purpose, but only to offer incense before Him will I build a temple. הַקְטִיר is used as pars pro toto, to designate the whole worship of the Lord. After this declaration of the purpose, there follows in Deu 10:6 the request that he would send him for this end a skilful chief workman, and the necessary material, viz., costly woods. The chief workman was to be a man wise to work in gold, silver, etc. According to 2Ch 4:11-16 and 1Ki 7:13., he prepared the brazen and metal work, and the vessels of the temple; here, on the contrary, and in 2Ch 2:13 also, he is described as a man who was skilful also in purple weaving, and in stone and wood work, to denote that he was an artificer who could take charge of all the artistic work connected with the building of the temple. To indicate this, all the costly materials which were to be employed for the temple and its vessels are enumerated. אַרְגְּוָן, the later form of אַרְגָּמָן, deep-red purple, see on Exo 25:4. כַּרְמִיל, occurring only here, 2Ch 2:6, 2Ch 2:13, and in 2Ch 3:14, in the signification of the Heb. שָׁנִי תֹּולַעַת, crimson or scarlet purple, see on Exo 25:4. It is not originally a Hebrew word, but is probably derived from the Old-Persian, and has been imported, along with the thing itself, from Persia by the Hebrews. תְּכֵלֶת, deep-blue purple, hyacinth purple, see on Exo 25:4. פִּתּוּהִים פַּתֵּחַ, to make engraved work, and Exo 28:9, Exo 28:11, Exo 28:36, and Exo 39:6, of engraving precious stones, but used here, as כָּל־פִּתּוּחַ, 2Ch 2:13, shows, in the general signification of engraved work in metal or carved work in wood; cf. 1Ki 6:29. עִם־הַחֲכָמִים depends upon לַעֲשֹׂות: to work in gold ..., together with the wise (skilful) men which are with me in Judah. הֵכִין אֲשֶׁר, quos comparavit, cf. 1Ch 28:21; 1Ch 22:15.
2Ch 2:7
The materials Hiram was to send were cedar, cypress, and algummim wood from Lebanon. אַלְגוּמִים, 2Ch 2:7 and 2Ch 9:10, instead of אַלְמֻגִּים, 1Ki 10:11, probably means sandal wood, which was employed in the temple, according to 1Ki 10:12, for stairs and musical instruments, and is therefore mentioned here, although it did not grow in Lebanon, but, according to 1Ki 9:10 and 1Ki 10:11, was procured at Ophir. Here, in our enumeration, it is inexactly grouped along with the cedars and cypresses brought from Lebanon.
2Ch 2:8-9
The infinitive וּלְהָכִין cannot be regarded as the continuation of לִכְרֹות, nor is it a continuation of the imperat. לִי שְׁלַח (2Ch 2:7), with the signification, “and let there be prepared for me” (Berth.). It is subordinated to the preceding clauses: send me cedars, which thy people who are skilful in the matter hew, and in that my servants will assist, in order, viz., to prepare me building timber in plenty (the ו is explic). On 2Ch 2:8 cf. 2Ch 2:4. The infin. abs. הַפְלֵא is used adverbially: “wonderfully” (Ew. §280, c). In return, Solomon promises to supply the Tyrian workmen with grain, wine, and oil for their maintenance - a circumstance which is omitted in 1Ki 5:10; see on 2Ch 2:14. לַהֹטְבִים is more closely defined by הָעֵצִים לְכֹרְתֵי, and לְ is the introductory לְ: “and behold, as to the hewers, the fellers of trees.” חָטַב, to hew (wood), and to dress it (Deu 29:10; Jos 9:21, Jos 9:23), would seem to have been supplanted by חָצַב, which in 2Ch 2:2, 2Ch 2:18 is used for it, and it is therefore explained by הָעֵצִים כָּרַת. “I will give wheat מַכֹּות to thy servants” (the hewers of wood). The word מַכֹּות gives no suitable sense; for “wheat of the strokes,” for threshed wheat, would be a very extraordinary expression, even apart from the facts that wheat, which is always reckoned by measure, is as a matter of course supposed to be threshed, and that no such addition is made use of with the barley. מַכֹּות is probably only an orthographical error for מַכֹּלֶת, food, as may be seen from 1Ki 5:11.