(1) Hiram.--So the Hebrew text of Chronicles spells the name, and the LXX. and all the other ancient versions both of Samuel and Chronicles have it so. But the Hebrew margin of Chronicles writes "Huram."

Messengers.--Ambassadors.

Timber of cedars.--Felled from the Lebanon, and sea-borne to Joppa (2 Chronicles 16).

With masons and carpenters.--Literally, and craftsmen of walls, and craftsmen of timber. 2Samuel 5:11 has "craftsmen of wood, and craftsmen of stone of wall."

To build him an house.--Samuel, "and they built a house for David." (2Samuel 5:11.)

House.--Palace. So the Temple was called "the house" (hab-bayith) as well as "the palace" (h?k?l; comp, the Accadian e-gal, "great house"). We may think of the numerous records of palace building which the Assyrian and Babylonian sovereigns have left us. The cedar of Lebanon (Labnanu) was a favourite material with them.

Verse 1. - The Kethiv abandons here the invariable analogy of Chronicles, and reads Hiram for "Huram," which latter form, however, is replaced in the Keri. Beside this Hiram or Huram, the king, there was another Hiram or Huram, the same king's chief artificer, and whom he sent to the help of Solomon (1 Kings 7:13, 40; 2 Chronicles 2:13; 2 Chronicles 4:11, 16). The willing aid which this king lent to David on this occasion, in supplying cedar timber and workmen, was "the commencement of that amity between the Tyriaus and the Hebrews, so mutually advantageous to the two nations, the one agricultural and the other commercial" (Milman's 'History of the Jews,' 1:239). The meaning of the name Hiram is probably "noble," or "highborn." This disposition, at all events, he seems to have illustrated in his generous friendship to David, Solomon, and their people. Very little to be relied upon is known of him outside Scripture, but his reign is said to have extended from B.C. 1023-990.

14:1-17 David's victories. - In this chapter we have an account of, 1. David's kingdom established. 2. His family built up. 3. His enemies defeated. This is repeated from 2Sa 5. Let the fame of David be looked upon as a type and figure of the exalted honour of the Son of David.See Chapter Introduction