1 Kings 7:13-14

II. THE METALWORK FOR THE TEMPLE 7:13-51

In the remaining verses of chapter 7, the historian focuses his attention for the most part on the bronze metalwork produced by a Phoenician artisan in the Jordan valley. That the various items are described in such detail illustrates the wonderment with which the Hebrews viewed such craftsmanship. The great artisan himself is first introduced (1 Kings 7:13-14). Then the historian describes at length the massive bronze pillars which were such a striking feature of the Temple entrance (1 Kings 7:15-22). Next the attention shifts to the furnishings of the courtyard and the implements used in connection with them (1 Kings 7:23-47). The account of the Temple construction ends with a brief mention of the metalic objects which were used in the inner court (1 Kings 7:48-51).

A. HIRAM THE CRAFTSMAN 7:13-14

TRANSLATION

(13) Now King Solomon had sent and secured Hiram from Tyre. (14) He was a widow's son, from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze; and he was full of wisdom, understanding and knowledge of working all bronze work. And he came to King Solomon and did all of his work.

COMMENTS

To construct the metallic furnishings of the Temple, Hiram the king sent to Solomon, at this request (2 Chronicles 2:6), a workman who also bore the name Hiram.[194] He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a Tyrian by birth.

[194] The name is also spelled Huram (2 Chronicles 2:13; 2 Chronicles 4:11; 2 Chronicles 4:16) and Hirom (1 Kings 7:40). Because of his skills, in Chronicles he receives the title -abh (father) which probably is equivalent to the English word master. Gray (OTL, p. 171) thinks Huram-abhi was the full name of the craftsman, thus regarding -abhi as part of his name, rather than a title.

The Chronicler says his mother was of the daughters of Dan (2 Chronicles 2:14). The town of Dan was situated in the tribal region of Naphtali.[195] Apparently this Israelite widow had married a man of Tyre, and Hiram was the son of that second mixed marriage.

[195] Keil (BCOT, p. 96) has a more complicated explanation of this apparent Kings- Chronicles discrepancy: She was a Danite by birth, but had married into the tribe of Naphtali. Slotki (SBB, p. 49) thinks the phrase of the tribe of Naphtali describes Hiram because his father was of that tribe. His father subsequently became a resident of Tyre.

Hiram, like his father before him, was a skilled worker in bronze, a mixture of copper and tin. Chronicles extends his area of expertise to gold, silver, brass, iron, stone, timber, purple, etc. (2 Chronicles 2:14). Bronze alone is mentioned here because the following section is limited exclusively to the ornaments and furnishings of that metal. Like Bezalel, his counterpart in the days of Moses (Exodus 31:3), Hiram was filled with wisdom,[196] understanding and knowledge with regard to metallic works. It is perhaps significant that while Bezalel the Hebrew craftsman is said to be filled with the spirit of God, no such statement is made of Hiram. Thus Bezalel's skill is regarded as a supernatural gift while Hiram's wisdom was a natural endowment. Of course Hiram did not personally and singly produce the Temple furnishings, but rather acted as a superintendent of the various crews which worked on this ornamentation. No doubt he brought several assistants with him from Tyre.

[196] Wisdom (Heb., chokmah) is empirical wisdom, practical insight and sagacity and is used of the skill of the seaman (Psalms 107:27), the general (1 Samuel 10:13) and the artisan (Exodus 28:3).