2 Chronicles 2

1 a house for his kingdom. i.e., a royal residence, a palace.

2 three thousand and six hundred. This is the number given by the Sept. in 1 Kings v. 16, where the Hebrew text has 3,300.

3. Huram.** The form in Kings, Hiram, is probably the more correct.

5 great is our God. Huram acknowledged Jahveh at least as the greatest of gods (cp. ver. 12).

6 only to burn sacrifice. Solomon is careful to set right ideas of Jahveh before the Syrian king. “Let it not be supposed that He, like the gods of the Gentiles, dwells in temples made with hands: this house, however magnificent, cannot be a habitation for Him; and is intended only that His priests and worshippers may have a fit place wherein to conduct His service.”

10 twenty thousand baths of oil. See 1 Kings v. 11.

13. Huram my father’s.** In the Hebrew it is “Huram-Abi”; and at iv. 16, “Huram-Abiv.” It probably means “master-workman.”

16. Joppa.** Now called Jaffa; the sea-port of Jerusalem, now first mentioned after the account of the partition of the land, Josh. xix. 46. Cp. Jonah i. 3.

17 all the strangers. The remnant of the Canaanites: see 1 Kings ix. 20, 21; and 1 Chron. xxii. 2, and note.

18 to set the people a work. Rather, “to make the people work”; keeping them up to it. This verse repeats ver. 2.