Sequence of the Hebrew Text of 1Ki 5:1-18 (5:15-32) and 2Ch 2:1-18 (1:18-2:17)
Version Date: January 8, 2026. (Date of First Version: March 5, 2024.)
(1Ki 5:1) (5:15) וישלח חירם מלך צור את עבדיו אל שלמה כי שמע כי אתו משחו למלך תחת אביהו כי אהב היה חירם לדוד כל הימים 1
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(1Ki 5:3) (5:17) אתה ידעת את דוד אבי כי לא יכל לבנות בית לשם יהוה אלהיו מפני המלחמה אשר סבבהו עד תת יהוה אתם תחת כפות רגלו | |
(1Ki 5:4) (5:18) ועתה הניח יהוה אלהי לי מסביב אין שטן ואין פגע רע | |
(1Ki 5:5) (5:19) והנני אמר לבנות בית לשם יהוה אלהי כאשר דבר יהוה אל דוד אבי לאמר בנך אשר אתן תחתיך על כסאך הוא יבנה הבית לשמי | |
(1Ki 5:6) (5:20) ועתה צוה ויכרתו לי ארזים מן הלבנון ועבדי יהיו עם עבדיך ושכר עבדיך אתן לך ככל אשר תאמר כי אתה ידעת כי אין בנו איש ידע לכרת עצים כצדנים | |
(1Ki 5:7) (5:21) ויהי כשמע חירם את דברי שלמה וישמח מאד ויאמר ברוך יהוה היום אשר נתן לדוד בן חכם על העם הרב הזה | |
(1Ki 5:8) (5:22) וישלח חירם אל שלמה לאמר שמעתי את אשר שלחת אלי אני אעשה את כל חפצך בעצי ארזים ובעצי ברושים | |
(1Ki 5:9) (5:23) עבדי ירדו מן הלבנון ימה ואני אשימם דברות בים עד המקום אשר תשלח אלי ונפצתים שם ואתה תשא ואתה תעשה את חפצי לתת לחם ביתי | |
(2Ch 2:2) (2:1) ויספר שלמה שבעים אלף איש סבל ושמונים אלף איש חצב בהר ומנצחים עליהם שלשת אלפים ושש מאות 2
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(2Ch 2:3) (2:2) וישלח שלמה אל חורם מלך צר לאמר כאשר עשית עם דויד אבי ותשלח לו ארזים לבנות לו בית לשבת בו 1 | |
(2Ch 2:4) (2:3) הנה אני בונה בית לשם יהוה אלהי להקדיש לו להקטיר לפניו קטרת סמים ומערכת תמיד ועלות לבקר ולערב לשבתות ולחדשים ולמועדי יהוה אלהינו לעולם זאת על ישראל | |
(2Ch 2:5) (2:4) והבית אשר אני בונה גדול כי גדול אלהינו מכל האלהים | |
(2Ch 2:6) (2:5) ומי יעצר כח לבנות לו בית כי השמים ושמי השמים לא יכלכלהו ומי אני אשר אבנה לו בית כי אם להקטיר לפניו | |
(2Ch 2:7) (2:6) ועתה שלח לי איש חכם לעשות בזהב ובכסף ובנחשת ובברזל ובארגון וכרמיל ותכלת וידע לפתח פתוחים עם החכמים אשר עמי ביהודה ובירושלם אשר הכין דויד אבי | |
(2Ch 2:8) (2:7) ושלח לי עצי ארזים ברושים ואלגומים מהלבנון כי אני ידעתי אשר עבדיך יודעים לכרות עצי לבנון והנה עבדי עם עבדיך | |
(2Ch 2:9) (2:8) ולהכין לי עצים לרב כי הבית אשר אני בונה גדול והפלא | |
(2Ch 2:10) (2:9) והנה לחטבים לכרתי העצים נתתי חטים מכות לעבדיך כרים עשרים אלף ושערים כרים עשרים אלף ויין בתים עשרים אלף ושמן בתים עשרים אלף | |
(2Ch 2:11) (2:10) ויאמר חורם מלך צר בכתב וישלח אל שלמה באהבת יהוה את עמו נתנך עליהם מלך 3
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(2Ch 2:12) (2:11) ויאמר חורם ברוך יהוה אלהי ישראל אשר עשה את השמים ואת הארץ אשר נתן לדויד המלך בן חכם יודע שכל ובינה אשר יבנה בית ליהוה ובית למלכותו | |
(2Ch 2:14) (2:13) בן אשה מן בנות דן ואביו איש צרי יודע לעשות בזהב ובכסף בנחשת בברזל באבנים ובעצים בארגמן בתכלת ובבוץ ובכרמיל ולפתח כל פתוח ולחשב כל מחשבת אשר ינתן לו עם חכמיך וחכמי אדני דויד אביך | |
(2Ch 2:15) (2:14) ועתה החטים והשערים השמן והיין אשר אמר אדני ישלח לעבדיו | |
(2Ch 2:16) (2:15) ואנחנו נכרת עצים מן הלבנון ככל צרכך ונביאם לך רפסדות על ים יפו ואתה תעלה אתם ירושלם | |
(1Ki 5:10) (5:24) ויהי חירום נתן לשלמה עצי ארזים ועצי ברושים כל חפצו 4
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(1Ki 5:11) (5:25) ושלמה נתן לחירם עשרים אלף כר חטים מכלת לביתו ועשרים כר שמן כתית כה יתן שלמה לחירם שנה בשנה 5
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(1Ki 5:12) (5:26) ויהוה נתן חכמה לשלמה כאשר דבר לו ויהי שלם בין חירם ובין שלמה ויכרתו ברית שניהם 6
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(1Ki 5:13) (5:27) ויעל המלך שלמה מס מכל ישראל ויהי המס שלשים אלף איש | |
(1Ki 5:14) (5:28) וישלחם לבנונה עשרת אלפים בחדש חליפות חדש יהיו בלבנון שנים חדשים בביתו ואדנירם על המס | |
(2Ch 2:17) (2:16) ויספר שלמה כל האנשים הגירים אשר בארץ ישראל אחרי הספר אשר ספרם דויד אביו וימצאו מאה וחמשים אלף ושלשת אלפים ושש מאות | |
(2Ch 2:18) (2:17) ויעש מהם שבעים אלף סבל ושמנים אלף חצב בהר ושלשת אלפים ושש מאות מנצחים להעביד את העם 7
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(1Ki 5:15) (5:29) ויהי לשלמה שבעים אלף נשא סבל ושמנים אלף חצב בהר | |
(1Ki 5:16) (5:30) לבד משרי הנצבים לשלמה אשר על המלאכה שלשת אלפים ושלש מאות הרדים בעם העשים במלאכה 7 | |
(1Ki 5:17) (5:31) ויצו המלך ויסעו אבנים גדלות אבנים יקרות ליסד הבית אבני גזית | |
(1Ki 5:18) (5:32) ויפסלו בני שלמה ובני חירום והגבלים ויכינו העצים והאבנים לבנות הבית 8
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Endnotes:
(1) A comparison of 1Ki 5:1-9 (15-23) and 2Ch 2:3-16 (2-15) leads to the conclusion that the former happened before the latter. Indeed, at the time of 1Ki 5:1-9 (15-23), it was not yet decided how Solomon would pay the king of Tyre (see 1Ki 5:6, 9 (20,23).) However, at the time of 2Ch 2:3-16 (2-15), Solomon gave specific numbers indicating how and how much he would pay the king of Tyre (2Ch 2:10 (9)), and his offer was accepted (2Ch 2:15 (14)).
Due to the difference in name, חורם מלך צר "Huram king of Tyre" of 2Ch 2:3 (2:2) must be a different person than חירם מלך צר "Hiram king of Tyre" of 1Ch 14:1. Understanding 1Ki 5:1 to precede in time 2Ch 2:3 (2:2), it could be concluded that Huram was the successor of Hiram to the throne. Huram was probably old when he began to reign, for many years earlier he had been in charge of supporting David when his palace was built (2Ch 2:3 (2)). Now, it would seem likely that Hiram too was old at the time of 1Ki 5:1. Moreover, it could be concluded that Hiram of 1Ki 5:1 is the same as Hiram of 1Ch 14:1 and 2Sa 5:11, given that the text does not seem to have indications pointing to a different conclusion. When Huram was speaking of a craftsman לחורם אבי "of Huram my father" (2Ch 2:13 (12)), he indicated that he was not a son of Hiram. He may have been a grandson of Hiram, but in that case Hiram must have been very old at the time of 1Ki 5:1. This possibility is not unlikely, as it does not imply that Hiram was over 100 years old at the time of 1Ki 5:1, and as it was possible during the period of the Israelite kings to live a remarkably long life (2Ch 24:15).
The name, חורם "Huram," appears as חירום "Hirom" in 1Ki 5 (see the note (13) of the sequence of 1Ki 7:12-51 and 2Ch 3:15-5:1.) His reign was not long, for after mentioning חירום "Hirom" in 1Ki 5:10 (5:24), the text mentions again the name חירם "Hiram" in 1Ki 5:11 (5:25), which must be the successor of Huram to the throne. Nonetheless, the text of Chronicles emphasizes Huram. Two possible reasons for it are that he probably believed in the God of Israel (2Ch 2:11-12 (10-11)), and that the agreements of Solomon with Tyre were due in a large measure to him. Indeed, Huram sent a master craftsman (2Ch 2:13 (12)), his servants worked on the construction projects of Solomon (1Ki 5:18 (5:32)), he provided construction materials (1Ki 5:10 (24)), he gave some cities to Solomon (2Ch 8:2), he supported Solomon's trade with Ophir (2Ch 8:18), and his servants went with the servants of Solomon to Tarshish (2Ch 9:21).
See also the note (5) below. [Back]
(2) 2Ch 2:2 (2:1) could be explained as follows. It seems unlikely that 1Ki 5:15 (5:29) took place before 2Ch 2:17 (2:16). Therefore, since 1Ki 5:15 (5:29) speaks of only 70,000 men for burdens and 80,000 for quarrying, it follows that the numbers given in 2Ch 2:17 (2:16) are not in addition to the numbers in 2Ch 2:2 (2:1). Rather, 2Ch 2:2 (2:1) and 2Ch 2:17 (2:16) refer to more or less the same men. Since 2Ch 2:17(2:16) is about foreigners, it follows that 2Ch 2:2 (2:1) also refers to foreigners living in Israel. As stated in the text, the foreigners were counted by Solomon at the time of 2Ch 2:17 (2:16). The text also mentions that this was the first counting after the one performed by David. (Now David's census of the foreigners is mentioned in 1Ch 22:2.) Thus, the statement of 2Ch 2:2 (2:1) that Solomon counted the people does not refer to a census but likely to an analysis of the records of David's census, so as to assign foreigners to bear burdens and to quarry. At the time of 2Ch 2:17 (2:16), Solomon decided to have another census of the foreigners, and then he reassigned them to bear burdens and to quarry. See also the note (7) below.
The labor imposed on the foreigners was forced labor in the sense that they could not choose what to work on. So, it was slave labor. Due to the requirements of the law to be kind to foreigners, their forced labor was probably not harsh. Since the law did not provide Solomon any basis for enslaving free foreigners, those conscripted to forced labor were already slaves. Clearly, Solomon did not take the slaves of the citizens of the country but rather he used the descendants of the nations that had inhabited the land before the Israelites. After the land became Israel's land, the remnant of the nations that chose to remain there became slaves (Jos 9:23, 16:10, 17:13, Jdg 1:28, 30, 33, 35). Two indications confirming that these were the forced laborers used by Solomon are as follows. First, the Hebrew word in 2Ch 2:17 (2:16) meaning "foreigners" is גירים, which has more emphasis than the common spelling גרים. This emphasis on "foreigners" could be due to the fact that the nations of Canaan were not like the common strangers who lived only temporarily in the land but people who had been continually strangers in Israel for generations. Second, a close analysis of 1Ki 9:20-21 and 2Ch 8:7-8 reveals that these passages speak of descendants of the nations of Canaan who were conscripted in addition to others, from the same nations, who had been conscripted before. Indeed, note that the phrase בניהם אשר נתרו אחריהם בארץ "their sons who were left behind them in the land" refers to sons of the laborers who were left at their homes, likely, because they were too young at the time of the earlier conscriptions. 1Ki 9:20-21 and 2Ch 8:7-8 mention instances in which such persons, having become fit for labor, were conscripted; see the note (16) of the sequence of 1Ki 9:1-28 and 2Ch 7:11-8:18 for a literal interpretation of 1Ki 9:20-21 and 2Ch 8:7-8. [Back]
(3) The reason 2Ch 2:11 (2:10) has חורם מלך צר "Huram king of Tyre" instead of just חורם "Huram" could be to indicate that Huram was still reigning when he replied to Solomon. His reign was short, as mentioned in the note (1) above. As for his name, it was not unique; for example, the phrase לחורם אבי "of Huram my father" of 2Ch 2:13 (12) indicates that the name of Huram's father was also Huram. There was also a master craftsman with the same name (2Ch 4:11). [Back]
(4) 1Ki 5:10 (24) mentions חירום "Hirom." Since the previous verses referred to חירם "Hiram" (1Ki 5:1-2, 7-8 (15-16, 21-22)), the different spelling indicates a different king. As shown in the note (13) of the sequence of 1Ki 7:12-51 and 2Ch 3:15-5:1, חירום "Hirom" can be identified with חורם "Huram" of Chronicles. Hirom is mentioned again in 1Ki 5:18 (5:32). [Back]
(5) Since the name חירם "Hiram" is mentioned again in 1Ki 5:11-12 (25-26), while חירום "Hirom" was mentioned in the preceding verse, in 1Ki 5:10 (24), it follows that the successor to the throne of Hirom was called Hiram. Thus, Solomon was sending the amounts of food specified in 1Ki 5:11 (25) to the new king, to Hiram. The relationship of Solomon with the predecessors of the new king had been very good. Hiram, the king who reigned before Hirom, was a friend of David (1Ki 5:1 (15)). Moroever, Hirom, who in the notes (1) and (4) above is identified with the king Huram from Chronicles, spoke of David and Solomon as his lords (2Ch 2:14-15 (13-14)). Hiram, the friend of David, knew about the true God, for he blessed him when he heard the news about Solomon, and acknowledged that God had made Solomon king (1Ki 5:7 (21)). This he did probably in the presence of Solomon's messengers who brought him the news. As for Huram, Solomon wrote to him about the God of Israel (2Ch 2:5-6 (4-5)). In reply, Huram blessed God and acknowledged that God had made the heavens and the earth, and that God had set Solomon as king over Israel (2Ch 2:11-12 (10-11)). As for the new king Hiram, he was at peace with Solomon and they made a covenant (1Ki 5:12 (26)). He called Solomon "my brother" in 1Ki 9:13. See also the note (1) above. [Back]
(6) In view of the perfect tense of נתן in 1Ki 5:12 (5:26), the text speaks of a past occasion in which Solomon received wisdom. Therefore, the text refers to something that happened before the time of 1Ki 5:10-11 (5:24-25). It seems reasonable to assume that Solomon's covenant with Hiram was also before the time of 1Ki 5:10-11 (5:24-25). [Back]
(7) In 2Ch 2:2, 18 (2:1,17), out of the 3,600 leaders who made the people serve the king (note להעביד את העם "to cause the people to serve" in 2Ch 2:18 (2:17),) 3,300 also supervised the work of the people (1Ki 5:16 (5:30)). It may be that the remaining 300 leaders were too old to be where the work was done so as to supervise it. See also the note (2) above. [Back]
(8) Though 1Ki 5:18 (32) mentions the builders of חירום "Hirom," it is not understood here as implying that Hirom was still reigning but that the builders had been his when he was reigning, and that while he was reigning, he had an agreement with Solomon that his builders should work for Solomon. See also the note (4) above. [Back]