Tyndale Open Study Notes1 Kings 5

King Hiram of Tyre was a loyal friend of David (2 Samuel 5:11–12). This likely means they had a treaty. Hiram was an important ally and business partner (1 Kings 5:7–11, 18; 9:11, 26–28; 10:22). His name is a shorter version of Ahiram, found in other Phoenician writings.

Solomon sent a message to Hiram through his ambassadors. He said he planned to build a temple to honor the name of the Lord. This followed the desire of his father David, who had already made plans and gathered materials for its construction (2 Samuel 7:1–3; 1 Chronicles 17:1–15; 22:14–19; 28:9–12).

put his enemies under his feet: In the Ancient Near East, inscriptions and paintings often show victorious kings standing on the necks of defeated enemies or with enemies lying at their feet.

• Unlike David, Solomon had peace [literally rest] on all sides. Solomon’s name (Hebrew shlomoh) might be a version of the word for “peace” (Hebrew shalom).

• The name of the Lord represents God’s revealed character and reputation. The Hebrew term translated as the name was sometimes used when reading Scripture aloud to avoid saying God’s personal name (the tetragrammaton—YHWH). The New Testament uses the term “the name” to refer to Jesus (Acts 5:41; 3 John 1:7).

• Solomon's main message was his request for cedars from Lebanon, showing Hiram's broad commercial influence. Ancient Near Eastern writings often mention using Lebanese cedars to build and furnish temples and palaces.

• Sidonians was a general term for Phoenicians. Sidon was older than Tyre.

Hiram's response to Solomon confirmed and continued the friendly relations he had with David. The partnership benefited both sides. Solomon got the construction materials he needed for the temple. In return, he provided necessities for Hiram's household (1 Kings 5:9–10) and paid Hiram's workers (1 Kings 5:6). This passage shows the Phoenicians' skill in business and Solomon's great wealth. It also highlights Solomon's wisdom, which he believed was a gift from God. The mainly business-focused venture led to a formal peace alliance (1 Kings 5:12).

Blessed be the LORD: Hiram did not worship Israel’s God, but he respectfully acknowledged Solomon’s God, following ancient customs (see 1 Kings 10:9; 2 Kings 18:22–25; Ezra 1:2–4; 6:12; Daniel 2:47; 3:29; 6:26–27).

This passage explains Solomon's workforce and how they divided the work. Forced labor was common in the ancient Near East (see study note on 1 Kings 4:6).

Foreigners who lived permanently in Israel made up most of Solomon’s labor force. Israelites themselves usually served only as temporary supervisors for Solomon’s building projects (1 Kings 9:22–23; 11:28).

3,300 foremen: In 2 Chronicles (2 Chronicles 2:2, 17–18; 8:10), there are 3,600 non-Israelite foremen and 250 Israelite chief supervisors. In the Hebrew text of 1 Kings 5:16 and 9:23, the numbers are 3,300 foremen and 550 chief supervisors. It is possible that 250 of the chief supervisors were Israelites, and 300 non-Israelites held the same rank.

Workers likely cut large, high-quality stone blocks to size (see 1 Kings 7:10) in a quarry near Jerusalem (6:7). Handling these massive stones probably led Solomon to start using forced labor. The craftsmen included men from Gebal (Byblos), a port known for exporting timber, according to ancient Egyptian inscriptions.