Solomon’s wisdom was not given to him for mere speculation, to entertain himself; nor merely for conversation, to entertain his friends – but for action. And therefore, it was to action that he immediately applied himself. He determined to build a house for the Lord, and then he also resolved to build a palace for the kingdom – for the honor of it among its neighbors, and for the decent reception of the people whenever they needed to see their king. Those are the wisest people who dedicate themselves the most for the honor of the name of the Lord, and for the well-being of their community. We are not born for ourselves; but rather, to serve God, our family, and our country.

Solomon sent an embassy to King Hiram (here called Huram) of Tyre, in order to engage his assistance in his planned building projects. Solomon pleaded his father’s friendship with Hiram, and the kindness which he had received from him (verse 3): “As thou didst deal with David, so deal with me.” It is good for us to cultivate and maintain correspondence and kindness with our parents’ Godly friends. Solomon told Hiram of his plans for building the Temple – how he intended it to be a place of religious worship (verse 4), so that all the offerings which God had appointed for the honor of His name might be offered up there. The house was to be built so that it might be dedicated to God and used in His service. This should be the intention of all our business – that all our work may be to the glory of God. Solomon endeavored to inspire Hiram with very great and high thoughts of the God of Israel, by expressing the mighty veneration which he had for His holy name: “Great is our God above all gods!” Therefore, the Temple had to be great – not in proportion to the greatness of Jehovah (for between finite and infinite, there can be no proportion), but in some proportion to the great value and esteem which Solomon had for his God. Yet no matter how great the Temple was, it could not truly be said to be a habitation for this great God – for not even the heaven of heavens can contain Him! It was only intended for the convenience of His priests and worshipers, so that they could have a place to worship Him. And Solomon looked upon himself – even though he was a mighty prince – as unworthy of the honor of being employed in this great work. It is fitting for us all to go about every work for the Lord with a proper sense of our own utter insufficiency for it.

Solomon desired that Hiram would send him a skilled craftsman. He had skillful men with him in Jerusalem and Judah, whom David provided (1 Chr. 22:15). But Solomon requested a man to direct them. There were ingenious men in Jerusalem, but not like the engravers who were in Tyre; and therefore, since the Temple-work was to be the best of its kind, Solomon needed the best workmen who could be found. He also asked Hiram for good materials to work with – cedar and other timber in abundance – for the Temple was to be wonderfully stately and magnificent. No cost was to be spared for it! Solomon also made a promise to support Hiram’s workmen while they were employed for him. He give them 19 million cups (2.4 million kg) of both wheat and barley, and 160,000 gallons (606,000 liters) of both wine and oil. He did not feed his laborers with bread and water, but with plenty of the best kind of food. Those who are employers ought to take care that their workers are not only well-paid, but also well-provided with what is wholesome for them.

Hiram’s response to Solomon’s embassy revealed his great respect for Solomon, and his readiness to serve him. He congratulated Israel for having such a king as Solomon. “Because the Lord loved his people,” he said, “he has made thee king!” A wise and good government is a great blessing to any people, and it may very well be regarded as a special token of God’s favor. Hiram was very respectful of the Jewish nation, and he was well-pleased with their prosperity; and we hope that he became a proselyte to the Jewish religion, and a worshiper of Jehovah.

Hiram sent Solomon a very ingenious workman, who would not fail to answer his expectations in everything. He had both Jewish and Gentile blood running in him; for his mother was an Israelite, and his father was a man of Tyre. This was a happy foreshadowing of the uniting of both Jews and Gentiles in Christ’s Body, the Church. Hiram also pledged himself to provide the necessary timber – as much as Solomon needed – and to deliver it at Joppa.

This chapter concludes by detailing Solomon’s dealings with his workmen. He would not employ the free-born Israelites in the manual labor of the Temple. For this, he employed the foreigners who were proselyted to the Jewish religion; for they did not have lands of inheritance as the Israelites did, and so they made their living by their ingenuity and industry. Surely they were well-paid for their labor, for the law of Moses forbade the Israelites to oppress such persons. Solomon employed 70,000 of them to be burden-bearers, and 80,000 to be woodcutters in the mountains; and 3,600 supervisors were placed over them.

As we read about Solomon’s Temple, let us not forget that the Lord’s people are like polished stones of the spiritual temple that is the habitation of the Holy Spirit! May the Lord help us to rest all our salvation and all our hopes upon Jesus, the precious Cornerstone; for we are assured that no other foundation can be laid by anyone, except that which has already been laid in Christ!

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