Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 1. ANd Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon, &c.] This Hiram king of Tyre, was also king of Zidon, which was neare unto Tyre; and therefore the Zidonians are called Hirams servants, verse 6. Vnto thee will I give hire for thy servants— for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber, like unto the Sidonians; being therefore a neighbour prince, when he heard of Davids death, and his son Solomons succeeding him in the throne, he sent, as it seemes, the custome of princes then was, his Embassadours to Solomon, to congratulate his succession; and that the rather, because, as the Text saith, he had beene alwayes a constant friend to David, for Hiram was ever a lover of David. And hereby it is evident, that the eighty third Psalme was not composed by David, because there, the inhabitant•• of Tyre, verse 7. are named amongst other enemies that were confederate against the Israelites, which doubtlesse, was not in Davids and Hirams dayes.

Vers. 3. Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house, &c.] To wit, by common report. It is said also, that Solomon alledged the kindnesse Hiram had showne to his father, in sending him Cedars to build himselfe an house, (whereof we have heard before, 2 Sam. 5.11.) and desired him to afford him the like favour for the building of a Temple for the Lord, 2 Chron. 2.3. And Solo∣mon sent to Hiram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didest deal with David my father, and diddest send him Cedars tO build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.

Vers. 4. There is neither adversary nor evill occurrent.] That is, to hinder the work of building the Temple.

Vers. 5. I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord, &c.] That is, for the honour and worship of God, of which, see the note Deut. 12.2. and herein was Solomon a Type of Christ, by whom the Church the spirituall temple of God is built.

Vers. 6. Command thou, that they hew me Cedar trees out of Lebanon, &c.] Ma∣ny Expositours hold, that Libanus was a part of Solomons land, and that he requi∣red of Hiram only workmen to hew timber. But 1. because it is said, that Hiram sent Cedars as a present to David, 2 Sam. 5.11. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and Cedar trees &c. And 2. because of the great quantity of corne and oyle which Solomon gave to Hiram yeare by yeare, in liew of this which he required of him verse 11. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand mea∣sures of wheat for food to his houshold, and twenty measures of pure oyle: thus gave Solomon to Hiram yeare by yeare. I rather thinke that Libanus was in the possession of the king of Tyre, though it were the utmost bounds northward of the land of Canaan, and that Solomon therefore had the timber also from him: or else, it may be, that Libanus being a large tract of mountains, was partly in Solomons territo∣ries, though most in Hirams, and so both may be true, that most of the materials he had from Hiram, and that such timber as was cut in Solomons territories, was hew∣ed also by Hirams servants. Here is onely mention made of Cedar trees, as being the chief timber he used; but he sent also for Firre trees, and Algume trees, and for a

man cunning to worke in gold and silver, &c. 2 Chron. 2.7, 8. It is indeed said, that David before his death prepared abundantly both workemen and Cedar trees, and all other necessaries, 1 Chron. 22.2, 3, 4, 14.15. and 1 Chron. 29.2. But the meaning of that is only, that he prepared exceeding much, not that he prepared e∣nough or more then enough, both for the house, and the holy utensiles therof; though he had provided exceeding aboundantly, yet there was much more wanting, which Solomon therefore now takes care to provide.

And unto thee will I give hire for thy servants, according to all that thou shalt appoint.] See the note, verse 11.

Vers. 7. He rejoyced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, &c.] In 2 Chron. 2.12. it is, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made heaven and earth, &c. now hence, and because he calls the God of Israel Jehovah, some Expo∣sitors conclude that he was a Proselyte; which others deny, and that because his peo∣ple the Tyrians and Sidonians were at this time idolaters, and served Ashtaroth, who is therefore called the goddesse of the Zidonians, Chap. 11.5. and indeed even the heathens had in these times a kind of reverent opinion of the God of the He∣brews, and of the gods of other nations whom they worshipped not, as we may see 1 Sam. 4.8. Woe unto us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians, 1 Kings 20.23. And the servants of the King of Syria said unto him, their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we. Daniel 6, 16. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee: and Acts 17.23. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this inscription, To the unknowne God, So that nothing can be hence certainly determined, but how∣soever, in Hirams and the Tyrians readinesse, to conferre their helpe to the building of the Temple, we have a shadow of the calling of the Gentiles into the Church; of which the Apostle speakes, Eph. 2.13, 14. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were farre off, are made nigh by the bloud of Christ, For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition be∣tweene us.

Vers. 8. And Hiram sent to Solomon, &c.] To wit, by writing a Letter, 2 Chron. 2.11.

Vers. 9. And I will convey them by sea in flotes, unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, &c.] It is said, that he proffered to convey them to Joppa, 2 Chr. 2, 16, It seemes therefore, Hiram proffered to convey them to Joppa, or any other place which Solomon should appoint.

And thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my houshold.] This Hi∣ram requires of Solomon, in liew of what he had yeelded to doe for him, in send∣ing him timber of Cedar, &c, and that because Tyre and Zidon though rich with merchandize, were in a barren soyle, and had indeed alwayes most of their store for corne and other provisions, out of the land of Israel; whence it is said of the Jews that were returned out of Babylon, Ezra 3.7. that they gave meat and drink and oyle unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring Cedar trees from Le∣banon to the sea of Joppa, for the rebuilding of the Temple; and where all the rich commodities are reckoned up that were continually brought into Tyre, it is said,

Ezek. 27.17. Judah and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants, they traded in thy market, wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oyl, and balme: and Acts 12.20. the reason that is given why the inhabitaats of Tyre and Zidon, were so eager to pacifie Herod, when he was displeased with them, is, because their countrey was nourished by the kings countrey.

Vers. 11. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his houshould, &c.] Solomon when first he sent to Hiram, proffered his servants twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and as many of barley, twenty thousand bathes of wine, and as many of oyl, for their hire and provision, as ye see it is plain∣ly expressed, 2. Chron. 2.10. yea, it seems he added, that if that should not like him he would give whatsoever hire himself would appoint (as we see above, vers. 6.) now when Hiram answered Solomon by writing, he accepted of that provision that was proffered for his servants, 2. Chron. 2.15. but withall made it a request to him, as we see above, vers. 9. that Solomon would grant him liberty to transport a certain quantitie of provision every yeare, for his own houshold, because his countrey was but barren for such things; and this is that which here it is said Solomon gave Hi∣ram; for that provision of wheat, and barley, and wine, and oyl, mentioned, 2. Chron. 2.10. was given to the subjects of the king of Tyre, that were employed about So∣lomons work: see the note also, chap. 9.11.

Vers. 13. And king Solomon raised a levie out of all Israel, and the levie was thirty thousand men.] That is, of the Israelites that were skilfull workmen, whe∣ther carpenters or masons, throughout his kingdome; for though Solomon did make no bondmen of the children of Israel, 1. Kings 9.22. but imployed strangers in the more servile imployments, and harder labours, of bearing burdens, and hewing in the mountains, 2. Chron. 2.17, 18. yet it is altogether improbable, that either there were no artificers amongst the Israelites, though inferiour to the Tyrians, or that such as were able for the work, were wholy neglected, and onely strangers imployed.

Vers. 15. And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, &c.] And these were of the strangers that were in the land, as we find it expressed, 2. Chron. 2.17, 18.

Vers. 16. Besides the chief of Solomons officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, &c.] But how can this agree with that place, 2. Chron. 2.18. where it is said, that there were three thousand six hundred overseers, to set the people on work? I answer, some hold that there were but three thousand three hundred as here, in ordinary service, and then three hundred more were kept as a re∣serve for supply, if need were: but I think rather, that those three thousand six hun∣dred there mentioned, were of the strangers there spoken of, as is very evident in that place, for vers. 17. the totall number of the strangers gathered together for this ser∣vice, is said to have been an hundred fifty three thousand six hundred, and then in the 18. vers. it is particularly expressed, how all these were severally imployed, to wit, seventy thousand in bearing burdens, and eighty thousand in hewing in the mountains, which makes one hundred and fifty thousand, and then the remaining three thousand six hundred, were appointed to be overseers to set the people awork; but now these three thousand three hundred, were such as had the command of all that were imployed in the work, both the Tyrians and Israelites, and those strangers

mentioned in that place of the Chronicles, and by whose command and directions all things were ordered; and therefore are they here called the chief of Solomons officers, and such as did not onely oversee the work, but also ruled over the people that wrought in the work; it is hard also to reconcile this place with that which is said, 1. Kings 9.23. These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomons work, five hundred and fifty which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work: 2. Chron. 8.10. and these were the chief of Solomons officers even two hun∣dred and fifty that bare rule over the people: but for that see the note, chap. 9.23.

Vers. 17. And they brought great stones, costly stones.] To wit, marble, Por∣phyries and such like.

Vers. 18. And Hirams builders did hew them, and the stone-squarers.] Or the Giblites, as it is in the margine of our Bible, and it is thought that these were a peo∣ple belonging to Tyre, amongst whom there were many excellent workmen, called so of Gebal, or Gebula, the place of their dwelling; whence is that, Ezek. 27.9. The ancients of Gebal, and the wise men thereof were in thee: and that Psal. 83.7. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre.