I KINGS 7:13-14

The historical books of the Old Testament are sometimes not the easiest to read. For one thing, it is hard to keep track of all the characters in the narrative since some pop up after disappearing for a number of chapters, or are perhaps different people altogether with the same name. In addition, we have to account for the apparent discrepancies we sometimes run across in comparing passages in Samuel-Kings with their parallel narratives in I-II Chronicles. As one example containing both these complicating factors, I will cite the case of Hiram (or Huram), who seems to appear in both I Kings 5 and 7 and II Chronicles 2, all in the context of Solomon's construction of the Temple.

The first time we encounter Hiram is in I Kings 5 where he is described as the king of Tyre, a good friend of the now departed King David. He similarly befriends Solomon and offers to help him with supplies and workmen so that the Temple to the Lord can be constructed. Once the work had progressed and it was time to furnish the inside of the Temple, we learn in I Kings 7 that Solomon fetches another man named Hiram, also from Tyre, who was skilled in metalwork. These two mentions of a “Hiram” thus serve the literary purpose of bookends defining the boundaries of the whole Temple construction narrative.

Moving to the story as told in II Chronicles 2, however, we are told that it was actually King Hiram who took the initiative in sending Solomon a cunning workman named Hiram who was experienced in fashioning fine interior furnishings. Here is what various Bible scholars have to say about these somewhat contrary accounts.

Provan: “The Hiram [of I Kings 7] (called Huram-abi in 2 Chr 2.13) now introduced as the creator of the Temple furnishings fashioned from bronze is not to be confused with the king of ch. 5. The detail about his mother has probably been provided to reassure us that he was not simply a Gentile with no Israelite roots. (cf. Ezra 4.1-3 for similar sensitivity to the question of involvement in Temple building).”

However, Wiseman appears to treat both men in I Kings as if they were the same person.

“Hiram, king of Tyre, called Solomon his brother (1 Kgs 9:13). Brother may, in such an instance, be a covenant term (note that Hiram 'was on friendly terms with ['loved,' NIV] David,' (1 Kgs 5:15).” (Hamilton)

Merrill states in regard to 2 Chron. 2:13-16: “The man whom [King] Hiram chose to send to Solomon was Huram-Abi, a half-Israelite whose mother was from the tribe of Dan.”

Howard says, “He [King Hiram] agrees to provide the necessary help by sending Huran-Abi (13), the son of a Tyrian father and a Danite mother (in Kings a Naphtali widow)...The name Huranabi presents some problems. The Kings parallels (I Kg. 9:13, etc.) have Huran (NIV mg Hiram) and the text here may be translated 'Hiram my father', but king Hiram's father was Abihad and would any way be an old man by this time and hardly be the sort of person to be sent as a skilled craftsman. Rudolph points out that 'ab may also mean 'master' (Gen. 45:8; Jg. 17:10, etc.) and if this view is correct the meaning is probably 'Hiram my master (craftsman)'.” Much of this comment echoes Myers' earlier assessment of the situation.

Ellison: “There are no grounds on which we can choose between Huram and Hiram [in 2 Chron 2:13]; the name of the king is no guide. Some claim his name was Huram-abi, which is possible, but more likely it should be: 'Huran, my (his) trusted counselor.'”

“In the substance of his letter [in II Chronicles 2:13-14], Hiram deals in turn with each of the matters raised by Solomon. To the request for a skilled man (v. 7), he saends Huramabi. These verses are clearly based on I Kg. 7:13-14, here brought forward to the very start of the building operation, with Huramabi being sent by Ahiram, not merely 'brought' by Solomon. The extension of the list of his skills has already be noted as one probable outcome of the Chronicler's desire to compare him with Bezalel in Exod. 31 and 5. To this may now be added the ascription of his mother to the daughters of Dan rather than Naphtali: Bezalel was helped in his work by one Oholiab who belongd to the tribe of Dan (Exod. 31:6; 35:34), so that in a way both buiders of the tabernacle are brought together in type in Huramabi, the aditional 'ab element being a reflection of the final syllable of Oholiab.” (Williamson)

Such an ingenious analysis may be disturbing to some, even though it actually does an excellent job of explaining several seeming discrepancies in the parallel accounts. However, it should be noted that even the historical books of the Old Testament contain a great deal of theological undertones in their narratives and are much more than just a dry recitation of factual information.