2 Chronicles 2 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

2 Chronicles 2 Short Summary:

In 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon prepared for the construction of the Temple and his palace in Jerusalem by sending a message to Hiram, king of Tyre. Solomon agreed to send Hiram barley, wine, and oil, in exchange for timber and skilled workers. Hiram agreed to help, telling him he would send him all the timber he needed. He also sent Solomon a skilled craftsman named Huram-abi to assist with the project.

2 Chronicles 2 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• 2 Chronicles 2 discusses events that took place in the early years of King Solomon’s reign.

• Solomon was king for 40 years according to 1 Kings 11:42, from approximately 1015-975 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Solomon – Son of David and the 3rd king of God’s people in the Promised Land.

• Hiram – King of Tyre. He was an ally of Solomon’s father, David.

• Huram-abi – A talented craftsman who helped Solomon build the special items which went into the Temple. He is called “Hiram” in 1 Kings 13 and in 2 Chronicles 4.

WHERE:

• Solomon’s capital was Jerusalem. His palace and the Temple of the Lord were built in Jerusalem.

• Tyre was approximately 100 miles north of Jerusalem along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

OUTLINE:

• SOLOMON PREPS TO BUILD THE TEMPLE (2:1-18):

  • Solomon planned to build himself a palace and to construct the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.

  • He took a census of all the foreigners in Israel. He assigned 70,000 of them to work as burden bearers, 80,000 to work the quarries, and 3,600 to be managers.  

  • Solomon sent a message to Hiram, the king of Tyre, asking him to send a man skilled in work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, engraving, and in work of purple, crimson, and blue fabric.

  • He also asked him to send cedar, cypress, and algum timber to Jerusalem.

  • Solomon needed these things to make the Temple “great and wonderful.”

  • In exchange for Hiram’s help, Solomon promised to provide 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil (cor = 58 gallons or 220 liters, bath = 6 gallons or 22 liters).

  • When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he sent back a positive reply.

  • He praised the God of Israel for giving David a wise son and putting him on the throne.

  • Hiram sent Solomon a man named Huram-abi (Hiram), a talented man who was skilled in every way Solomon needed.

  • Hiram promised to provide Solomon all the timber he needed. He told him he would float the logs down the coast to the city of Joppa.

APPLICATION:

• In ancient days, Hiram’s land, the land of Lebanon, was renowned for their timber, especially their cedar trees. The forests of Lebanon had some of the best timber in the world.

• To this day, the image of a cedar tree is visible on the Lebanese flag, but you don’t hear much about the forests anymore. What happened to them?

• The great cedars of Lebanon were almost entirely cut down over the years. The Phoenicians used the timber to build ships, they were used for palaces and grand buildings, and many were cut down during World War I to construct railroads.

• Today, the remaining cedars are protected as a World Heritage Site, but they are very few in comparison to vast forest which once captivated the architectural imagination of ancient kings.

• While not entirely a spiritual application, this does speak to the importance of preserving significant natural wonders. Preserving natural beauty will give future generations a chance to stand in awe of God’s magnificent creations.