1 Kings 5:6

“Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedars out of Lebanon, etc.] That is, order his servants to cut them down there for him. Some think that Lebanon belonged to the land of Israel, and therefore Solomon did not ask for the cedars upon it, but for his servants to hew them for him; but as it lay upon the borders of Israel, part of it might belong to them, and another part to Hiram, and on which the best cedars might grow, and so he furnished Solomon both with trees, and men to cut them, as it seems from (<110510>1 Kings 5:10); see also (<140203>2 Chronicles 2:3,8); and my servants shall be with thy servants: to assist them, and to carry the timber from place to place, and to learn how…”

“command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon--Nowhere else could Solomon have procured materials for the woodwork of his contemplated building. The forests of Lebanon, adjoining the seas in Solomon's time, belonged to the PhÅ“nicians, and the timber being a lucrative branch of their exports, immense numbers of workmen were constantly employed in the felling of trees as well as the transportation and preparation of the wood. Hiram stipulated to furnish Solomon with as large a quantity of cedars and cypresses as he might require and it was a great additional obligation that he engaged to render the important service of having it brought down, probably by the Dog river, to the…”

“Solomon’s message to Hiram and Hiram’s answer 1 Kings 5:8-9 are given much more fully in 2 Chronicles 2:3-16. Cedar-trees - The Hebrew word here and elsewhere translated “cedar,” appears to be used, not only of the cedar proper, but of other timber-trees also, as the fir, and, perhaps, the juniper. Still there is no doubt that the real Lebanon cedar is most commonly intended by it. This tree, which still grows on parts of the mountain, but which threatens to die out, was probably much more widely spread anciently. The Tyrians made the masts of their ships from the wood Ezekiel 27:5, and would naturally be as careful to cultivate it as we have ourselves been to grow oak. The Assyrian kings,…”

“They - That is, thy servants. And this assistance which these Gentiles gave to the building of Solomon's temple, was a type of the calling of the Gentiles, and that they should be instrumental in building and constituting Christ's spiritual temple. Cedar - trees - Which for their soundness, and strength, and fragrancy, and durableness, were most proper for his design. Of these David had procured some, but not a sufficient number. Lebanon - Which was in Solomon's jurisdiction: and therefore he doth not desire that Hiram would give him the cedars, because they were his own already; but only that his servants might hew them for him; which the ingenious Tyrians well understood. With thy servants…”

“5:6 please command: The main thrust of Solomon’s message was his request for cedars from Lebanon, indicating Hiram’s wide commercial influence. Ancient Near Eastern literature often cites the use of Lebanese cedars in building and furnishing temples and palaces. • Sidonians was a general name for Phoenicians; Sidon was more ancient than Tyre.”

“cedar trees: Kg1 6:9, Kg1 6:10, Kg1 6:16, Kg1 6:20; Ch2 2:8, Ch2 2:10; Psa 29:5 will I give hire: Rom 12:17; Phi 4:8 appoint: Heb. say that there is not: Co1 12:14-21; Eph 4:7 Sidonians: Gen 10:15; Ezr 3:7 3 Kings (1 Kings) 5:7”