I Kings 7:13-14 · Bible study
1 Kings 7:13-14 Commentary: Hiram the Craftsman
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Who was Hiram the craftsman? Understand his mixed heritage, his divine gifting, and why Solomon brought him from Tyre to build the temple.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon summons Hiram, a master bronze-worker of mixed Israelite-Tyrian heritage, who is divinely gifted to execute all the bronze work for the temple.
- Key words: sent (שָׁלַח), brought/fetched (לָקַח), widow (אַלְמָנָה), filled (מָלֵא), wisdom (חָכְמָה), understanding (תְּבוּנָה), knowledge (דַּעַת), work (מְלָאכָה), bronze (נְחֹשֶׁת).
- Main debate: The tribe of Hiram's mother, Naphtali (1 Kings 7) or Dan (2 Chronicles 2). Most commentators reconcile by noting she could have been a Danite who married into Naphtali.
- Theological theme: God equips artisans with wisdom for his worship; human craftsmanship, whether from Israel or the nations, can serve the Lord.
- Best use: A passage for teaching vocation as calling, the dignity of manual work, and God's provision of skilled people for the building of his church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13Now King Solomon sent to bring Huram from Tyre.
14He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram had great skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.
WEB World English Bible 2000
13King Solomon sent and brought Hiram out of Tyre.
14He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill to work all works in bronze. He came to King Solomon and performed all his work.
KJV King James Version 1769
13And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
14He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
14He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13And king Solomon sendeth and taketh Hiram out of Tyre--
14he is son of a woman, a widow, of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father a man of Tyre, a worker in brass, and he is filled with the wisdom and the understanding, and the knowledge to do all work in brass--and he cometh unto king Solomon, and doth all his work.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
14He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was full of wisdom and understanding and knowledge, to do all kinds of works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and made all his work.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
13And king Solomon sent, and brought Hiram from Tyre,
14The son of a widow woman, of the tribe of Nephthali, whose father was a Tyrian, an artificer in brass, and full of wisdom, and understanding, and skill to work all work in brass. And when he was come to king Solomon, he wrought all his work.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 7:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the Hiram introduced here is not King Hiram of Tyre, but an artisan bearing the same name whom the king dispatched at Solomon's request. Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch identify him as 'Hiram Ab' ('father' or 'master'), a title of honor reflecting his expertise. The Cambridge Bible notes that his mother was an Israelite widow, either of Naphtali (this passage) or of Dan (2 Chr 2:14), a discrepancy Adam Clarke and Gill resolve by proposing she belonged to one tribe by birth and married into the other. His father was a Tyrian bronze worker, and Hiram followed the same craft. The language 'filled with wisdom and understanding and knowledge' echoes Exodus 31:3, where Bezalel is filled with the Spirit of God. Keil and Delitzsch observe that while Bezaleel's skill is presented as a supernatural gift, Hiram's description uses more general terms, though the parallel remains strong. All agree that Hiram came to Solomon and executed all the bronze work for the temple, serving as the chief craftsman for this critical part of the construction.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Hiram was a master craftsman, divinely gifted with wisdom and skill, whom Solomon summoned from Tyre to make the bronze furnishings for the temple.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Hiram's identity | Hiram is a skilled craftsman, not the king of Tyre who bore the same name. He was sent by King Hiram at Solomon's request. | Some older interpreters (e.g., certain Jewish traditions) occasionally confused the two, but modern scholarship unanimously distinguishes them. |
| Mother's tribe | Hiram's mother was an Israelite widow, so he had Jewish ancestry on his mother's side. | 1 Kings 7:14 says she was of Naphtali; 2 Chronicles 2:14 says she was 'of the daughters of Dan.' Solutions include: she was a Danite by birth married into Naphtali, or she lived in a Danite city located in Naphtali territory. |
| Source of Hiram's skill | The text presents Hiram as 'filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge', language that parallels Bezalel's gifting in Exodus, implying divine enablement. | Whether this gifting should be understood as supernatural (like Bezalel's being filled with the Spirit of God) or as a natural endowment developed by training. Keil and Delitzsch note the absence of 'Spirit of God' here, suggesting a more natural description, while Cambridge Bible sees the parallel as equally strong. |
| Scope of Hiram's work | In this passage Hiram is specifically responsible for all the bronze work of the temple, as detailed in verses 15-47. | 2 Chronicles 2:14 mentions Hiram's skill in gold, silver, iron, stone, wood, and textiles. Some think he oversaw these as a foreman; others believe the Kings account focuses only on bronze for rhetorical reasons. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Solomon's temple was the crowning project of his reign, a monument both to Israel's God and to Israel's place among the nations. The king formed a close alliance with Hiram of Tyre, a Phoenician city renowned for its skilled artisans and metalworking. Tyrian bronze was famous across the ancient Near East; the craftsmen of that region were sought after for their ability to cast and finish large metal objects.
Our passage is a short biographical note inserted before the detailed description of the bronze pillars, basins, and other furnishings (1 Ki 7:15-47). Keil and Delitzsch note that the verbs 'sent and brought' should be read as pluperfects, Solomon had already sent for Hiram before the work began. This aligns with 2 Chronicles 2, where Solomon requests a skilled worker from King Hiram before construction starts.
Hiram's mixed heritage, an Israelite mother (from the tribe of Naphtali or Dan) and a Tyrian father, made him a unique bridge figure. He could work within Israel's religious requirements while possessing the technical training of Phoenicia. The phrase 'filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge' deliberately recalls the language used for Bezalel and Oholiab, the artisans of the tabernacle (Exod 31:2-6). This connection suggests that the temple work, like the tabernacle before it, was no mere human project but a divinely enabled act of worship. The absence of the explicit phrase 'Spirit of God' here, noted by Keil and Delitzsch, may simply reflect the different narrative context: Hiram was a foreign craftsman cooperating with Israel, not a man raised up from within the camp.
Culturally, the hiring of foreign specialists was common in royal building projects of the ancient world. Solomon's willingness to recruit from Tyre shows his practical wisdom in using the best available resources. But the text also underscores that the ultimate source of Hiram's skill was the same God who gave wisdom to Israel's own artisans.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Kings 7:13-14. The Masoretic Text is consistent across manuscripts. The spelling of the craftsman's name appears as חִירָם (Hiram) here and in most of Kings, while Chronicles uses חוּרָם (Huram). This variation is orthographic and does not affect the meaning. The ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac) follow the same sense. The only interpretive issue is the tribal designation of Hiram's mother, which is a harmonization problem between Kings and Chronicles rather than a textual criticism issue.
Reception History
Christian and Jewish readers have consistently seen Hiram as a model of the skilled worker whose craft is dedicated to God. Early Jewish tradition preserved stories of Hiram's wisdom in the Talmud. Church fathers such as Origen and Jerome compared Hiram to Bezalel, using both to argue that artistic ability is a gift from the Holy Spirit. During the Middle Ages, Hiram's mixed heritage was sometimes interpreted typologically: the union of Jew (his mother) and Gentile (his father) prefigured the church made up of both peoples. However, this reading is later and not grounded in the original context. The passage has been used in sermons on the dignity of manual labor, especially in Reformed and evangelical traditions that stress vocation as calling. Hiram's title 'Ab' ('father') was also understood as a mark of noble character, used to encourage faithful service in ordinary trades.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God calls skilled workers for his purposes. Just as Solomon sent for Hiram, God still summons people with particular talents for the work of building his house.
- Heritage does not disqualify; it equips. Hiram's mixed background, Israelite and Tyrian, became an asset. God uses people from every background to contribute to his kingdom.
- Skill, wisdom, and knowledge are gifts from God. The language of 'filling' links Hiram to Bezalel. All genuine competence comes from the Lord and can serve him.
Five-point outline
- Solomon initiated the search, He took the lead in securing the right craftsman (v.13).
- Hiram came with a story, The son of a widow, from Tyre and Israel, a man shaped by both worlds (v.14a).
- Hiram arrived equipped, Filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work (v.14b).
- Hiram answered the call, He came to the king and set to work (v.14c).
- Hiram completed the task, He 'wrought all his work' (v.14d). Faithful completion honors the giver of the gift.
Illustration hooks
- The specialty contractor. When a church needs to build a new sanctuary, they don't just ask a member who's handy with a hammer. They hire an architect and a contractor who have the precise skills. Hiram was that kind of specialist.
- The cook with a gift. Think of someone who seems to know instinctively how to make a meal that feeds both the body and the soul at a church potluck. That mix of skill and heart resembles Hiram's 'wisdom and understanding.'
- The volunteer who always finishes. Every congregation has a person who quietly sees a job through to the end, painting the nursery or setting up chairs. They don't just start; they finish. Hiram 'wrought all his work.'
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about my ordinary work, my carpentry, coding, or cooking, as much as he cares about the work of pastors and missionaries?
- Why did God choose a man with a foreign father to build the temple? What does that say about the inclusion of outsiders in God's plan?
- How do I know whether a skill I have is a gift from God that he wants me to use in service?
Leading a Discussion
This short passage reminds us that God is concerned with the details of building his house, and that he equips specific people with the exact skills needed. Hiram of Tyre is a minor character in the biblical story, but his role is essential. As you discuss these verses, consider how God might be preparing you or your church community with particular gifts for his work today.
Discussion questions
- What do we learn about Hiram from these two verses? List everything the text tells you about his family, his background, and his abilities.
- Why do you think the writer includes so much detail about Hiram's parentage and heritage? What might that communicate about God's view of people?
- Compare this passage with Exodus 31:1-6, where Bezalel is filled with the Spirit of God for tabernacle work. What similarities do you see? What differences?
- Hiram is 'filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge' (v.14). In everyday life, what would it look like for a metalworker to have those qualities? Can you think of examples in your own profession?
- The text says Hiram 'wrought all his work' (v.14). Why is finishing important in the Christian life? What makes it hard to finish well?
- Solomon had to send to Tyre for Hiram. He didn't find an Israelite with the same skill. How comfortable are you with the church using 'outside' expertise, whether from the business world, other cultures, or other traditions?
- If God gives both supernatural gifts (like Bezalel) and more natural gifts (like Hiram), how should that affect how we view our own talents and education?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 7:40 | Hiram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished doing all the work that he worked for King Solomon in Yahweh’s house: |
| II Chronicles 2:13 | Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, Huram-abi, |
| II Chronicles 2:14 | the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre. He is skillful to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in iron, in stone, in timber, in purple, in blue, in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any kind of engraving and to devise any device, that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father. |
| II Chronicles 4:11 | Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Huram finished doing the work that he did for King Solomon in God’s house: |
| Exodus 31:2 | “Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. |
| Exodus 31:6 | Behold, I myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you: |
| Exodus 35:30 | Moses said to the children of Israel, “Behold, Yahweh has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. |
| Exodus 36:2 | Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Yahweh had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clarifies that this Hiram is not the Tyrian king but a skilled coppersmith of partial Jewish descent. The differing tribal names in Kings and Chronicles, he suggests, may be resolved if she was of Naphtali by her father and of Dan by her mother, or the king of Tyre simply confused the two tribes.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes distinguishes this Hiram from the king of Tyre who bore the same name. He identifies the craftsman as Hiram Ab, a master worker whose mother was from Dan but had first been married into Naphtali. Barnes also notes Hiram's personal work for Solomon was confined to metalwork, specifically in brass.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes the fittingness that Hiram, half-Israelite by birth, was chosen for the temple work. His wisdom and skill in brass, inherited from his father, parallel the Spirit-filled craftsmanship of Bezaleel and Aholiab in the tabernacle. The comment also reconciles his tribal identity as Naphtali with a mother from Dan.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators observe that God supplied Hiram for the temple work despite his mixed parentage: an Israelite mother from Naphtali and a Tyrian father. They emphasize that Hiram's extraordinary skill in brass came not from human training but from divine endowment, echoing the Spirit-filled craftsmen of the tabernacle.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill resolves the apparent contradiction in Hiram's tribal identity by noting his mother was likely from the city of Dan, which lay within Naphtali's territory, or that her mother was of Dan while her father was of Naphtali. He also observes that the skill for this work came directly from God, just as He gifted Bezaleel and Aholiab for the tabernacle.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB reconciles the apparent contradiction between Hiram being called a widow's son of Naphtali here and of the daughters of Dan in Chronicles. His mother was likely a Danite by birth or residence who married a Naphtalite, so both descriptions are accurate. JFB also notes that while this passage emphasizes his work in brass, Chronicles shows his broader artistic skill.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes a deliberate contrast between Hiram and Bezaleel: Bezaleel's skill came directly from the Spirit of God as a supernatural gift, while Hiram's is described simply as natural wisdom and ability. They also reconcile the differing family accounts by suggesting Hiram's mother, a Danite, married into Naphtali and later a Tyrian.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry interprets the brass pillars Jachin and Boaz as visible emblems of the temple's stability, teaching that God establishes the church and it stands in His strength. The pomegranates and lily work decorating them symbolise the fruitfulness and beauty that should adorn God's house.