I. HIRAM, King of Tyre, the son of Abibal, mentioned even by profane Authors, distinguished himself by his magnificence, and adorned the city of Tyre with many fine works. As soon as David was seated on the throne, and acknowledged King by all Israel, Hiram sent Ambassadors About the year of the World 2958, before J. C. 1052, before the Vulg. Æra 1046.to him with artificers, carpenters, and stone-cutters, together with cedar, to build a palace for David. The same Hiram sent Ambassadors to Solomon, as soon as he heard that he was anointed King in his father’s room a, to congratulate him upon his accession to the crown. And Solomon on his part sent to him, to desire timber and stones of him for building the Temple of the Lord, together with labourers to hew both the timber and stones. Hiram promised Solomon all that he desired, provided he would ingage to furnish Hiram’s family In the year of the World 2992, before J. C. 1008, before the Vulgar Æra 1012.with a certain quantity of corn and oil.
These two Princes had all their lives a good understanding with each other; and Dius, who wrote the Annals of Tyre, relates, that they held a correspondence by letters; and in Josephus’s time, Hiram’s letters were still to be seen, with Solomon’s answers. Menander of Ephesus, and the same Dius, speak of certain riddles, which these two Princes proposed one to the other. Dius says, that Solomon first sent some to Hiram, which the latter was not able to resolve, and therefore paid a great sum of money to Solomon; but that afterwards he explained them with the assistance of one Abdemon; and then proposing others to Solomon which he could not resolve, Hiram received a much larger sum of money than he himself had paid upon the like occasion.
After that Solomon had finished all his works, he made a present to Hiram of year of the World 3012, before J. C. 988, before the Vulgar Æra 1992. 1 Kings ix. 10, &c. 1 Kings ix. 14.twenty towns in Galilee. Hiram went to view these places: but was not pleased with them, and he called them the land of Chabul, saying, Are these, my brother, the towns which you have given me? Josephus says, that Chabul signifies something that displeases. Others translate it, a land full of briars; and others, too strong, too moist a soil. See CHABUL, where we have examined the situation of these twenty cities. The Scripture remarks, that Hiram lent Solomon an hundred and twenty talents of gold, while he was imployed in building; which hundred and twenty talents of gold make six hundred and fifty seven thousand pounds sterling. This is what we learn from Scripture concerning Hiram, King of Tyre.