DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61301#0133
PHCEN1CIA.
105
Hiram, too, “ was ever a-lover of David,” and “ there was
peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made
a league together.” It was by consent of Hiram king
of Tyre, that Solomon sent into the forests of Lebanon
“threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and four-
score thousand hewers unto the mountains : ” well might
he send this multitude of bearers of burdens, for over the
hill country they must cross the roads were but footpaths
or hazardous mule tracks. It was by the help of this king
of Tyre that Solomon built that wonderful temple which
combined all the solidity of Egyptian architecture with
the riches and splendour of Assyrian decoration. Those
Egyptian “ chapiters upon the top of the pillars with lily
work,” the very counterpart of the lotus columns of
Egypt; those cherubim (Assyrian kerubi), strange winged
bulls ; those palm-trees, and open buds overlaid with
gold ; those borders covered with lions and oxen that
had their prototypes in Assyria. All these, and the
“ pots, and the shovels, and the basons of bright brass
were made for King Solomon by King Hiram of Tyre.”
Strengthened, as we have seen, by his alliance with
the Jewish king, Hiram extended his trade still further,
to the uttermost east; for the navy of Solomon when
it went to Eziongeber, on the shore of the Red Sea,
and to Ophir, Hiram sent his servants, “ shipmen that
had knowledge of the sea with the servants of Solomon.”
(1 Kings vi.-x.)
105
Hiram, too, “ was ever a-lover of David,” and “ there was
peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made
a league together.” It was by consent of Hiram king
of Tyre, that Solomon sent into the forests of Lebanon
“threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and four-
score thousand hewers unto the mountains : ” well might
he send this multitude of bearers of burdens, for over the
hill country they must cross the roads were but footpaths
or hazardous mule tracks. It was by the help of this king
of Tyre that Solomon built that wonderful temple which
combined all the solidity of Egyptian architecture with
the riches and splendour of Assyrian decoration. Those
Egyptian “ chapiters upon the top of the pillars with lily
work,” the very counterpart of the lotus columns of
Egypt; those cherubim (Assyrian kerubi), strange winged
bulls ; those palm-trees, and open buds overlaid with
gold ; those borders covered with lions and oxen that
had their prototypes in Assyria. All these, and the
“ pots, and the shovels, and the basons of bright brass
were made for King Solomon by King Hiram of Tyre.”
Strengthened, as we have seen, by his alliance with
the Jewish king, Hiram extended his trade still further,
to the uttermost east; for the navy of Solomon when
it went to Eziongeber, on the shore of the Red Sea,
and to Ophir, Hiram sent his servants, “ shipmen that
had knowledge of the sea with the servants of Solomon.”
(1 Kings vi.-x.)