Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.
Parallel translations
- WEB Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, with cedar trees, carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house.
- KJV And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
- NKJV Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house.
- NASB Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, carpenters, and stonemasons; and they built a house for David.
- NLT Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Hiram of Tyre sends materials and craftsmen to build David a royal house. Foreign recognition confirms David's growing standing.
Overview
Hiram, king of Tyre, supplies cedar, carpenters, and masons to construct a palace for David, signaling a peaceful alliance and international respect for his reign. This Gentile king's tribute reflects the spreading fame of David's God-blessed kingdom. It anticipates the day when the nations bring their honor to the messianic King (Psalm 72; Isaiah 60).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Chr 14:1Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters, to build a palace for him.
- 1 Kgs 5:1–2Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
- 1 Kgs 5:18So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple.
- 1 Kgs 5:8–10Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber.
- Eccl 2:4–11I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
- 2 Sam 7:2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
- 1 Kgs 7:1–12Solomon, however, took thirteen years to complete the construction of his entire palace.
- Jer 22:14–16who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 5:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.