Hiram, the king of Tyre, worked out a deal with Solomon. Hiram traded lumber—large logs of juniper and cedar—for enough wheat, barley, wine and olive oil to feed his royal household until their bellies burst.
Along with the highly prized lumber, Hiram sent a craftsman, a man named Huram Abi. Hiram described Huram as a man of great skill…able to execute any design given to him (2 Chronicles 2:13-14).
Solomon planned to build a magnificent temple to honor the Lord. To do so, he needed huge quantities of materials, including wood, and Hiram king of Tyre sent the best. But Solomon also needed skilled hands to do the construction, and again Hiram sent the best—Huram Abi.
Which reminds me of Proverbs 22:29, Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings, he will not stand before obscure men.
I’m not sure I’ll ever serve royalty, and I’ve certainly stood before obscure men, but this story reminds me of the value of diligent, skilled work. Getting better and better at my craft pays off. It’s worth my time and effort to work hard and improve.
History tells of the glory of Solomon’s temple. I find it encouraging to read in the pages of my Bible the name of the man who actually built the thing.
2 Chronicles 2 in week twenty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover
Photo by Sander Crombach
No excuses for us not to work on our craft!