King James Version

What Does 2 Chronicles 2:16 Mean?

“And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem. as much: Heb according to all thy need Joppa: Heb. Japho”

Context

The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:

And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem. as much: Heb according to all thy need Joppa: Heb. Japho

And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred. the strangers: Heb. the men the strangers

And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(16) **And we will cut wood.**—The *we* is emphatic, *and we, on our part,* the pronoun being expressed in the Hebrew. **Wood** (= “timber,” 2Chronicles 2:8-10; 2Chronicles 2:14).—Properly *trees.* **As much as thou shalt need.**—See margin. “Need” (*çôrek*) occurs here only in the Old Testament. The word is common in the Targums, and in Rabbinic writings; 1Kings 5:8 has the classical phrase, “all thy desire.” **In flotes.**—Heb., *raphsōdôth.* Another isolated expression. Rendered “rafts” by the LXX. and Vulgate, but omitted by Syriac and Arabic. 1Kings 5:9 has *dôbĕrôth,* “rafts,” which settles the meaning. **To Joppa.**—1Kings 5:9 has the less definite “unto the place that thou shalt appoint me.” Joppa (modern Jaffa) was the harbour nearest Jerusalem. **And thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.**—This interprets the curt phrase of 1Kings 5:9, “*and thou shalt take* (them) *away.”* A comparison of this and the parallel account of Huram’s letter makes it clear (1) that the chronicler has not written without knowledge of the older text; (2; that neither text has preserved the exact form of the original documents. From Josephus (*Ant. viii.* 2, 8) it would appear that some record of the negotiations between Huram and Solomon was still extant at Tyre in his day, if only we might trust his authority.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Chronicles. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Chronicles 2:16 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.