And Hiram king of Tyre
This was father of that Hiram that lived in the times of Solomon, whose name was Abibalus before he took the name of Hiram, which became a common name of the kings of Tyre; his former name may be seen in the ancient historians quoted by Josephus F19; of the city of Tyre, (See Gill on Isaiah 23:1); which was built one year before the destruction of Troy F20. This king, on hearing of David's being acknowledged king by all Israel, and of his taking Jerusalem out of the hands of the Jebusites,
sent messengers to David;
to congratulate him upon all this:
and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons;
these might not be sent at first, but David intending to build himself an house, might, by the messengers on their return, request of Hiram to send him timber and workmen for that purpose; the people of Israel being chiefly employed in cultivating their fields, and vineyards, and oliveyards, and feeding their flocks and herds, few of them had any skill in hewing: timber and stone, and building houses, at least not like the Tyrians and Sidonians; see ( 1 Kings 5:6 ) ; and accordingly he sent him cedars from Lebanon, a great part of which was in his dominions, and artificers in wood and stone, to build his house in the most elegant manner:
and they built David an house;
to dwell in, a stately palace, called an house of cedar, ( 2 Samuel 7:2 ) .