1 Kings 7 · a question people ask
Was Hiram's mother from Naphtali or from Dan?
1 Kings says, "He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze" (7:14). In 2 Chronicles the king of Tyre, there called Huram, writes of "a skillful man, endowed with understanding, Huram-abi" (2 Chronicles 2:13), "the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre" (2 Chronicles 2:14). Both say his father was a man of Tyre. 1 Kings says his skill was "to work all works in bronze" (7:14); 2 Chronicles gives a longer list: "in gold, in silver, in bronze, in iron, in stone, in timber" and more (2 Chronicles 2:14). The Bible doesn't say how "the tribe of Naphtali" and "the daughters of Dan" fit together, and these notes quote both and leave them side by side.
The verses
“He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill to work all works in bronze. He came to King Solomon and performed all his work.”
“Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, “Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them.””
“Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, Huram-abi, the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre. He is skillful to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in iron, in stone, in timber, in purple, in blue, in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any kind of engraving and to devise any device, that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.”