Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

1 CHRONICLES 22:4KJV
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1 Chronicles 22:4 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 22:4 mean?

1 Chronicles 22:4 describes David gathering a large supply of cedar for the future house of the Lord. People from Sidon and Tyre brought the wood to him, so the preparations drew on supplies from outside Israel.

The sentence is part of the narrator’s account, not a speech by David. After the iron and brass mentioned in verse 3, the cedar adds a major building material to the picture. Cedar was valued for its durability and was used in important buildings.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 22:4

  • “abundance” — אֵין (ʾayin), מִסְפָּר (mispar): Together, these words carry the sense of “without number.” The phrase gives a vivid impression of a supply too great to count.

Why 1 Chronicles 22:4 matters

  • The verse identifies two sources for the cedar: “the Zidonians and they of Tyre.” Sidon and Tyre were coastal cities north of Israel, known for their connections to the cedar-growing region of Lebanon.
  • David’s gathering came before Solomon’s building work. In verse 5, David says he will make preparations; later, Solomon uses cedar in building the house, as 2 Chronicles 2:3–8 describes.

Where else these words appear

“Tyre” Hebrew H6876 · used in 5 verses

  • 1 Kings 7:14 He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
  • 2 Chronicles 2:14 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.
  • Ezra 3:7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

“Zidonians” Hebrew H6722 · used in 15 verses

  • Deuteronomy 3:9 ( Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)
  • Judges 10:12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
  • 1 Kings 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

“abundance” Hebrew H369 · used in 29 verses

  • Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
  • Isaiah 41:24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

“cedar” Hebrew H730 · used in 69 verses

  • Leviticus 14:4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
  • 1 Kings 7:2 He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.
  • Psalms 148:9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: