Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 2:7

"Now therefore send me a man skilful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that knoweth how to grave [all manner of] gravings, [to be] with the skilful men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide." — 2 Chronicles 2:7 (ASV)

Send me now ... — And now send me a wise man, to work in the gold and in the silver (1 Chronicles 22:15; 2 Chronicles 2:13).

And in (the) purple, and crimson, and blue. —No allusion is made to this kind of art in 2 Chronicles 4:11–16, nor in 1 Kings 7:13 and following, which describe only metallurgic works of this master, whose versatile genius might easily be paralleled by famous names of the Renaissance.

Purple (’argĕwân). — Aramaic form. (Hebrew ’argâmân, Exodus 25:4.)

Crimson (karmîl). — A word of Persian origin, occurring only here and in 2 Chronicles 2:13, and 2 Chronicles 3:14. (Compare our word carmine.)

Blue (tĕkçleth). — Dark blue, or violet (Exodus 25:4, and elsewhere.)

Can skill. — Knows how.

To grave. —Literally, to carve carvings; whether in wood or stone. (1 Kings 6:29; Zechariah 3:9; Exodus 28:9, on gems.)

With the cunning men. —The Hebrew connects this clause with the infinitive to work at the beginning of the verse. There should be a period after the words to grave.

Whom David my father did provide (prepared, 1 Chronicles 29:2). — 1 Chronicles 22:15; 1 Chronicles 28:21.