Etymology

“Hiram” (הִירָם, hiram) is a shortened form of the common Phoenician name “Ahiram,” or more accurately “Ahirom,” which means “My brother is exalted” (the vocalic shift between a and o has to do with a linguistic phenomenon known as a “Canaanite shift”). This name is found in many records:

• The 10th-century king of Byblos (biblical Gebal), whose sarcophagus shows a high level of Phoenician workmanship, is known by that name.

• Tiglath-pileser III’s inscription lists “Hirum” as one of the subjugated kings who brought tributes to him. This “Hirum” may have been the “Hirom” that the eighth-century governor of Carthage referred to as the “king of Sidonians” in one of the Phoenician inscriptions found in Cyprus (KAI 31).

• In Numbers 26:38, “Ahiram” is listed as one of the descendants of Benjamin.

Variant spellings of Hiram’s name are attested to in the Old Testament:

• Hirom (הִירוֹם, hirom, compare 1 Kgs 5:10 [5:24] and 5:18 [5:32])

• Huram (הוּרָם, huram, compare 2 Chr 2:3 [2:2])

• Huram-abi (הוּרָמ־אָבִי, hurom-aviy, compare 2 Chr 2:13 [2:12]).