between his legs and tucking those ends under his sash. The Israelites in Egypt ate the Passover with their hips girded, ready to march out of the land. Elijah was similarly prepared when he ran before Ahab’s chariot.​—Ex 12:11; 1Ki 18:46.

Figurative Usage. The muscles in the area of the hips play a major part in picking up and carrying heavy loads; hence the appropriateness of the statement at Psalm 66:11, “You have put pressure on our hips.” Strengthening the hips would denote getting ready to exert power, as for a fight. (Na 2:1) The good wife is said to gird her hips with strength and invigorate her arms to carry out her multitudinous activities for the well-being of the household. (Pr 31:17) Conversely, those who have been reduced to a weakened condition by fear, distress, or defeat are said to have wobbling, or shaking, hips. (Ps 69:23; Eze 21:6; 29:7) To ungird the hips of kings means to take away their strength.​—Isa 45:1.

Jehovah spoke of the houses of Israel and Judah as having been like a belt on his hips, so closely had he held them to himself, in order that they might become to him a praise and something beautiful. (Jer 13:11) Jesus Christ is prophetically pictured as reigning with righteousness as the belt of his hips and faithfulness as the belt of his loins. This may refer to the fact that all the active powers of Jesus Christ adhere unchangeably to righteousness and faithfulness. Like a belt that provides support, the moral quality of righteousness strengthens him in acting as Jehovah’s appointed Judge.​—Isa 11:1, 5.

(Hiʹrah).

Judah’s Adullamite companion.​—Ge 38:1, 12.

(Hiʹram) [possibly a shortened form of Ahiram, meaning “My Brother Is High (Exalted)”].

In the Masoretic text alternate spellings are found in certain passages: “Hirom” (1Ki 5:10, 18; 7:40a) and “Huram” (2Ch 2:3).

1. King of Tyre, and friendly contemporary of Kings David and Solomon in the 11th century B.C.E.

After David conquered the stronghold of Zion and set about to build a palace on the site, Hiram sent messengers to arrange a trade treaty between himself and David. Hiram then supplied David with cedar timber from the western slopes of Lebanon as well as craftsmen skilled in working with wood and stone.​—2Sa 5:11; 1Ch 14:1.

Upon hearing that David had died and that Solomon was reigning in his stead, Hiram sent his servants to renew the friendship agreement. (1Ki 5:1) Solomon then enlisted the help of Hiram in supplying materials and some of the manpower necessary for the building of the great temple, at the same time bargaining to pay Hiram’s labor force with large quantities of wheat, barley, wine, and oil. (1Ki 5:2-6; 2Ch 2:3-10) In turn, Hiram blessed Jehovah, and a covenant of friendship was concluded between the two nations.​—1Ki 5:7-12; 2Ch 2:11-16.

At the end of Solomon’s 20-year building project he gave Hiram 20 cities, but they proved most undesirable in Hiram’s eyes. (1Ki 9:10-13; see CABUL No. 2.) Whether Hiram returned these same cities or gave Solomon other cities is not certain. (2Ch 8:1, 2) Nor is it certain whether Hiram’s giving Solomon 120 talents of gold ($46,242,000) was subsequent to receiving the gift of cities or if it somehow figured in the exchange.​—1Ki 9:14.

Hiram also shared with Solomon in another joint enterprise, in which the latter built a fleet of ships in the Gulf of ʽAqaba at Ezion-geber. Hiram then supplied experienced seamen to man them along with Solomon’s servants. In addition to these ships that plied the waters off the E coast of Africa, Hiram and Solomon had other ships sailing as far as Tarshish, apparently at the western end of the Mediterranean. All together, these extensive operations on the high seas brought in a great deal of wealth​—gold, silver, ivory, precious stones, valuable woods, and rarities like apes and peacocks.​—1Ki 9:26-28; 10:11, 12, 22; 2Ch 8:18; 9:10, 21; see EZION-GEBER.

2. The skilled artisan who made many of the furnishings of Solomon’s temple. His father was a Tyrian, but his mother was a widow “from the tribe of Naphtali” (1Ki 7:13, 14) “of the sons of Dan.” (2Ch 2:13, 14) This apparent difference resolves itself if we take the view, as some scholars do, that she was born of the tribe of Dan, had been widowed by a first husband of the tribe of Naphtali, and then was remarried to a Tyrian.

Hiram, the king of Tyre (No. 1), sent this Hiram to supervise the special construction for Solomon because of his ability and experience in working with materials such as gold, silver, copper, iron, stone, and wood. Hiram was also unusually skilled in dyeing, engraving, and designing all sorts of devices. No doubt from childhood on he received some of his technical training in the industrial arts of the times from his Tyrian father, who himself was an accomplished