Hiram Abiff

Hiram Abiff

Hiram Abiff is a figure in the mythology of Freemasonry, a fraternity that traces its origins to the stonemason guilds of the Middle Ages. According to Masonic tradition, Hiram Abiff was the chief architect of King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem and is revered as a symbol of the principles of the fraternity.

According to the legend, Hiram Abiff was a skilled and accomplished artisan who was chosen by King Solomon to oversee the construction of the Temple. He was responsible for overseeing the work of the other craftsmen and ensuring that the Temple was built to the highest standards.

As the construction of the Temple neared completion, three workers, known as the "ruffians," approached Hiram and demanded that he reveal the secrets of the craft. Hiram refused, and in response, the ruffians struck him down and killed him.

In Freemasonry, Hiram Abiff is seen as a symbol of the virtues of the fraternity, including integrity, honour, and the pursuit of knowledge. His story is used as a way to teach moral lessons and encourage members to live up to the ideals of the fraternity.

The legend of Hiram Abiff is an important part of the ritual and symbolism of Freemasonry and is central to the teachings of the fraternity. It is used to teach the importance of upholding the principles of the fraternity, even in the face of adversity. Hiram Abiff is seen as a role model for all members of the fraternity, and his story is an inspiration to all who seek to live a life of honour and integrity.

There is no historical evidence to support the existence of a real-life Hiram Abiff, and the legend is generally regarded as a symbolic allegory rather than a factual account. The legend is believed to have been developed by early Freemasons as a way of imparting moral lessons and values to its members.

It is important to note that not all members of the fraternity accept the legend of Hiram Abiff as historical fact; instead, some believe it to be purely symbolic or allegorical. Additionally, the legend has undergone significant evolution over time, and different versions of the story exist within the fraternity.

Origins

The precise origins of the Hiramic legend remain shrouded in mystery, inviting debate among historians and Masonic scholars. Nevertheless, several early references to a character named Hiram Abiff could be linked to the Masonic legend.

One such reference is found in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically within passages like 1 Kings 7:13–45 and 2 Chronicles 2:13–14. These passages describe a craftsman named Hiram, who was employed by King Solomon to help build the Temple in Jerusalem. While this Hiram is not associated with the story of his murder in Masonic tradition, some scholars speculate that his name and vocation might have influenced the later legend.

Another early reference to Hiram Abiff can be traced to a manuscript named the "Edinburgh Register House MS" (circa 1696), which contains an early version of the Masonic legend. Although it's uncertain how closely this manuscript aligns with the contemporary version, some scholars consider it one of the earliest written iterations of the legend.

The precise origins of the Hiramic legend remain somewhat mysterious, and it is likely that the story evolved over time through a combination of oral tradition and written records.

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1 Kings 7:13–45, New King James Version

Hiram the Craftsman

¹³ Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴ He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work.

The Bronze Pillars for the Temple

¹⁵ And he cast two pillars of bronze, each one eighteen cubits high, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of each. ¹⁶ Then he made two capitals of cast bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. ¹⁷ He made a lattice network, with wreaths of chainwork, for the capitals which were on top of the pillars: seven chains for one capital and seven for the other capital. ¹⁸ So he made the pillars, and two rows of pomegranates above the network all around to cover the capitals that were on top; and thus he did for the other capital.

¹⁹ The capitals which were on top of the pillars in the hall were in the shape of lilies, four cubits. ²⁰ The capitals on the two pillars also had pomegranates above, by the convex surface which was next to the network; and there were two hundred such pomegranates in rows on each of the capitals all around.

²¹ Then he set up the pillars by the vestibule of the temple; he set up the pillar on the right and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the left and called its name Boaz. ²² The tops of the pillars were in the shape of lilies. So the work of the pillars was finished.

The Sea and the Oxen

²³ And he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.

²⁴ Below its brim were ornamental buds encircling it all around, ten to a cubit, all the way around the Sea. The ornamental buds were cast in two rows when it was cast. ²⁵ It stood on twelve oxen: three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; the Sea was set upon them, and all their back parts pointed inward. ²⁶ It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained two thousand baths.

The Carts and the Lavers

²⁷ He also made ten carts of bronze; four cubits was the length of each cart, four cubits its width, and three cubits its height. ²⁸ And this was the design of the carts: They had panels, and the panels were between frames; ²⁹ on the panels that were between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. And on the frames was a pedestal on top. Below the lions and oxen were wreaths of plaited work. ³⁰ Every cart had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and its four feet had supports. Under the laver were supports of cast bronze beside each wreath. ³¹ Its opening inside the crown at the top was one cubit in diameter; and the opening was round, shaped like a pedestal, one and a half cubits in outside diameter; and also on the opening were engravings, but the panels were square, not round. ³² Under the panels were the four wheels, and the axles of the wheels were joined to the cart. The height of a wheel was one and a half cubits. ³³ The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel; their axle pins, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all of cast bronze. ³⁴ And there were four supports at the four corners of each cart; its supports were part of the cart itself. ³⁵ On the top of the cart, at the height of half a cubit, it was perfectly round. And on the top of the cart, its flanges and its panels were of the same casting. ³⁶ On the plates of its flanges and on its panels he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was a clear space on each, with wreaths all around. ³⁷ Thus he made the ten carts. All of them were of the same mold, one measure, and one shape.

³⁸ Then he made ten lavers of bronze; each laver contained forty baths, and each laver was four cubits. On each of the ten carts was a laver. ³⁹ And he put five carts on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.

Furnishings of the Temple

⁴⁰ Huram made the lavers and the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing all the work that he was to do for King Solomon for the house of the Lord: ⁴¹ the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two networks covering the two bowl-shaped capitals which were on top of the pillars; ⁴² four hundred pomegranates for the two networks (two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars); ⁴³ the ten carts, and ten lavers on the carts; ⁴⁴ one Sea, and twelve oxen under the Sea; ⁴⁵ the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.

All these articles which Huram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of burnished bronze.