masons

Craftsmen who build with stone. They were brought from Tyre to build a house for David (2Sam 5:11; 1Chr 14:1) and to build the Jerusalem Temple under Solomon (1Chr 22:15). Later, they came to repair that Temple (2Kgs 12:12; 2Kgs 22:6; 2Chr 24:12) and, still later, they came again to rebuild it (Ezra 3:7). It is unclear precisely when local talent could fully displace the imported expertise.