There seems, according to Unger, a question about almug and algum trees and their uses. Winifred Walker refers to the red sandalwood as the tree used for "pillars" mentioned in 1 Kings 10:12. Unger says that this sandalwood tree isn't sturdy enough for steps and other supports. Note that it has been a typical practice to give several trees the same common name even though they are very different.
"Al'gum (al'gum), or Almug Trees. There is no reason to doubt the identity of the algum and the almug, as is proved by the comparison of 1 Kings 10:11 and 2 Chron. 9:10. As to the algum trees "from Lebanon" (2:8), they may have been the same as those that were imported from Ophir. In this case they may have then been indiginous, or cultivated, and have since become extinct; or they may have been another sort of tree called by the same name, as in the case with many other trees. There is no necessity for supposing an interpolation, nor even for inferring, as some have done, that "from Lebanon" refers to cedar trees and cypress trees only, and not to algums. We have no means of determining with certainty what tree was intended. The weight of authority is in favor of the red sandalwood, but not a particle of evidence exists. As now seen in commerce, it is not suitable either for steps (9:11) or for "supports" (1 Kings 10:12), more properly balustrades, or for lyres and harps. Since Josephus says algum wood resembles the wood of the fig tree, but is whiter and has a brighter sheen, it may be the Sabtalum album, a native of India and used in India and China as an odiferous substance to perfume temples and houses of Sanskrit valgu, valgum.
2 Chronicles 2:8 (KJV) Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
2 Chronicles 9:10 (KJV) And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.
2 Chronicles 9:11 (KJV) And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
1 Kings 10:11 (KJV) And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
1 Kings 10:12 (KJV) And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
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