Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 1 Kings » Chapter 9 » Verse 1-28

1 Kings 9:1-28 King James Version (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,

2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:

7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:

8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.

10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king's house,

11 (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.

13 And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.

14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.

15 And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,

19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,

21 Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.

22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.

23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.

25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.

26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.

27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.


1 Kings 9:1-28 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And it came to pass, when Solomon H8010 had finished H3615 the building H1129 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the king's H4428 house, H1004 and all Solomon's H8010 desire H2837 which he was pleased H2654 to do, H6213

2 That the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 to Solomon H8010 the second time, H8145 as he had appeared H7200 unto him at Gibeon. H1391

3 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, I have heard H8085 thy prayer H8605 and thy supplication, H8467 that thou hast made H2603 before H6440 me: I have hallowed H6942 this house, H1004 which thou hast built, H1129 to put H7760 my name H8034 there for H5704 ever; H5769 and mine eyes H5869 and mine heart H3820 shall be there perpetually. H3117

4 And if thou wilt walk H3212 before H6440 me, as David H1732 thy father H1 walked, H1980 in integrity H8537 of heart, H3824 and in uprightness, H3476 to do H6213 according to all that I have commanded H6680 thee, and wilt keep H8104 my statutes H2706 and my judgments: H4941

5 Then I will establish H6965 the throne H3678 of thy kingdom H4467 upon Israel H3478 for ever, H5769 as I promised H1696 to David H1732 thy father, H1 saying, H559 There shall not fail H3772 thee a man H376 upon the throne H3678 of Israel. H3478

6 But if ye shall at all H7725 turn H7725 from following H310 me, ye or your children, H1121 and will not keep H8104 my commandments H4687 and my statutes H2708 which I have set H5414 before H6440 you, but go H1980 and serve H5647 other H312 gods, H430 and worship H7812 them:

7 Then will I cut off H3772 Israel H3478 out H6440 of the land H127 which I have given H5414 them; and this house, H1004 which I have hallowed H6942 for my name, H8034 will I cast out H7971 of my sight; H6440 and Israel H3478 shall be a proverb H4912 and a byword H8148 among all people: H5971

8 And at this house, H1004 which is high, H5945 every one that passeth H5674 by it shall be astonished, H8074 and shall hiss; H8319 and they shall say, H559 Why hath the LORD H3068 done H6213 thus unto this land, H776 and to this house? H1004

9 And they shall answer, H559 Because they forsook H5800 the LORD H3068 their God, H430 who brought forth H3318 their fathers H1 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and have taken hold H2388 upon other H312 gods, H430 and have worshipped H7812 them, and served H5647 them: therefore hath the LORD H3068 brought H935 upon them all this evil. H7451

10 And it came to pass at the end H7097 of twenty H6242 years, H8141 when Solomon H8010 had built H1129 the two H8147 houses, H1004 the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the king's H4428 house, H1004

11 (Now Hiram H2438 the king H4428 of Tyre H6865 had furnished H5375 Solomon H8010 with cedar H730 trees H6086 and fir H1265 trees, H6086 and with gold, H2091 according to all his desire,) H2656 that then H227 king H4428 Solomon H8010 gave H5414 Hiram H2438 twenty H6242 cities H5892 in the land H776 of Galilee. H1551

12 And Hiram H2438 came out H3318 from Tyre H6865 to see H7200 the cities H5892 which Solomon H8010 had given H5414 him; and they pleased H3474 H5869 him not.

13 And he said, H559 What cities H5892 are these which thou hast given H5414 me, my brother? H251 And he called H7121 them the land H776 of Cabul H3521 unto this day. H3117

14 And Hiram H2438 sent H7971 to the king H4428 sixscore H3967 H6242 talents H3603 of gold. H2091

15 And this is the reason H1697 of the levy H4522 which king H4428 Solomon H8010 raised; H5927 for to build H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and his own house, H1004 and Millo, H4407 and the wall H2346 of Jerusalem, H3389 and Hazor, H2674 and Megiddo, H4023 and Gezer. H1507

16 For Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt H4714 had gone up, H5927 and taken H3920 Gezer, H1507 and burnt H8313 it with fire, H784 and slain H2026 the Canaanites H3669 that dwelt H3427 in the city, H5892 and given H5414 it for a present H7964 unto his daughter, H1323 Solomon's H8010 wife. H802

17 And Solomon H8010 built H1129 Gezer, H1507 and Bethhoron H1032 the nether, H8481

18 And Baalath, H1191 and Tadmor H8412 in the wilderness, H4057 in the land, H776

19 And all the cities H5892 of store H4543 that Solomon H8010 had, and cities H5892 for his chariots, H7393 and cities H5892 for his horsemen, H6571 and that H2837 which Solomon H8010 desired H2836 to build H1129 in Jerusalem, H3389 and in Lebanon, H3844 and in all the land H776 of his dominion. H4475

20 And all the people H5971 that were left H3498 of the Amorites, H567 Hittites, H2850 Perizzites, H6522 Hivites, H2340 and Jebusites, H2983 which were not of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478

21 Their children H1121 that were left H3498 after H310 them in the land, H776 whom the children H1121 of Israel H3478 also were not able H3201 utterly to destroy, H2763 upon those did Solomon H8010 levy H5927 a tribute H4522 of bondservice H5647 unto this day. H3117

22 But of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did Solomon H8010 make H5414 no bondmen: H5650 but they were men H582 of war, H4421 and his servants, H5650 and his princes, H8269 and his captains, H7991 and rulers H8269 of his chariots, H7393 and his horsemen. H6571

23 These were the chief H8269 of the officers H5324 that were over Solomon's H8010 work, H4399 five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty, H2572 which bare rule H7287 over the people H5971 that wrought H6213 in the work. H4399

24 But Pharaoh's H6547 daughter H1323 came up H5927 out of the city H5892 of David H1732 unto her house H1004 which Solomon had built H1129 for her: then did he build H1129 Millo. H4407

25 And three H7969 times H6471 in a year H8141 did Solomon H8010 offer H5927 burnt offerings H5930 and peace offerings H8002 upon the altar H4196 which he built H1129 unto the LORD, H3068 and he burnt incense H6999 upon the altar H4196 that was before H6440 the LORD. H3068 So he finished H7999 the house. H1004

26 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 made H6213 a navy of ships H590 in Eziongeber, H6100 which is beside Eloth, H359 on the shore H8193 of the Red H5488 sea, H3220 in the land H776 of Edom. H123

27 And Hiram H2438 sent H7971 in the navy H590 his servants, H5650 shipmen H582 H591 that had knowledge H3045 of the sea, H3220 with the servants H5650 of Solomon. H8010

28 And they came H935 to Ophir, H211 and fetched H3947 from thence gold, H2091 four H702 hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 talents, H3603 and brought H935 it to king H4428 Solomon. H8010


1 Kings 9:1-28 American Standard (ASV)

1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of Jehovah, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,

2 that Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3 And Jehovah said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.

4 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances;

5 then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel for ever, according as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

6 But if ye shall turn away from following me, ye or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;

7 then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

8 And though this house is so high, yet shall every one that passeth by it be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath Jehovah done thus unto this land, and to this house?

9 and they shall answer, Because they forsook Jehovah their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath Jehovah brought all this evil upon them.

10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Jehovah and the king's house,

11 (now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar-trees and fir-trees, and with gold, according to all his desire), that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.

13 And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.

14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.

15 And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a portion unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,

18 and Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land,

19 and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 As for all the people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel;

21 their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them did Solomon raise a levy of bondservants unto this day.

22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondservants; but they were the men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, who bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which `Solomon' had built for her: then did he build Millo.

25 And three times a year did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto Jehovah, burning incense therewith, `upon the altar' that was before Jehovah. So he finished the house.

26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.

27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.


1 Kings 9:1-28 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And it cometh to pass, at Solomon's finishing to build the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king, and all the desire of Solomon that he delighted to do,

2 that Jehovah appeareth unto Solomon a second time, as He appeared unto him in Gibeon,

3 and Jehovah saith unto him, `I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication with which thou hast made supplication before Me; I have hallowed this house that thou hast built to put My name there -- unto the age, and Mine eyes and My heart have been there all the days.

4 `And thou -- if thou dost walk before Me as David thy father walked, in simplicity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee -- My statutes and My judgments thou dost keep --

5 then I have established the throne of thy kingdom over Israel -- to the age, as I spake unto David thy father, saying, There is not cut off to thee a man from `being' on the throne of Israel.

6 `If ye at all turn back -- you and your sons -- from after Me, and keep not My commands -- My statutes, that I have set before you, and ye have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them,

7 then I have cut off Israel from the face of the ground that I have given to them, and the house that I have hallowed for My name I send away from My presence, and Israel hath been for a simile and for a byword among all the peoples;

8 as to this house, `that' is high, every one passing by it is astonished, and hath hissed, and they have said, Wherefore hath Jehovah done thus to this land and to this house?

9 and they have said, Because that they have forsaken Jehovah their God, who brought out their fathers from the land of Egypt, and they lay hold on other gods, and bow themselves to them, and serve them; therefore hath Jehovah brought in upon them all this evil.'

10 And it cometh to pass, at the end of twenty years, that Solomon hath built the two houses, the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king.

11 Hiram king of Tyre hath assisted Solomon with cedar-trees, and with fir-trees, and with gold, according to all his desire; then doth king Solomon give to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 And Hiram cometh out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon hath given to him, and they have not been right in his eyes,

13 and he saith, `What `are' these cities that thou hast given to me, my brother?' and one calleth them the land of Cabul unto this day.

14 And Hiram sendeth to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.

15 And this `is' the matter of the tribute that king Solomon hath lifted up, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer,

16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt hath gone up and doth capture Gezer, and doth burn it with fire, and the Canaanite who is dwelling in the city he hath slain, and giveth it `with' presents to his daughter, wife of Solomon.)

17 And Solomon buildeth Gezer, and Beth-Horon the lower,

18 and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land;

19 and all the cities of stores that king Solomon hath, and the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the horsemen, and the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 The whole of the people that is left of the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, who `are' not of the sons of Israel --

21 their sons who are left behind them in the land, whom the sons of Israel have not been able to devote -- he hath even lifted up `on' them a tribute of service unto this day.

22 And out of the sons of Israel Solomon hath not appointed a servant, for they `are' the men of war, and his servants, and his heads, and his captains, and the heads of his chariots, and his horsemen.

23 These `are' the heads of the officers who `are' over the work of Solomon, fifty and five hundred, those ruling among the people who are labouring in the work.

24 Only, the daughter of Pharaoh went up out of the city of David unto her house that `Solomon' built for her; then he built Millo.

25 And Solomon caused to ascend, three times in a year, burnt-offerings and peace-offerings on the altar that he built to Jehovah, and he perfumed it with that which `is' before Jehovah, and finished the house.

26 And a navy hath king Solomon made in Ezion-Geber, that is beside Eloth, on the edge of the Sea of Suph, in the land of Edom.

27 And Hiram sendeth in the navy his servants, shipmen knowing the sea, with servants of Solomon,

28 and they come in to Ophir and take thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and bring `it' in unto king Solomon.


1 Kings 9:1-28 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And it came to pass when Solomon had completed the building of the house of Jehovah, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,

2 that Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

3 And Jehovah said to him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication which thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.

4 And [as for] thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, [and] wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances;

5 then will I establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

6 [But] if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments, my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them;

7 then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and the house, which I have hallowed to my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a by word among all peoples;

8 and this house, [which] is high, every one that passes by it shall be astonished at, and shall hiss, and they shall say, Why has Jehovah done thus to this land and to this house?

9 And they shall say, Because they forsook Jehovah their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have attached themselves to other gods, and have worshipped them and served them; therefore has Jehovah brought upon them all this evil.

10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Jehovah and the king's house,

11 Hiram the king of Tyre having furnished Solomon with cedar-trees and cypress-trees, and with gold, according to all his desire, -- that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him; and they did not please him.

13 And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul to this day.

14 And Hiram had sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.

15 And this is the account of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

16 -- Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer, and burned it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon's wife.

17 -- And Solomon built Gezer, and lower Beth-horon,

18 and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,

19 and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and cities for chariots, and cities for the horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and on Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 All the people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel,

21 their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, upon them did Solomon impose a tribute of bondservice until this day.

22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen; but they were men of war, and his servants, and his chiefs, and his captains, and captains of his chariots, and his horsemen.

23 These were the chief superintendents that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, that ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David to her house which he had built for her: then he built Millo.

25 And three times in the year did Solomon offer up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar that he had built to Jehovah, and he burned incense upon that which was before Jehovah. So he finished the house.

26 And king Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion-Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.

27 And Hiram sent in the fleet his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon;

28 and they went to Ophir, and fetched thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.


1 Kings 9:1-28 World English Bible (WEB)

1 It happened, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of Yahweh, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,

2 that Yahweh appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

3 Yahweh said to him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication, that you have made before me: I have made this house holy, which you have built, to put my name there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.

4 As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances;

5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, according as I promised to David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man on the throne of Israel.

6 But if you shall turn away from following me, you or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;

7 then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

8 Though this house is so high, yet shall everyone who passes by it be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why has Yahweh done thus to this land, and to this house?

9 and they shall answer, Because they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them: therefore has Yahweh brought all this evil on them.

10 It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Yahweh and the king's house

11 (now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire), that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they didn't please him.

13 He said, What cities are these which you have given me, my brother? He called them the land of Cabul to this day.

14 Hiram sent to the king one hundred twenty talents of gold.

15 This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Yahweh, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it for a portion to his daughter, Solomon's wife.

17 Solomon built Gezer, and Beth Horon the lower,

18 and Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land,

19 and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel;

21 their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them did Solomon raise a levy of bondservants to this day.

22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondservants; but they were the men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work, five hundred fifty, who bore rule over the people who labored in the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David to her house which [Solomon] had built for her: then did he build Millo.

25 Three times a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace-offerings on the altar which he built to Yahweh, burning incense therewith, [on the altar] that was before Yahweh. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.

27 Hiram sent in the navy his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

28 They came to Ophir, and fetched from there gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.


1 Kings 9:1-28 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Now when Solomon came to the end of building the house of the Lord and the king's house, and all Solomon's desires, which he had in mind were effected;

2 The Lord came to him again in a vision, as he had done at Gibeon;

3 And the Lord said to him, Your prayers and your requests for grace have come to my ears: I have made holy this house which you have made, and I have put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there at all times.

4 As for you, if you will go on your way before me, as David your father did, uprightly and with a true heart, doing what I have given you orders to do, keeping my laws and my decisions;

5 Then I will make the seat of your rule over Israel certain for ever, as I gave my word to David your father, saying, You will never be without a man to be king in Israel.

6 But if you are turned from my ways, you or your children, and do not keep my orders and my laws which I have put before you, but go and make yourselves servants to other gods and give them worship:

7 Then I will have Israel cut off from the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for myself, I will put away from before my eyes; and Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples.

8 And this house will become a mass of broken walls, and everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds; and they will say, Why has the Lord done so to this land and to this house?

9 And their answer will be, Because they were turned away from the Lord their God, who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt; they took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why the Lord has sent all this evil on them.

10 Now at the end of twenty years, in which time Solomon had put up the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house,

11 (Hiram, king of Tyre, had given Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees and gold, as much as he had need of,) King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee.

12 But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the towns which Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them.

13 And he said, What sort of towns are these which you have given me, my brother? So they were named the land of Cabul, to this day.

14 And Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.

15 Now, this was the way of Solomon's system of forced work for the building of the Lord's house and of the king's house, and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Megiddo and Gezer. ...

16 Pharaoh, king of Egypt, came and took Gezer, burning it down and putting to death the Canaanites living in the town, and he gave it for a bride-offering to his daughter, Solomon's wife. ...

17 ... and Solomon was the builder of Gezer and Beth-horon the lower,

18 And Baalath and Tamar in the waste land, in that land;

19 And all the store-towns and the towns which Solomon had for his war-carriages and for his horsemen, and everything which it was his pleasure to put up in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land under his rule.

20 As for the rest of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not children of Israel;

21 Their children who were still in the land, and whom the children of Israel had not been able to put to complete destruction, them did Solomon put to forced work, to this day.

22 But Solomon did not put the children of Israel to forced work; they were the men of war, his servants, his captains, and his chiefs, captains of his war-carriages and of his horsemen.

23 These were the chiefs of the overseers of Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, in authority over the people who did the work.

24 At that time Solomon made Pharaoh's daughter come up from the town of David to the house which he had made for her: then he made the Millo.

25 Three times in the year it was Solomon's way to give burned offerings and peace-offerings on the altar he had made to the Lord, causing his fire-offering to go up on the altar before the Lord.

26 And King Solomon made a sea-force of ships in Ezion-geber, by Eloth, on the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.

27 Hiram sent his servants, who were experienced seamen, in the sea-force with Solomon's men.

28 And they came to Ophir, where they got four hundred and twenty talents of gold, and took it back to King Solomon.

Commentary on 1 Kings 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 9

1Ki 9:1-9. God's Covenant in a Second Vision with Solomon.

1. And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house—This first verse is connected with 1Ki 9:11, all that is contained between 1Ki 9:2-10 being parenthetical.

2. That—rather, "For."

the Lord appeared—This appearance was, like the former one at Gibeon, most probably made in a supernatural vision, and on the night immediately following the dedication of the temple (2Ch 7:12). The strain of it corresponds to this view, for it consists of direct answers to his solemn inaugural prayer (1Ki 9:3 is in answer to 1Ki 8:29; 1Ki 9:4, 5 is in answer to 1Ki 8:25, 26; 1Ki 9:6-9 to 1Ki 8:33-46; see also De 29:22-24).

8. this house, which is high—"high," either in point of situation, for it was built on a hill, and therefore conspicuous to every beholder; or "high" in respect to privilege, honor, and renown; or this "house of the Most High," notwithstanding all its beauty and magnificence, shall be destroyed, and remain in such a state of ruin and degradation as to be a striking monument of the just judgment of God. The record of this second vision, in which were rehearsed the conditions of God's covenant with Solomon and the consequences of breaking them, is inserted here as a proper introduction to the narrative about to be given of this king's commercial enterprises and ambitious desire for worldly glory; for this king, by encouraging an influx of foreign people and a taste for foreign luxuries, rapidly corrupted his own mind and that of this subjects, so that they turned from following God, they and their children (1Ki 9:6).

1Ki 9:10-23. The Mutual Presents of Solomon and Hiram.

10. at the end of twenty years—Seven and a half years were spent in building the temple, and twelve and a half or thirteen in the erection of his palace (1Ki 7:1; 2Ch 8:1). This verse is only a recapitulation of 1Ki 9:1, necessary to recover the thread of connection in the narrative.

11. Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee—According to Josephus, they were situated on the northwest of it, adjacent to Tyre. Though lying within the boundaries of the promised land (Ge 15:18; Jos 1:4), they had never been conquered till then, and were inhabited by Canaanite heathens (Jud 4:2-13; 2Ki 15:29). They were probably given to Hiram, whose dominions were small, as a remuneration for his important services in furnishing workmen, materials, and an immense quantity of wrought gold (1Ki 9:14) for the temple and other buildings [Michaelis]. The gold, however, as others think, may have been the amount of forfeits paid to Solomon by Hiram for not being able to answer the riddles and apothegms, with which, according to Josephus, in their private correspondence, the two sovereigns amused themselves. Hiram having refused these cities, probably on account of their inland situation making them unsuitable to his maritime and commercial people, Solomon satisfied his ally in some other way; and, taking these cities into his own hands, he first repaired their shattered walls, then filled them with a colony of Hebrews (2Ch 8:2).

15-24. this is the reason of the levy—A levy refers both to men and money, and the necessity for Solomon making it arose from the many gigantic works he undertook to erect.

Millo—part of the fort of Jerusalem on Mount Zion (2Sa 5:9; 1Ch 11:8), or a row of stone bastions around Mount Zion, Millo being the great corner tower of that fortified wall (1Ki 11:27; 2Ch 32:5).

the wall of Jerusalem—either repairing some breaches in it (1Ki 11:27), or extending it so as to enclose Mount Zion.

Hazor—fortified on account of its importance as a town in the northern boundary of the country.

Megiddo—(now Leijun)—Lying in the great caravan road between Egypt and Damascus, it was the key to the north of Palestine by the western lowlands, and therefore fortified.

Gezer—on the western confines of Ephraim, and, though a Levitical city, occupied by the Canaanites. Having fallen by right of conquest to the king of Egypt, who for some cause attacked it, it was given by him as a dowry to his daughter, and fortified by Solomon.

17. Beth-horon the nether—situated on the way from Joppa to Jerusalem and Gibeon; it required, from so public a road, to be strongly garrisoned.

18. Baalath—Baal-bek.

Tadmor—Palmyra, between Damascus and the Euphrates, was rebuilt and fortified as a security against invasion from northern Asia. In accomplishing these and various other works which were carried on throughout the kingdom, especially in the north, where Rezon of Damascus, his enemy, might prove dangerous, he employed vast numbers of the Canaanites as galley slaves (2Ch 2:18), treating them as prisoners of war, who were compelled to do the drudgery and hard labor, while the Israelites were only engaged in honorable employment.

23. These were the chief of the officers—(See on 2Ch 8:10).

1Ki 9:24-28. Solomon's Yearly Sacrifices.

24, 25. three times in a year—namely, at the passover, pentecost, and feast of tabernacles (2Ch 8:13; 31:3). The circumstances mentioned in these two verses form a proper conclusion to the record of his buildings and show that his design in erecting those at Jerusalem was to remedy defects existing at the commencement of his reign (see 1Ki 3:1-4).

26. Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth—These were neighboring ports at the head of the eastern or Elanitic branch of the Red Sea. Tyrian ship carpenters and sailors were sent there for Solomon's vessels (see on 2Ch 8:17, 18).

Ezion-geber—that is, "the giant's backbone"; so called from a reef of rocks at the entrance of the harbor.

Eloth—Elim or Elath; that is, "the trees"; a grove of terebinths still exists at the head of the gulf.

28. Ophir—a general name, like the East or West Indies with us, for all the southern regions lying on the African, Arabian, or Indian seas, in so far as at that time known [Heeren].

gold, four hundred and twenty talents—(See on 2Ch 8:18). At 125 pounds Troy, or 1500 ounces to the talent, and about £4 to the ounce, this would make £2,604,000.