1God in a second vision maketh a covenant with Solomon. 10Hiram disliketh the cities given him by Solomon, but maketh him a present in gold. 15Solomon buildeth various cities. 20The Canaanites which remained are subjected to a tribute of bondservice, but the Israelites are reserved for more honourable offices. 24Pharaoh's daughter removeth to her house. 25Solomon's yearly solemn sacrifices. 26His navy, which fetcheth gold from Ophir.
1AND it came to pass, whena Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, andb1all Solomon’s desire which 2he was pleased to do,
a 2 Chron. 7:11.
b 2 Chron. 7:11.
1 That is, all his desire.
2 That is, all that came into Solomon’s heart to make, as is explained 2 Chron. 7:11.
2That the LORD appeared to Solomon 3the second time, asc he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 Namely, after the building and the dedication of the temple, but not after the building of the king’s house, which was finished thirteen years after the temple was built. Some perceive that this appearance happened after that both houses were finished.
c 1 Kings 3:5.
3And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have 4hallowed this house, which thou hast built, 5tod put my name there 6for ever; and 7mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 That is, separated it to an holy use. Also Gen. 2 on verse 3.
5 See 1 Kings 8 on verse 29.
d Deut. 12:11; 1 Kings 8:29.
6 See 1 Kings 8 on verse 13.
7 Understand by the eyes of the Lord His Providence in keeping and preserving the temple, and in protecting, and maintaining the worship of God, which was to be performed there, understanding according to the condition that is here annexed. And understand by His heart, His mercy, and love toward those who would serve Him uprightly in this house.
4And if thou wilt walk 8before me, as David thy father walked, in 9integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
8 See Gen. 17 on verse 1; 1 Kings 8:23.
9 That is, genuineness, accuracy, simplicity. See Gen. 6 on verse 9.
5Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, ase I promised to David thy father, saying, 10Theref shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
e 2 Sam. 7:12, 16; 1 Kings 6:12; 1 Chron. 22:10; Psalm 132:12.
10 See 1 Kings 2 on verse 4.
f 1 Kings 2:4.
6But ifg ye shall 11at all turn 12from 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:
g 2 Sam. 7:14; Psalm 89:29, 30, etc.
11 Hebr. turning away shall turn away.
12 Hebr. from after me, namely, coming, or following, that is, from hearing, believing, fearing, and serving Me according to My Word. Also 1 Sam. 12:20; 2 Kings 18:6. Compare 2 Sam. 2:21.
7Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which Ih have hallowed for my name, will I cast 13out of my sight; andi Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
h Jer. 7:15.
13 Or, from My sight, and from Mine heart. See on verse 3.
i Deut. 28:37.
8Andj at this house, 14which is 15high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall 16hiss; and they shall say, Whyk hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
j 2 Chron. 7:21.
14 This word is here inserted out of 2 Chron. 7:21.
15 Namely, by the declaration of My doctrine and My works.
16 As at those, whom they will scornfully revile. See also such kind of phrase, Jer. 19:8; 49:17; 50:13. Sometimes is also added to this word the nodding of the head, the clapping, and moving of the hands, which are all outward signs and gestures of scornful derision. See Lam. 2:15; Zeph. 2:15.
k Deut. 29:24; Jer. 22:8.
9And they shall answer, Because they 17forsook 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.
17 Namely, by a faithless wretchedness, at which the very heathens themselves did blush, that would not part with their feigned gods, Jer. 2:10, 11.
10¶Andl it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, 18the house of the LORD, and the king's house,
l 2 Chron. 8:1.
18 Namely, the house of the Lord in seven years, 1 Kings 6:38; and the other houses in thirteen years, 1 Kings 7:1.
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 19twenty cities in the land of 20Galilee.
19 Which were situated in the north-border of the land of Canaan, about the Syrians and Zidonians, and bordering upon the tribe of Asher, but (as some perceive) not belonging unto that tribe; because otherwise Solomon could not have given them away. Others are of the opinion, that he gave him only the use, and not the ownership thereof.
20 Which bordered west-ward upon the country of Tyre. For, Galilee is a land having east-ward the Jordan, south-ward the land of Samaria, north-ward the land of Lebanon, west-ward Phenicia, in which Tyre is situated. Galilee is divided into the upper and lower Galilee. Of the upper Galilee surnamed the Galilee of the Gentiles is here spoken, and Mat. 4:15.
12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they 21pleased him not.
21 Hebr. were not right in his eyes. Also Judges 14:3; 1 Chron. 13:4. For which cause Hiram gave them to king Solomon again, as may be gathered out of 2 Chron. 8:2, for there the word restored is used.
13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of 22Cabul unto this day.
22 Namely, because it did not please him, for this word signifies such in Phenicia (unto which Tyrus belonged) as some hold. Others interpret this word, miry, sandy or moorish.
14And Hiram sent to the king sixscorem23talents of gold.
m 120
23 Understand this of common talents; and see the value hereof, Exod. 25 on verse 39.
15¶And this is the reason of the 24levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and 25Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and 26Hazor, and 27Megiddo, and 28Gezer.
24 See hereof 1 Kings 5 on verse 13. The sense is: forasmuch as Solomon had such a stock of money and other furniture for the building of the temple, he caused a certain levy of men, who were to be employed in this work, to further the same with all diligence, until it would be finished.
25 It is thought that this was some great bulwark, about the king’s palace, where the people, at their first entering in, were received; serving as a chamber or watch house for the royal guard. See hereof, 2 Sam. 5:9; 1 Kings 11:27.
26 A city situated in the tribe of Naphtali, at the Jordan. See Joshua 11:10; 19:36.
27 Situated in the half tribe of Manasseh, on the side of the Jordan. See Joshua 12:21; 17:11; Judges 1:27.
28 Located in the tribe of Ephraim. See Joshua 10:33.
16For 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.
17And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the 29nether,
29 Situated in the tribe of Benjamin. Add hereunto out of 2 Chron. 8:5 Beth-horon the upper, situated in the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua 21:22.
18Andn30Baalath, and 31Tadmor in the wilderness, in 32the land,
n 2 Chron. 8:6, etc.
30 Situated in the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:44.
31 Or, Tamor. Some hold this place to be a city situated in the wilderness of Judah, not far from Engedi: others to be the city of Palmyra, situated in the wilderness of Syria.
32 That is, in the land of Israel.
19And all the 33cities of store that Solomon had, and 34cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build 35in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
33 In which all manner of store, provision, and implements for war or likewise of victual, was stored and laid up; otherwise called houses of ammunition and provision. Compare Exod. 1:11.
34 Where the chariots, which were used in war, were kept.
35 See 1 Kings 7 on verse 2; 2 Chron. 8:6.
20And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
21Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly 36to destroy, upon those did Solomon 37levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
36 See Deut. 2 on verse 34.
37 That is, he taxed them as his own slaves. They dwelt among the Israelites, and were called the slaves, or servants of Solomon, Ezra 2:55; Neh. 7:57, because Solomon had made the ordinance concerning these slaves. These bond-men were first to embrace the true religion, otherwise Solomon could not have shown them this kindness, Deut. 7:2. Of the word levy, see also 1 Kings 5:13.
22But of the children of Israel did Solomon makeo 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.
o Lev. 25:39.
23These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, 38five hundred and 39fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
38 2 Chron. 8:10 there are mentioned two hundred and fifty; but know, that these were in all five hundred, as is mentioned here, but, taking by turns the charge of overseeing upon them, they were every time two hundred and fifty.
39 Who by turns executed the office of ten men, to excite and pull on the rest to the work. See the annotation at 1 Kings 5 on verse 16.
24¶But Pharaoh’s daughterp came up out of the 40city of David unto her house which 41Solomon had built for her: then did he build 42Millo.
p 2 Chron. 8:11.
40 See 1 Kings 8 on verse 1.
41 Or, he. Namely, Solomon.
42 See on verse 15.
25¶And three 43times 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 44the LORD. So he finished the house.
43 Namely, at the Passover, Pentecost, and feast of the tabernacle, 2 Chron. 8:13.
44 That is, in the sanctuary, or holy place, just in front of the most holy place, in which the ark was, a sign of God’s presence.
26¶And king Solomon made a navy of ships in 45Ezion-geber, which is beside 46Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
45 This was the 32nd camping-place of the Israelites, Num. 33:35. It was a city with a haven or port situated on the Reed-sea, or Red Sea.
46 Otherwise called Elath, 2 Kings 14:22; a city situated in the land of Edom, on the shore of the Reed-sea. See Deut. 2:8. Azariah, called otherwise Uzziah, the king of Judah, took this city and restored or brought it again to Judah, and re-built it again, 2 Kings 14:22, but under the reign of Ahaz the king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria took it again from the Jews, 2 Kings 16:6.
27And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, 47shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
47 Hebr. men of ships, that is, who lived by navigation.
28And they came to 48Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, 49four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
48 This is held to be an island in the East-Indies, and is called by Josephus, Antiq. lib. 8, cap. 2, Aurea Chersonesus, which we now call Malacca. Some will have this to be Peru in South America.
49 Compare this with 2 Chron. 8:18 with the annotation.