1The cities which Solomon built. 7The Canaanites left in the land are made subject to a tribute; but the Israelites are employed in honourable services. 11Pharaoh's daughter removeth to her house. 12Solomon's daily and festival sacrifices. 14He appointeth the priests and Levites to their orderly charges. 16The work finished. 27Solomon's navy fetcheth gold from Ophir.
1AND it camea to pass at the end 1of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the LORD, and his own house,
a 1 Kings 9:10.
1 Whereof he had spent seven in building the temple of the LORD, and thirteen in building his own palace.
2That the cities which Huram had 2restored to 3Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
2 That is, returned; for, Solomon had given these cities to king Huram for an acknowledgment of the services which he had received from him, but Huram, having no pleasure in them, restored them to Solomon again, who afterward repaired them, and caused them to be inhabited by the Israelites. See 1 Kings 9:11, 12, 13.
3 Or, to him, that is Solomon.
3And Solomon went to 4Hamath-zobah,5 and prevailed against it.
4 See Num. 13 on verse 21.
5 A country, reaching from Batanea unto the Euphrates. See thereof 1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:3.
4And he built 6Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the 7store cities, which he built in 8Hamath.
6 See the annotation at 1 Kings 9 on verse 18.
7 Other, ammunition, or, treasure cities, also verse 6. See 1 Kings 9 on verse 19.
8 The land of Hamath, 1 Chron. 18:3.
5Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and 9Beth-horon the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
9 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 17.
6And 10Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the 11chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, andb all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, 12and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
10 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 18.
11 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 19.
b 1 Kings 9:1.
12 See 1 Kings 7 on verse 2.
7¶As for all the people that were left of the 13Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,
13 See of these nations Gen. 10 on verses 15, 16, etc.; Gen. 15 on verses 19, 20, 21.
8But of 14their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay 15tribute until this day.
14 Namely, of the aforementioned nations.
15 Understand servile or slavish tribute, 1 Kings 9:21, and see the annotation. The meaning is, they were to do servile labor for the king as his bondmen. See also 1 Kings 5 on verse 13, 14. Other, did Solomon cause to come under tribute, that is, compelled them to pay tribute.
9But of the childrenc of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.
c 1 Kings 9:22.
10And these were the chief of king Solomon’s 16officers, even 17two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.
16 Understand those who were set over the workmen and laborers, to supervise their actions and labors. The Hebrew word is also used of other governors and rulers. See 1 Kings 4 on verse 5. Other, forts or garrisons.
17 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 23.
11¶And Solomond brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are 18holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.
d 1 Kings 3:1; 7:8; 9:24.
18 That is, were to serve for a pure, peculiar and holy use, and not for an ordinary dwelling place of men, which might easily be able to profane and pollute them, both with their moral and ceremonial defilements.
12¶Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before 19the porch,
19 Which was between the temple and the court of the priests, that is, before the temple. See 1 Kings 6:3.
13Even 20after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, threee times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
20 That is, in the offerings, which according to the law were to be performed on certain days, observing each day of them. Hebr. in the word, or the matter, daily on the day, or on its day, as in the 14th verse. Compare Exod. 5:13; 1 Kings 10:25. The meaning is, that he diligently observed and kept the appointed days, wherein certain offerings were to be made.
e Exod. 23:14, 15; Deut. 16:16.
14¶And he appointed, according to the order of David 21his father, the 22courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the portersf also by their courses 23at every gate: for so had David the 24man of God commanded.
21 That is, which David, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, had ordained, 1 Chron. 28:19, as also by the direction of the prophets, 2 Chron. 29:25.
22 That is, distinct companies and courses. See of these 1 Chronicles 24; 25; 26. They were of the priests and Levites. The priests were either high priests or common and ordinary priests. The Levites ministered unto the priests, or were singers, or porters, or keepers of the treasury, or those who had the care of some ordinary or extraordinary matters.
f 1 Chron. 9:17.
23 Hebr. at the gate and gate, that is, at every gate. See Gen. 7 on verse 2.
24 See Judges 13 on verse 6.
15And 25they departed not from 26the commandment of the king 27unto the priests and Levites concerning 28any matter, or concerning 29the treasures.
25 Or, there was no departing. Hebr. they departed not. See Job 4 on verse 19.
26 Namely, of Solomon, who would have the ordinance of God, delivered by David and other prophets, precisely kept.
27 That is, which was given and imposed upon the priests and Levites.
28 Touching mostly the persons and offices of the service of God.
29 Namely, of the temple.
16Now all the work of Solomon was prepared 30unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.
30 Other, from the day of the foundation, etc. to the finishing, etc.
17¶Then went Solomon to 31Ezion-geber, and to 32Eloth, at 33the sea 34side 35in the land of Edom.
31 A haven situated at the Reed Sea, or Red Sea. See 1 Kings 9 on verse 26.
32 Also called Elath, Deut. 2:8; 2 Kings 14:22. See there the annotations.
33 Namely, of the Reed Sea, or Red Sea, on the understanding that the same cove, mentioned by the land surveyors as Sinus Elaniticus or Arabicus.
34 Hebr. lip.
35 That is, near the borders of the land of Edom, for the king of Edom extended his dominion unto this very place.
18And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants 36ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to 37Ophir, and took thence 38four hundred and fifty 39talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
36 Hereby may be understood materials prepared for ships. Because a man cannot come from Tyre into the Red Sea with ships, but by a very long voyage. Compare 1 Kings 9:26, 27. Others understand that he sent indeed ships with servants to Joppa, but no ships to go to the Red Sea and to Ophir.
37 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 28.
38 Being included in this number the thirty talents, which the preparations of the ships had cost. Otherwise the clear gain was but four hundred and twenty talents, 1 Kings 9:28.
39 See of the weight of a talent of gold Exod. 25 on verse 39.