1 Kings 9:1-9. God's second appearance unto Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:11-22) 1. _when Solomon had finished_ We read (1 Kings 6:38) that Solomon was seven years in building the Temple, and in 1 Kings 7:1 that he was thirteen years building his own house. We find also below (in 1 Kings 9:9) that these p... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time_ In 2 Chron. we are told that this was -by night," therefore in a vision. Josephus says -a vision appearing to the king in his sleep shewed him that God had hearkened to his prayer." _at Gibeon_ Cf. on 1 Kings 3:5 above.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have heard thy prayer_ This could not have been the form of God's message, if thirteen years had passed away since the dedication. God's way is rather that spoken of by Isaiah 65:24 -While they are yet speaking I will hear." The LXX. adds after the first clause of this verse -I have done for thee... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have commanded thee_ The LXX. reads -I commanded him," making the clause refer to David.... [ Continue Reading ]
But _if you shall at all turn from following me_ The insertion of -at all" here is an attempt to give some force to the Hebrew construction. It is a peculiarity of that language to use the infinitive of a verb followed by a finite tense to give emphasis to an expression. But undoubtedly -at all" wea... [ Continue Reading ]
_then will I cut off_ We have once more a passage very parallel to Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 28:37; Deuteronomy 28:45; Deuteronomy 28:63, where -an astonishment, a proverb and a by-word" occurs, as here. this _house … will I cast out of my sight_ It is not here declared what shall be the conseq... [ Continue Reading ]
_And_at _this house_which _is high_ The connexion of these words is very difficult. The Hebrew text, standing alone, must be rendered -And this house shall be high." But in 2 Chron. the relative is expressed, and there can be little doubt that the text here is somehow faulty. The passage in 2 Chron.... [ Continue Reading ]
_out of the land of Egypt_ The LXX. adds -out of the house of bondage." The two 1 Kings 9:8-9 are remarkably parallel to the language of Deuteronomy 29:21-26.... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon's gift to Hiram king of Tyre (Not in Chronicles) 10. _at the end of twenty years_ See 1 Kings 6:38 and 1 Kings 7:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
now _Hiram the king … had furnished_, &c. We read of the supply of timber in 1 Kings 5:10, but the gold mentioned here does not appear in the earlier narrative. From 1 Kings 9:14 below we learn that the amount was -six score talents." Taking the value of a talent of gold at £6000 this sum would be w... [ Continue Reading ]
_came out from Tyre_ The LXX. adds -and went into Galilee.... [ Continue Reading ]
_What cities_are _these which thou hast given me?_ No doubt spoken with a tone of reproach and disappointment. The language of Josephus is -he said to Solomon that he did not want the cities." They are just alluded to in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 8:2) as -the cities which Huram restored to Solomon.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the levy which king Solomon raised (2 Chronicles 8:4-11) 15. _the reason of the levy_ On the nature and amount of this compulsory service see notes on chap. 1 Kings 5:13 seqq. The present passage explains the whole purpose for which it was enforced. _and Millo_ This word is always found in the o... [ Continue Reading ]
For _Pharaoh king of Egypt_ See above on 1 Kings 3:1. _and taken Gezer_ This incursion was probably before Solomon had taken the king's daughter to wife, though Josephus (_Ant._viii. 6, i) says -he gave it to his daughter who had been married to Solomon." Philippson (_die Israelitische Bibel_) sugg... [ Continue Reading ]
_and Beth-horon the nether_ This was one of two towns named respectively -upper" and -nether" Beth-horon which lay between Gibeon and Azekah, the one at the top of the ascent, the other in the valley westward. The latter, which is the place here mentioned, was important as forming a barrier against... [ Continue Reading ]
_and Baalath_ This place is mentioned (Joshua 19:44) among the places which fell to the tribe of Dan, and must therefore have been on the border of the country of the Philistines, and for that reason we may presume that it was included among the places which Solomon strengthened. _and Tadmor in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_and all the cities of store_ In 2 Chronicles 8:4 the expression is STORE-CITIES, which reads better here, and is clearer in sense. These places would be provided so that surplus produce which could be preserved, as corn, oil, wine, &c. might be stored in times of plenty to be ready when need should... [ Continue Reading ]
_which_were _not of the children of Israel_ This clause is added because the people of Canaan had become much mixed up among the Israelite population, being still allowed to live in some cities from which at first it had been found impossible to dislodge them (see above, 1 Kings 9:16). But a distinc... [ Continue Reading ]
_whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy_ There is no word to represent -also" in the original, nor does the English sentence require it. The utter destruction spoken of here is that which had been decreed upon them by God's judgement, and which Israel was to be the agent i... [ Continue Reading ]
_But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondman_ This must be read in the light of chap. 1 Kings 5:13. There we are told of Solomon's levy upon all Israel. But the 30,000 men there spoken of had duty forced on them only for a month at a time. Ten thousand served for one month, and were tw... [ Continue Reading ]
_These_were _the chief of the officers_ Better, with R.V. THE CHIEF OFFICERS. This is a select class out of the whole number of such officers. A greater number, 3300, is spoken of in chap. 1 Kings 5:16, and it may be that while the works in Lebanon, and at the Temple and the king's house, were in pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Pharaoh's daughter came up_ On her residence in the city of David, see in 1 Kings 3:1. _Millo_ See above, 1 Kings 9:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
_three times in a year did Solomon offer_ Most likely this means at the three great feasts, the Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. This may be understood in the sense -qui facit per alium, facit per se". But some have contended that Solomon himself performed these priestly acts and that consequent... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon's navy (2 Chronicles 8:17-18) 26. _in Ezion-geber_ The name signifies -the Giant's chine," and it was probably a promontory. Ezion-geber is mentioned first in the narrative of the journey of the Israelites from Egypt (Numbers 33:35). It was the last halting-place before they entered the wil... [ Continue Reading ]
_that had knowledge of the sea_ For which knowledge in ancient times the Phœnicians were the most famous people.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they came to Ophir_ There is not sufficient evidence to decide where Ophir was. The most probable conjectures have been Africa, India and Arabia. But on account of the productions named in connexion with the place in chap. 1 Kings 10:11 Africa has been almost universally given up. And in the decisi... [ Continue Reading ]