1 Kings 9 God’s covenant, in a second vision, with Solomon, 1 Kings 9:1–9. The mutual presents of Solomon and Hiram, 1 Kings 9:10–14. Strong holds built by Solomon, 1 Kings 9:15–19. The Gentiles are bondmen: the Israelites not so, 1 Kings 9:20–23.

To wit, in a dream or vision; for that which is mentioned 1 Kings 6:11, seems to have been imparted unto him by some prophet or messenger sent from God with that errand. The time of this revelation was either, 1. After all Solomon’s buildings, as the words thus rendered plainly imply.

I have hallowed this house; I have, by my glorious presence in the cloud, and by my acceptation of thy sacrifices, sanctified it to my proper use and service. For ever; as long as the Mosaical dispensation lasts; whereas hitherto my name and worship hath been successively in several places.

As David thy father walked; who, though he miscarried in some things, yet in the general course of his life was upright and faithful towards me.

Then; upon that condition; for my promise to David was conditional.

If ye shall at all turn from following me; or rather, if ye shall wholly turn, & c.; if you shall wilfully and obstinately depart from God, and violate his laws, as the doubling of the word implies.

Will I cast out of my sight; I will not regard it; I will take away my protection and gracious presence from it. Israel shall be a proverb; their miseries shall be named proverbally, to express extreme calamities. See Deut. 28:37.

Which is high, i.e. exalted in its privileges, glorious, and renowned. The particle which is oft understood, and is here fitly supplied out of 2 Chron. 7:21, where it is expressed. Shall be astonished at its unexpected and wonderful ruin. Shall hiss, by way of contempt and derision. See Jer.

Or, near (as beth oft signifies, as hath been proved before) the land of Galilee, bordering upon it; in those parts which were near and adjoining to Hiram’s dominions: with the cities understand the lands and territories belonging to them. Quest.

He did not accept them for satisfaction, because the cities were out of repair, as appears from 1 Kings 9:13, and the soil not good in his eyes, and therefore he refused them, 2 Chron. 8:2, and expected, and doubtless had, satisfaction some other way, as may be gathered from the following story.

The land of Cabul, i.e. of dirt, as most interpret it. Not that it was a barren soil, as some imagine; for they who describe those parts commend them as fruitful; nor would Solomon have made him so unworthy a return: but because it was not pleasant, nor agreeable to his nor to his people’s humour;…

Or rather, for Hiram had sent. And this seems to be here added, both to declare the quantity of the gold sent, which had been only named before, 1 Kings 9:11, and as the reason why he resented Solomon’s action so ill, because so great a sum required a better recompence.

The levy which king Solomon raised; both the levy of men, of which 1 Kings 5:13, and the levy of money upon his people and subjects, which is sufficiently evident from many scriptures. And this sentence may look both backward and forward.

Not now, but long before this time, and presently after the marriage of his daughter, as is most probable; and it is here mentioned only as the occasion of Solomon’s building it.

In Benjamin, Josh. 18:13–14; and Beth-horon the upper, which is added 2 Chron. 8:5, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, Josh. 16:5, possibly bordering upon Benjamin, and nigh unto the lower Beth-horon; which alone may be here mentioned, either because it was the more famous place, or because it needed…

Baalath, in the tribe of Dan, Josh. 19:40, Josh. 19:44. Tadmor; supposed to be called Tamar, Ezek. 47:19. In the land: this clause may belong either, first, To all the places above mentioned, which are here declared to be in the land of Canaan.

The cities of store; to lay up arms and ammunition for war, and corn or other provisions against a time of scarcity. See Ex. 1:11. In Lebanon; either in the mountain of Lebanon, which being the border of his land, he might build some forts or a frontier city in it; or in the house of the forest of…

He used them as bond-men, and imposed burdens and bodily labours upon them. See 2 Chron. 2:18. Hence some think they are called Solomon’s servants, Ezra 2:55, Ezra 2:58. Quest. Why did not Solomon destroy them, as God had commanded, when now it was fully in his power to do so? Answ.

Object. They were only two hundred and fifty in 2 Chron. 8:10. Answ. First, Those might be officers of another sort; for they are not said to be over the work, as these are, but only over the people.

Three times in a year, i.e. at the three solemn feasts, which is not said exclusively, as is evident both from 2 Chron. 8:13, and from the express and oft-repeated commands of God to offer at other times, which it is absurd to think that Solomon, not yet fallen into sin, should so wickedly and…

Solomon made a navy of ships; not now in the order in which it is placed in the history, but in the beginning of his reign; as appears, because the almug trees which he used in this work were brought in this navy from Ophir, 1 Kings 10:11–12, 2 Chron.

The Tyrians were famous for knowledge of the sea. He sent also ships to join with Solomon’s, 2 Chron. 8:18; not from Tyre, the famous city of Phoenicia, which was in the midland sea, from whence he could not sail to the Red Sea without fetching a vast compass; but from an island in the Red Sea,…

Ophir; a place famous for the plenty and fineness of the gold there; of which see Gen. 2:11–12, Job 22:24, Job 28:16, Ps. 45:9, Isa. 13:12. It is manifest and agreed that it was a part of the East Indies, which though very remote from us, yet was far nearer to the Red Sea, from whence they might…