1 Kings Chapter 9

Old Testament Historical 28 Verses

What is 1 Kings 9 about?

From Solomon's glory and Temple dedication through the kingdom's division and the ministry of Elijah. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And 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,
2that Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3And 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.
4And 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;
5then 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.
6But 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;
7then 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.
8And 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?
9and 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.
10And 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.
12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
14And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
15And 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.
16Pharaoh 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.
17And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,
18and Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land,
19and 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.
20As 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;
21their 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.
22But 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.
23These 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.
24But 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.
25And 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.
26And 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.
27And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, etc.] Which was done in seven years, (<110638>1 Kings 6:38). and the king’s house; his own palace, which was finished in thirteen years, (<110701>1 Kings 7:1), and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do; all his other buildings, the house for Pharaoh’s daughter, the house of the forest of Lebanon, and may include his vineyards, gardens, orchards, and pools of water, made for his pleasure, (<210204>Ecclesiastes 2:4-6) in which he succeeded and prospered, (<140711>2 Chronicles 7:11).”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“GOD'S COVENANT IN A SECOND VISION WITH SOLOMON. (Kg1 9:1-9) And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house--This first verse is connected with Kg1 9:11, all that is contained between Kg1 9:2-10 being parenthetical.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 2
“This appearance is fixed by 1 Kings 9:1 to Solomon’s twenty-fourth year, the year in which he completed his palace 1 Kings 6:37-38; 1 Kings 7:1. The fact seems to be that, though the temple was finished in Solomon’s eleventh year, the dedication did not take place until his twenty-fourth year. The order of the narrative in Kings agrees with this view, since it interposes the account of the building of the palace 1 Kings 7:1-12, and of the making of the furniture 1 Kings 7:13-51, between the completion of the building of the temple 1 Kings 6:38 and the ceremony of the Dedication 1 Kings 8:0. return to 'Top of…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 3
“For ever - As long as the Mosaic dispensation lasts; whereas hitherto my worship has been successively in several places. Eyes - My watchful and gracious providence. Heart - My tender affection. Shall be there - Shall be towards this place and people. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 9:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 2
“9:2 The Lord had previously appeared to Solomon when granting his desire for wisdom (3:3-15). The Chronicler provides additional details of God’s blessings or judgment, depending on the faithfulness of Solomon and Israel (2 Chr 7:11-22).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“am 3013, bc 991 it came: Kg1 6:37, Kg1 6:38, Kg1 7:1, Kg1 7:51; Ch2 7:11-22 the house: Ch2 8:1-6; Ecc 2:4 all Solomon's: Kg1 9:11, Kg1 9:19; Ecc 2:10, Ecc 6:9 3 Kings (1 Kings) 9:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“The Answer of the Lord to Solomon's Dedicatory Prayer (cf. Ch2 7:11-22). \- Kg1 9:1, Kg1 9:2. When Solomon had finished the building of the temple, and of his palace, and of all that he had a desire to build, the Lord appeared to him the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon, i.e., by night in a dream (see Kg1 3:5), to promise him that his prayer should be answered. For the point of time, see at Kg1 8:1. כּל־חשׁק, all Solomon's desire or pleasures, is paraphrased thus in the Chronicles: לב על כּל־הבּא, "all that came into his mind," and, in accordance with the context, is very properly restricted to…”
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