1 Kings 9:11

“(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, etc.] For the building of both his houses; (see <110508>1 Kings 5:8,10), and with gold, according to all his desire): which is not before mentioned, and accounts for it from whence Solomon had his gold; if he made no use, as some think he did not, of what his father left him; (see <110751>1 Kings 7:51) with which he covered several parts of the temple, and made several vessels in it. Hiram traded to Ophir, and had it from thence; and he could supply Solomon with it, and did, before he sent a navy thither: that then Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee; that is, by or near it, for they were…”

“Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee--According to JOSEPHUS, they were situated on the northwest of it, adjacent to Tyre. Though lying within the boundaries of the promised land (Gen 15:18; Jos 1:4), they had never been conquered till then, and were inhabited by Canaanite heathens (Jdg 4:2-13; Kg2 15:29). They were probably given to Hiram, whose dominions were small, as a remuneration for his important services in furnishing workmen, materials, and an immense quantity of wrought gold (Kg1 9:14) for the temple and other buildings [MICHAELIS]. The gold, however, as others think, may have been the amount of forfeits paid to Solomon by Hiram for not being able to answer the…”

“By the spirit, if not by the letter, of the Law, Solomon had no right to give away these cities, or any part of the inheritance of Israel Leviticus 25:13-34. But the exigences of a worldly policy caused the requirements of the Law to be set aside. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Galilee - Or, near the land of Galilee, bordering upon it; in those parts which were near, and adjoining to Hiram's dominions: with the cities, understand the territories belonging to them. These cities, though they were within those large bounds which God fixed to the land of promise, Gen 15:18; Jos 1:4, yet were not within those parts which were distributed by lot in Joshua's time. It is probable they were not inhabited by Israelites, but by Canaanites, or other Heathens; who being subdued, and extirpated by David or Solomon, those cities became a part of their dominions; and afterwards were reckoned a part of Galilee, as Josephus notes. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 9:13”

“Now Hiram: Kg1 5:6-10; Ch2 2:8-10, Ch2 2:16 king Solomon: Ch2 8:2 of Galilee: Jos 20:7 3 Kings (1 Kings) 9:12”