1 Kings 9:15

“And this is the reason of the levy which King Solomon raised, etc.] Both of men to work, (<110513>1 Kings 5:13), and of money to defray the expense: it was for to build the house of the Lord; the temple: and his own house; or palace: and Millo; which he repaired: (see Gill on “<090509>1 Samuel 5:9”). and the wall of Jerusalem; which, as Abarbinel says, was a large building, there being three walls one within another: and Hazor; a city in the tribe of Naphtali, and which had been a royal city with the Canaanites; (see <061101>Joshua 11:1 19:36) and Megiddo; which was in the tribe of Manasseh, (<061711>Joshua 17:11) and Gezer; which was in the tribe of Ephraim, and formerly a royal city of the…”

“this is the reason of the levy--A levy refers both to men and money, and the necessity for Solomon making it arose from the many gigantic works he undertook to erect. Millo--part of the fort of Jerusalem on Mount Zion (Sa2 5:9; Ch1 11:8), or a row of stone bastions around Mount Zion, Millo being the great corner tower of that fortified wall (Kg1 11:27; Ch2 32:5). the wall of Jerusalem--either repairing some breaches in it (Kg1 11:27), or extending it so as to enclose Mount Zion. Hazor--fortified on account of its importance as a town in the northern boundary of the country. Megiddo--(now Leijun)--Lying in the great caravan road between Egypt and Damascus, it was the key to the north of…”

“Levy - See the marginal reference note. Millo - See 2 Samuel 5:9 note. The Septuagint commonly render the word ἡ ἄκρα hē akra, “the citadel,” and it may possibly have been the fortress on Mount Zion connected with the Maccabean struggles (1 Macc. 4:41; 13:49-52). Its exact site has not been determined. And the wall of Jerusalem - David’s fortification 2 Samuel 5:9; 1 Chronicles 11:8 had been hasty, and had now - fifty years later - fallen into decay. Solomon therefore had to “repair the breaches of the city of David” 1 Kings 11:27. Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer were three of the most important sites in the holy land. For the two first places, compare the marginal references and notes. Gezer…”

“Raised - Both the levy of men; of which, Kg1 5:13, and the levy of money upon his people and subjects. He raised this levy, both to pay what he owed to Hiram, and to build the works following. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 9:21”

“9:15-24 Solomon used forced labor to complete many building projects (4:6; 5:13-18; 9:20-23; 12:4, 18-19; cp. 1 Sam 8:10-18). 9:15 Solomon strengthened the supporting terraces, which were on a slope of the southeastern ridge in the traditional City of David area of Jerusalem (see 2 Sam 5:9), and the wall of Jerusalem. He also fortified the key cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. Archaeological research shows that the walls and gates of all three cities have distinctive traits attributable to Solomon’s time. Hazor, in the north, was a first line of defense against invasion. Megiddo, in the Plain of Sharon, also had strategic military importance (2 Kgs 23:29-30; Rev 16:12-16).”

“am 2989-3029, bc 1015-975 the reason: Kg1 9:21, Kg1 5:13 to build: Kg1 9:10, Kg1 6:38, Kg1 7:1; Ch2 8:1 Millo: Millo is said to have been a deep valley, between the ancient city of Jebus and the city of David on mount Zion. This Solomon filled up, and built upon; and it became a fortified place, and a place for public assemblies. Kg1 9:24, Kg1 11:27; Jdg 9:6, Jdg 9:20; Sa2 5:9; Kg2 12:20 the wall: Psa 51:18 Hazor: Probably the city Hazor in Naphtali, and the famous capital of Jabin, situated in the lake Merom or Semechon, and placed by Josephus south of Tyre, near Ptolemais. Jos 11:1, Jos 19:36; Jdg 4:2; Kg2 15:29 Megiddo: Kg1 4:12; Jos 17:11; Jdg 5:19; Kg2 9:27, Kg2 23:29, Kg2 23:30; Ch2…”