1 Kings 9

King James Version

Full text for 1 Kings Chapter 9

1¶ And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,

2That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3And the LORD 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 mine heart shall be there perpetually.

4And 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 my judgments:

5Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

6[But] if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments [and] my statutes which I have set before you, but 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 people:

8And at this house, [which] is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

9And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.

10¶ And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, 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.

15¶ And this [is] the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

16[For] Pharaoh 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 present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

17And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

18And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,

19And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20[And] all the people [that were] left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which [were] not of the children of Israel,

21Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.

22But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they [were] men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.

23These [were] the chief of the officers that [were] over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which 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 in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that [was] before the LORD. So he finished the house.

26And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

After completing the temple and his palace, Solomon receives a second divine appearance, where God reaffirms His covenant, promising enduring kingship if Solomon remains obedient, but warning of desolation if Israel turns to idolatry. Solomon then engages in further building projects, including a trade of twenty cities with Hiram of Tyre, and organizes his vast labor force. The chapter concludes with Solomon's regular sacrifices and the establishment of a successful maritime trade route to Ophir for gold.

Medium Summary

Following twenty years of extensive construction, encompassing the LORD's house and his own royal palace, Solomon receives a second divine visitation. God acknowledges Solomon's prayer and hallows the temple, affirming His perpetual presence there. However, this divine promise is conditional: Solomon's throne will be established forever only if he and his descendants walk in integrity and obey God's commandments, as David did. Conversely, God warns that if Israel forsakes Him for other gods, they will be cut off from the land, and the temple will become a desolate byword. The chapter then details Solomon's commercial dealings, including his gift of twenty cities to Hiram, king of Tyre, which Hiram found unsatisfactory. Solomon's continued building efforts are highlighted, funded by a levy on the remaining Canaanite peoples, while Israelites served in military and administrative roles. Finally, Solomon's religious devotion is noted through regular offerings, and his economic prosperity is further demonstrated by the establishment of a navy that brought immense gold from Ophir.

Long Summary

The ninth chapter of 1 Kings opens with the completion of Solomon's extensive building projects, including the magnificent temple of the LORD and his own royal palace, a monumental undertaking spanning twenty years. Upon their completion, the LORD appears to Solomon a second time, reiterating the divine promises previously made at Gibeon. God assures Solomon that He has heard his prayer and has hallowed the temple, declaring His perpetual presence and attention there. Crucially, this divine favor is presented as conditional: if Solomon walks before God with integrity and uprightness, diligently keeping His statutes and judgments as his father David did, then his kingdom's throne will be established over Israel forever. However, a severe warning is issued: should Solomon or his descendants turn away from God, serving and worshipping other deities, then Israel will be cut off from the land, the hallowed temple will be cast out of God's sight, and the nation will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. Passersby will marvel at the desolation and inquire as to its cause, receiving the answer that it was due to their forsaking the LORD their God. Following this divine encounter, the narrative shifts to Solomon's practical governance and international relations. After the twenty years of building, Solomon compensates Hiram, king of Tyre, for his provision of building materials by giving him twenty cities in the land of Galilee. Hiram, however, is displeased with these cities, famously calling the region "Cabul," yet he subsequently sends Solomon a significant sum of gold. The text then elaborates on the reason for Solomon's extensive levy, detailing the construction of Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, and fortified cities such as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. Gezer, notably, had been captured and burned by Pharaoh, who then gifted it to his daughter, Solomon's wife. Solomon rebuilt these and other strategic locations, including store cities and garrisons for his chariots and horsemen. The labor force for these massive projects consisted of the remaining non-Israelite peoples, upon whom Solomon levied a tribute of bondservice, while the children of Israel served as soldiers, administrators, and officers. The chapter concludes by highlighting Solomon's continued religious devotion through thrice-yearly burnt and peace offerings, and his burgeoning maritime trade, establishing a navy at Eziongeber. With Hiram's skilled mariners assisting, Solomon's ships sailed to Ophir, bringing back an immense quantity of gold, further cementing his wealth and power.

Core Concepts

  • Conditional CovenantGod's promise to establish Solomon's throne forever is contingent upon his and Israel's continued obedience to divine commandments and avoidance of idolatry.
  • Divine Presence in the TempleThe LORD declares that He has hallowed the temple built by Solomon, affirming that His name, eyes, and heart shall be there perpetually, signifying its sacred status.
  • Consequences of DisobedienceA severe warning is issued that if Israel forsakes God and serves other deities, they will be cut off from their land, and the temple will be abandoned and become a symbol of desolation.
  • International Relations and TradeSolomon's dealings with Hiram of Tyre, including the exchange of cities for resources and the establishment of a joint maritime venture to Ophir, illustrate his extensive foreign policy and economic reach.
  • Solomon's Building ProgramThe chapter details the vast scope of Solomon's construction projects beyond the temple, including his palace, fortified cities, and infrastructure, which required a significant labor force.
  • Labor OrganizationSolomon's administration of labor differentiated between the remaining Canaanite populations, who were subjected to bondservice, and the Israelites, who served in military and administrative capacities.
  • Wealth from Maritime TradeThe successful naval expeditions to Ophir, facilitated by Hiram's expertise, brought enormous quantities of gold to Solomon, underscoring his immense prosperity and global connections.