1 Kings 9: Yahweh appears to Solomon again; Solomon's cities, workers and ships
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What happens?
When Solomon has finished building Yahweh's house and his own house, Yahweh appears to him a second time, as he had at Gibeon: he has made the house holy, and he will make Solomon's throne firm forever if Solomon walks before him as David did; but if they turn to other gods, he will cut Israel off from the land and throw the house out of his sight. Solomon gives Hiram king of Tyre twenty cities in Galilee, and Hiram is not pleased with them. The chapter tells of the forced labor Solomon raised from the peoples left in the land, while he made no slaves of Israel, and of his building, his offerings three times a year, and his ships that bring gold from Ophir.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 7 of the 28 verses: Yahweh's words to Solomon when he appears to him a second time, in verses 3 to 9 (verse 2 tells that he appeared). Inside them Yahweh gives his promise to David (verse 5) and the words that people passing by will say and the answer they will be given (verses 8 and 9); these are part of Yahweh's own words, so they are in gold. Hiram speaks to Solomon in verse 13. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When Solomon had finished the building of Yahweh’s house, the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
In plain English: When Solomon had finished building Yahweh's house and the king's house, and all that Solomon wanted and was pleased to do (literally: all Solomon's desire that he delighted to do),
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2Yahweh appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.
In plain English: Yahweh appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.
Good to know: The first time is told in : "In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night". This verse does not say whether the second time was also a dream.
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3Yahweh said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before me. I have made this house holy, which you have built, to put my name there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your plea for mercy (this Bible: supplication) that you made before me. I have made holy this house that you have built, to put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there always (literally: all the days).
Good to know: Verses 3 to 9 are Yahweh's own words to Solomon, so they are in gold. In his prayer Solomon asked that Yahweh's eyes be open toward this house "night and day" (); here Yahweh says "my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually".
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4As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances,God speaks
In plain English: As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, with a whole heart (this Bible: in integrity of heart) and with uprightness, doing all that I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and my rules (this Bible: ordinances),
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5then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised to David your father, saying, ‘There shall not fail from you a man on the throne of Israel.’God speaks
In plain English: then I will make the throne of your kingdom over Israel firm (this Bible: establish it) forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You will never lack a man (literally: a man will not be cut off from you) on the throne of Israel.'
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6But if you turn away from following me, you or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,God speaks
In plain English: But if you or your children turn away from following me, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and bow down to them (this Bible: worship them),
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7then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and I will cast this house, which I have made holy for my name, out of my sight; and Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.God speaks
In plain English: then I will cut Israel off from the land (literally: from the face of the ground) that I have given them. This house that I have made holy for my name I will throw out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a taunt (this Bible: a byword) among all peoples.
The Hebrew words: "A proverb" is mashal, which the dictionary gives as "a pithy maxim", a saying. "A byword" is sheninah, "a gibe": a mocking word. has the same two words: "You will become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples".
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8Though this house is so high, yet everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss; and they will say, ‘Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?’God speaks
In plain English: Though this house is so high (literally: and this house will be most high), everyone who passes by it will be shocked (this Bible: astonished) and will hiss. They will say, 'Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?'
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9and they will answer, ‘Because they abandoned Yahweh their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them, and served them. Therefore Yahweh has brought all this evil on them.’”God speaks
In plain English: And they will answer, 'Because they left (this Bible: abandoned) Yahweh their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of (this Bible: embraced) other gods, and bowed down to them and served them. That is why Yahweh has brought all this evil (or: disaster) on them.'"
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10At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, Yahweh’s house and the king’s house
In plain English: At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, Yahweh's house and the king's house
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11(now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and cypress trees, and with gold, according to all his desire), King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
In plain English: (Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar wood and cypress wood, and with gold, as much as he wanted), King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
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12Hiram came out of Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they didn’t please him.
In plain English: Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, and they did not please him (literally: they were not right in his eyes).
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13He said, “What cities are these which you have given me, my brother?” He called them the land of Cabul to this day.
In plain English: He said, "What are these cities that you have given me, my brother?" He (or: people) called them the land of Cabul, to this day.
Good to know: The text does not explain the name Cabul. The dictionary gives it only as "the name of two places in Palestine"; the other is the Cabul on the border of Asher in . The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "he called them Boundary". speaks of "the cities which Huram had given to Solomon", and says Solomon built them.
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14Hiram sent to the king one hundred twenty talents of gold.
In plain English: Hiram sent (or: had sent) the king one hundred twenty talents of gold.
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15This is the reason of the forced labor which King Solomon conscripted: to build Yahweh’s house, his own house, Millo, Jerusalem’s wall, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
In plain English: This is the account (this Bible: the reason; literally: the word) of the forced labor that King Solomon raised: to build Yahweh's house, his own house, the Millo (or: the rampart), the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.
The Hebrew word: "Forced labor" is mas, the word explained in the note on : the dictionary gives it as "a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor". This Bible says "forced labor" in 15 of the 22 verses that use it. and tell of the levy Solomon sent to Lebanon.
Good to know: "Millo" is millo, explained in the note on : the dictionary gives it as "a rampart (as filled in), i.e. the citadel".
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16Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, taken Gezer, burned it with fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it for a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.
In plain English: Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer, burned it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the city. He had given it as a wedding gift (or: dowry) to his daughter, Solomon's wife.
The Hebrew word: "Wedding gift" is shilluach, which the dictionary gives as "a dismissal", and "(of a daughter) dower": what is given with a daughter when she marries. tells that Solomon "took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into David's city".
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17Solomon built in the land Gezer, Beth Horon the lower,
In plain English: In the land, Solomon built (or: rebuilt) Gezer, Lower Beth Horon,
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18Baalath, Tamar in the wilderness,
In plain English: Baalath, and Tamar (or: Tadmor; see the note) in the wilderness,
Good to know: The Hebrew letters here spell Tamar, the name this Bible prints; the dictionary gives Tamar as "the name of three women and a place", and names a Tamar on the south side of the land. The STEPBible meaning for this verse gives "Tadmor", and has "He built Tadmor in the wilderness". The text does not say more.
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19all the storage cities that Solomon had, the cities for his chariots, 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.
In plain English: all the storage cities that Solomon had, the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon wanted (literally: the desire of Solomon that he desired) to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land he ruled.
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20As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel—
In plain English: As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel,
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21their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy—of them Solomon raised a levy of bondservants to this day.
In plain English: their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able to destroy completely (this Bible: utterly destroy): of them Solomon raised forced laborers, slaves (this Bible: a levy of bondservants), to this day.
The Hebrew words: "Utterly destroy" is charam, the word explained in the note on . "A levy of bondservants" is word for word "forced labor of work" (or: of service), with mas, the word for forced labor in verse 15.
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22But of the children of Israel Solomon made no bondservants; but they were the men of war, his servants, his princes, his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.
In plain English: But Solomon made no slaves (this Bible: bondservants) of the children of Israel. They were the men of war, his servants, his officials (this Bible: princes), his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and of his horsemen.
Good to know: Here the text says that Solomon made no slaves of the children of Israel. says "King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men", and in the people tell Solomon's son, "Your father made our yoke difficult". The text does not explain how these fit together.
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23These were the five hundred fifty chief officers who were over Solomon’s work, who ruled over the people who labored in the work.
In plain English: These were the chief officers over Solomon's work: five hundred fifty, who ruled over the people who did the work.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers. has "two-hundred fifty" chief officers, and speaks of "three thousand three hundred who ruled over the people who labored in the work". The text does not explain how the numbers fit together.
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24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of David’s city to her house which Solomon had built for her. Then he built Millo.
In plain English: But Pharaoh's daughter came up from the City of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo (or: the rampart).
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25Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to Yahweh three times per year, burning incense with them on the altar that was before Yahweh. So he finished the house.
In plain English: Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built to Yahweh, burning incense with them on the altar that was before Yahweh. So he finished the house.
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26King Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.
In plain English: King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea (literally: the Sea of Reeds), in the land of Edom.
The Hebrew words: "Red Sea" is yam suf, "sea of reeds", as in the note on . Here it is the sea by Eloth, in the land of Edom.
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27Hiram sent in the fleet his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
In plain English: Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, together with Solomon's servants.
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28They came to Ophir, and fetched from there gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon.
In plain English: They came to Ophir and took gold from there, four hundred twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers. has "four hundred fifty talents of gold", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "a hundred and twenty talents". The dictionary gives Ophir as "a gold region in the East"; the text does not say where it was.
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