Bible Commentaries

And it came to pass at the end of ^a twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the LORD, and his own house,

(a) Signifying that he was 20 years in building them.

That the cities which Huram had ^b restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.

(b) That is, which Hiram gave again to Solomon because they did not please him and therefore called them Cabul, that is, dirt or filth, (1 Kings 9:13).

And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the ^c store cities, which he built in Hamath.

(c) Meaning of munitions and treasures for the war.

Also he built ^d Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;

(d) That is, he repaired and fortified them, for they were built long before by Sherah a noble woman of the tribe of Ephraim, (1 Chronicles 6:68) , (1 Chronicles 7:24).

And these [were] the chief of king Solomon's officers, [even] ^f two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.

(f) For in all there were 3300 but here he means of them who had the principal charge, (1 Kings 9:23).

Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, ^g three times in the year, [even] in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

(g) Read (Leviticus 23:1-44).

Now all the ^h work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. [So] the house of the LORD was perfected.

(h) Both for the matte and also for the workmanship.

Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the ⁱ sea side in the land of Edom.

(i) Meaning, the Red Sea.

And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence ^k four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought [them] to king Solomon.

(k) Which is thought to amount to 3,600,000 crowns, for here mention is made of 30 more than are spoken of, (1 Kings 9:28).