耶和華再次向所羅門顯現

所羅門建完耶和華的殿、自己的王宮和所有要建的建築後, 耶和華像在基遍一樣再次向他顯現, 對他說:「我聽了你的禱告和祈求。我已使你建的殿成為聖潔之地,讓我的名永在其中,我會一直眷顧這殿。 如果你像你父親大衛一樣存誠實正直的心事奉我,遵行我的一切吩咐,謹守我的律例和典章, 我必使你的王位在以色列永遠穩固,正如我曾向你父親大衛應許要使他的王朝永不中斷。

「然而,如果你們及你們的子孫離棄我,不守我的誡命和律例,去供奉、祭拜別的神明, 我必把以色列人從我賜給他們的土地上剷除,並離棄我為自己的名而使之聖潔的這殿,使以色列人在萬民中成為笑柄,被人嘲諷。 這殿雖然宏偉,但將來經過的人必驚訝,譏笑說,『耶和華為什麼這樣對待這地方和這殿呢?』 人們會回答,『因為他們背棄曾領他們祖先離開埃及的耶和華——他們的上帝,去追隨、祭拜、供奉別的神明,所以耶和華把這一切災禍降在他們身上。』」

所羅門的事蹟

10 所羅門用二十年的時間興建了耶和華的殿和自己的王宮。 11 泰爾王希蘭供應了所羅門所需要的一切香柏木、松木和黃金,所羅門王就把加利利一帶的二十座城送給他。 12 希蘭從泰爾去視察這些城,然後滿心不悅地對所羅門說: 13 「兄弟啊,你送給我的是什麼城邑呀?」因此,他稱這個地區為迦步勒[a],沿用至今。 14 希蘭供應了所羅門王約四噸金子。

15 所羅門徵召勞役興建耶和華的殿、自己的王宮、米羅堡和耶路撒冷的城牆以及夏瑣、米吉多和基色。 16 從前埃及王法老攻陷基色,火燒全城,殺了城內的迦南人,把基色賜予女兒,即所羅門之妻作嫁妝。 17 所羅門現在重建基色、下伯·和崙、 18 巴拉和境內沙漠地區的達莫。 19 他還建造了所有的儲貨城、屯車城、養馬城和計劃在耶路撒冷、黎巴嫩及全國興建的城邑。

20 當時國中有亞摩利人、赫人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人的後裔, 21 以色列人沒能滅絕這些外族人,所羅門讓他們服勞役,至今如此。 22 所羅門王沒有讓以色列人服勞役,而是讓他們做戰士、官長、統帥、將領、戰車長和騎兵長。 23 他還任命五百五十名監工負責監管工人。

24 法老的女兒從大衛城遷到為她建造的宮殿以後,所羅門動工興建米羅堡。 25 耶和華的殿落成以後,所羅門每年三次在他為耶和華築的壇上獻燔祭、平安祭並在耶和華面前燒香。

26 所羅門王在以東境內的紅海邊、靠近以祿的以旬·迦別製造船隻。 27 希蘭派有經驗的水手與所羅門的水手一起出海, 28 從俄斐為所羅門王運回了十四噸黃金。

Footnotes

  1. 9·13 迦步勒」希伯來文的意思為「沒有價值」。

耶和华再次向所罗门显现(A)

所罗门建造完了耶和华的殿、王宫和所罗门渴想建造的一切以后, 耶和华就第二次向所罗门显现,像先前在基遍向他显现一样。 耶和华对他说:“你在我面前所作的祷告和恳求,我都已经听见了。你建造的这殿,我已经把它分别为圣,要使我的名永远留在那里;我的眼和我的心也必常在那里。 至于你,如果你像你父亲大卫那样,存诚实和正直的心在我面前行事为人,遵行我一切所吩咐你的,谨守我的律例和典章, 我就必坚固你统治以色列的国位,直到永远,正如我应许你父亲大卫说:‘你的子孙,总不断有人坐以色列的王位。 你们或是你们的子孙,若是转去不跟从我,不遵守我赐给你们的诫命和律例,去事奉别的神,敬拜他们, 我就必把以色列人从我赐给他们的这地上剪除,甚至为自己的名分别为圣的这殿,我也必从我面前把它丢弃不顾,使以色列人在万族中成为笑谈和讥笑的对象。 这殿必成为废墟(按照《马索拉文本》,“成为废墟”应作“甚高”;现参照《叙利亚译本》翻译),经过的人都必惊讶,取笑说:耶和华为甚么向这地和这殿这样作啊? 人要回答说:是因为他们离弃了那把他们的列祖从埃及地领出来的耶和华他们的 神,去亲近别的神,敬拜他们,事奉他们,因此耶和华使这一切灾祸临到他们。’”

所罗门以二十座城回报希兰

10 所罗门用了二十年的时间来建造耶和华的殿和王宫这两座建筑物。 11 因为推罗王希兰曾照着所罗门所喜爱的,以香柏木、松木和金子帮助他,于是所罗门王把加利利地的二十座城给了希兰。 12 希兰从推罗出来,看看所罗门给他的这些城。他不喜欢这些城, 13 他说:“我的兄弟啊,这些就是你送给我的城吗?”于是他给这些城起名叫迦步勒,直到今日。 14 希兰送给所罗门约有四千公斤金子。

所罗门其他建树与功绩(B)

15 这是所罗门王征召服劳役的建筑耶和华的殿和他自己的王宫,以及米罗、耶路撒冷的城墙、夏琐、米吉多和基色的记录。 16 先前埃及王法老上来攻取基色,放火烧城,杀了住在城里的迦南人,把城送给自己的女儿、所罗门的妻子作嫁妆。 17 所以所罗门重建基色、下伯.和仑、 18 巴拉和在犹大地旷野里的他玛, 19 以及属于所罗门所有的一切积货城、屯车城、马兵城,与所罗门在耶路撒冷、黎巴嫩和他统治的各地他喜爱建造的。 20 所有亚摩利人、赫人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人余下的人,他们不是以色列人。 21 他们的子孙仍然留在那地,以色列人不能灭绝他们。于是所罗门征召他们作苦工的奴仆,直到今日。 22 至于以色列人,所罗门却没有使他们作奴仆,而是作他的战士、臣仆、统领、军长、战车长和骑兵长。

23 所罗门有督工五百五十人,负责管理作工的人和监督工程。

24 法老的女儿从大卫城搬到所罗门为她建造的宫里以后,所罗门才重建米罗。

25 所罗门每年三次在他为耶和华建造的祭坛上献上燔祭和平安祭;又在耶和华面前的坛上烧香,这样,他完成了建殿的工程。

26 所罗门王又在以东地、红海边,靠近以禄的以旬.迦别,建造船队。 27 希兰派遣他船队的仆人,就是熟悉航海的船员,与所罗门的仆人一同航海。 28 他们到达了俄斐,从那里取得黄金约有一万四千公斤,运到所罗门王那里。

When Solomon finished the building of the Lord’s house and the king’s house, and all he desired and was pleased to do,

The Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.

The Lord told him, I have heard your prayer and supplication which you have made before Me; I have hallowed this house which you have built, and I have put My Name [and My Presence] there forever. My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually.

And if you will walk before Me, as David your father walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, keeping My statutes and My precepts,

Then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, There shall not fail you [to have] a man upon the throne of Israel.

But if you turn away from following Me, you 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,

Then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them, and this house I have hallowed for My Name (renown) I will cast from My sight. And Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all the peoples.

This house shall become a heap of ruins; every passerby shall be astonished and shall hiss [with surprise] and say, Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?

Then they will answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, Who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have laid hold of other gods and have worshiped and served them; therefore the Lord has brought on them all this evil.

10 At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the Lord’s house and the king’s house,

11 For which Hiram king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with as much cedar and cypress timber and gold as he desired, King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 And Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they did not please him.

13 He said, What are these cities worth which you have given me, my brother? So they are called the Cabul [unproductive] Land to this day.

14 And Hiram sent to the king 120 talents of gold.

15 This is the account of the levy [of forced labor] which King Solomon raised to build the house of the Lord, his own house, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.

16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer, burned it with fire, slew the Canaanites who dwelt in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.

17 So Solomon rebuilt Gezer and Lower Beth-horon,

18 Baalath and Tamar (Tadmor) in the wilderness, in the land of Judah,

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

20 As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not Israelites,

21 Their children who were left after them in the land, whom the Israelites were not able utterly to destroy, of them Solomon made a forced levy of slaves to this day.

22 But Solomon made no slaves of the Israelites; they were the soldiers, his officials, attendants, commanders, captains, chariot officers, and horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers over Solomon’s work, 550 who had charge of the people who did the work.

24 But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the City of David to her house which Solomon had built for her; then he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he built to the Lord, and he burned incense with them before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26 And King Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in Edom.

27 And Hiram sent with the fleet his servants, shipmen who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

28 They came to Ophir and got 420 talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:19 Once on the throne Solomon became a thoroughgoing despot. All political power was taken out of the hands of the tribal sheiks... and placed in the hands of officers who were simply puppets of Solomon. The resources of the nation were expended not on works of public utility but on the personal aggrandizement of the monarch. In the means he took to gratify his passions he showed himself to be little better than a savage (James Orr et al., eds., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). The division of the nation at Solomon’s death with all the weakness and misery that it caused [idolatry, ignoring God, captivity, exile, the loss of the ten tribes] through the coming centuries was the direct outgrowth of Solomon’s unholy self-indulgence (Amos R. Wells, Bible Miniatures). Because of his extensive building program and his extravagant expenditures in the maintenance of his luxurious court, he resorted to forced labor and heavy taxation. Bitter opposition to his rule thus engendered the division of the united kingdom after his death (The New Jewish Encyclopedia).