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1 Kings 9
New International Version

The Lord Appears to Solomon(A)

9 When Solomon had finished(B) building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared(C) to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

“I have heard(D) the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name(E) there forever. My eyes(F) and my heart will always be there.

4 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart(G) and uprightness, as David(H) your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,(I) 5 I will establish(J) your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail(K) to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

6 “But if you[a] or your descendants turn away(L) from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods(M) and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land(N) I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.(O) Israel will then become a byword(P) and an object of ridicule(Q) among all peoples. 8 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled(R) and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’(S) 9 People will answer,(T) ‘Because they have forsaken(U) the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster(V) on them.’”

Solomon’s Other Activities(W)

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— 11 King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold(X) he wanted. 12 But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 13 “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul,[d](Y) a name they have to this day. 14 Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents[e] of gold.(Z)

15 Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted(AA) to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,[f](AB) the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor,(AC) Megiddo and Gezer.(AD) 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter,(AE) Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon,(AF) 18 Baalath,(AG) and Tadmor[g] in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store cities(AH) and the towns for his chariots(AI) and for his horses[h]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites,(AJ) Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites(AK) (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendants(AL) of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate[i](AM)—to serve as slave labor,(AN) as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves(AO) of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officials(AP) in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughter(AQ) had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.(AR)

25 Three(AS) times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

26 King Solomon also built ships(AT) at Ezion Geber,(AU) which is near Elath(AV) in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.[j] 27 And Hiram sent his men—sailors(AW) who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to Ophir(AX) and brought back 420 talents[k] of gold,(AY) which they delivered to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. 1 Kings 9:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now imposing, all
  4. 1 Kings 9:13 Kabul sounds like the Hebrew for good-for-nothing.
  5. 1 Kings 9:14 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  6. 1 Kings 9:15 Or the Millo; also in verse 24
  7. 1 Kings 9:18 The Hebrew may also be read Tamar.
  8. 1 Kings 9:19 Or charioteers
  9. 1 Kings 9:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  10. 1 Kings 9:26 Or the Sea of Reeds
  11. 1 Kings 9:28 That is, about 16 tons or about 14 metric tons
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1 Kings 9
New King James Version

God’s Second Appearance to Solomon(A)

9 And (B)it came to pass, when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord (C)and the king’s house, and (D)all Solomon’s desire which he wanted to do, 2 that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, (E)as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him: (F)“I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built (G)to put My name there forever, (H)and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 4 Now if you (I)walk before Me (J)as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you (K)keep My statutes and My judgments, 5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, (L)as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 (M)But if you or your sons at all [a]turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 (N)then I will [b]cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated (O)for My name I will cast out of My sight. (P)Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And as for (Q)this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, (R)‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the Lord has brought all this (S)calamity on them.’ ”

Solomon and Hiram Exchange Gifts

10 Now (T)it happened at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king’s house 11 (U)(Hiram the king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress and gold, as much as he desired), that King Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 Then Hiram went from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, but they did not please him. 13 So he said, “What kind of cities are these which you have given me, my brother?” (V)And he called them the land of [c]Cabul, as they are to this day. 14 Then Hiram sent the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.

Solomon’s Additional Achievements(W)

15 And this is the reason for (X)the labor force which King Solomon raised: to build the house of the Lord, his own house, [d]the (Y)Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, (Z)Hazor, (AA)Megiddo, and (AB)Gezer. 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer and burned it with fire, (AC)had killed the Canaanites who dwelt in the city, and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.) 17 And Solomon built Gezer, Lower (AD)Beth Horon, 18 (AE)Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, 19 all the storage cities that Solomon had, cities for (AF)his chariots and cities for his (AG)cavalry, and whatever Solomon (AH)desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 (AI)All the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel— 21 that is, their descendants (AJ)who were left in the land after them, (AK)whom the children of Israel had not been able to destroy completely—(AL)from these Solomon raised (AM)forced labor, as it is to this day. 22 But of the children of Israel Solomon (AN)made no forced laborers, because they were men of war and his servants: his officers, his captains, commanders of his chariots, and his cavalry.

23 Others were chiefs of the officials who were over Solomon’s work: (AO)five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people who did the work.

24 But (AP)Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the City of David to (AQ)her house which [e]Solomon had built for her. (AR)Then he built the Millo.

25 (AS)Now three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them on the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the temple.

26 (AT)King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at (AU)Ezion Geber, which is near [f]Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 (AV)Then Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to (AW)Ophir, and acquired four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 turn back
  2. 1 Kings 9:7 destroy
  3. 1 Kings 9:13 Lit. Good for Nothing
  4. 1 Kings 9:15 Lit. The Landfill
  5. 1 Kings 9:24 Lit. he; cf. 2 Chr. 8:11
  6. 1 Kings 9:26 Heb. Eloth
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1 Kings 9
Evangelical Heritage Version

God Renews His Promises to Solomon

9 When Solomon had finished building the house for the Lord and the house for the king, and he had done all that he desired, 2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, just as he had appeared to him in Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

I have heard your prayer and the plea for mercy that you offered before me. I have consecrated this house, which you built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

4 As for you, if you walk before me in purity of heart and with integrity as your father David did, so that you carry out everything that I command you, and you keep all my statutes and my ordinances, 5 then I will maintain your royal throne over Israel forever, just as I said to your father David, “You will not fail to have a man upon the throne of Israel.”

6 But if any of you[a] or your sons turn away from me and do not keep my commands and statutes, which I set before you, but you serve other gods and bow down to them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the face of the ground which I gave them. I will take my presence away from the house which I consecrated for my Name. Israel will become proverbial as an object of ridicule for all peoples.

8 Though this house is now exalted,[b] all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss[c] and say, “Why did the Lord do this to this land and to this house?”

9 They will reply, “Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and they embraced other gods and worshipped and served them. That is why the Lord brought all this evil on them.”

Solomon Completes His Projects

10 At the end of twenty years, when Solomon had completed these two buildings, the house of the Lord and the house of the king, 11 King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee, because Hiram king of Tyre had been supplying Solomon with cedar and fir wood and with as much gold as he desired. 12 So Hiram left Tyre to see the towns which Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased.

13 He said, “What kind of towns are these towns which you have given me, my brother?” He called them the Land of Kabul,[d] a name they have to this day. 14 Hiram had sent the king one hundred twenty talents[e] of gold.

15 This is the account of the forced labor, which King Solomon raised to build the house for the Lord, his own house, the Millo,[f] and the walls of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and captured Gezer. He burned it and killed the Canaanites who were living in the city. Then he gave it as a wedding present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.) 17 So Solomon built Gezer, lower Beth Horon, 18 Baalath, Tadmor[g] in the wilderness, 19 all of Solomon’s towns for storehouses, the towns for his chariots, the towns for charioteers,[h] and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land he ruled.

20 All the people who remained from the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not part of the people of Israel— 21 their descendants who remained in the land, whom the Israelites were not able to destroy completely—were drafted for forced labor by Solomon. They are serving right up to this day. 22 But Solomon did not press the people of Israel into service. Rather, they were his warriors, his government officials, his staff, his military officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his charioteers. 23 These were the officials who were overseeing Solomon’s work. Five hundred fifty officials were overseeing the people doing the work.

24 Pharaoh’s daughter moved up from the City of David to the house Solomon built for her. Then he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar which he had built before the Lord, and he burned incense before the Lord. In this way he completed the temple.

26 King Solomon built a fleet at Ezion Geber, which is near Elat on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 27 Then, along with that fleet, Hiram sent his servants, men who worked on ships and who knew the sea, to serve with the servants of Solomon. 28 They went to Ophir, and they obtained four hundred twenty talents[i] of gold there and brought it to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 You and your in this verse are plural.
  2. 1 Kings 9:8 The ancient versions read this house will become ruins.
  3. 1 Kings 9:8 Literally whistle, a derisive gesture
  4. 1 Kings 9:13 Kabul means worthless or good-for-nothing.
  5. 1 Kings 9:14 About nine thousand pounds
  6. 1 Kings 9:15 The word Millo appears to be derived from the Hebrew word for fill. Millo probably refers to the stone rampart that supported the palace area.
  7. 1 Kings 9:18 Some Hebrew manuscripts, the ancient versions, and 2 Chronicles 8:4 support the reading Tadmor. The main Hebrew text reads Tamar.
  8. 1 Kings 9:19 The word is sometimes translated horsemen, but it does not seem that cavalry was being used at this time.
  9. 1 Kings 9:28 More than thirty thousand pounds. The parallel text in 2 Chronicles 8:18 reads four hundred fifty talents.
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