Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 3:1-4

1-4 He that loved the Lord, should, for his sake, have fixed his love upon one of the Lord's people. Solomon was a wise man, a rich man, a great man; yet the brightest praise of him, is that which is the character of all the saints, even the poorest, "He loved the Lord." Where God sows plentifully, he expects to reap accordingly; and those that truly love God and his worship, will not grudge the expenses of their religion. We must never think that wasted which is laid out in the service of God. read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - 1 Kings 3:1-15

Solomon at Gibeon v. 1. And Solomon made affinity, he entered into a family alliance through marriage, with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, making her his wife chiefly for political reasons, for the two kingdoms mere now equally powerful, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, for he was desirous of erecting his own palace, and the house of the Lord, the Temple, and the wall of Jerusalem round about, David having... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - 1 Kings 3:1-28

SECOND SECTIONThe Beginning Of Solomon’s Reign1 Kings 3:1 to 1 Kings 5:14A.—Solomon’s marriage, solemn sacrifice and prayer; first judicial decision1 Kings 3:1-281And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord [Jehovah], and the wall 2[walls] of Jerusalem round about. Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - 1 Kings 3:1-15

the Young King’s Wise Choice 1 Kings 3:1-15 The chapter opens doubtfully. The affinity with Pharaoh, and the two onlys of 1 Kings 3:2-3 are not promising. See Deuteronomy 12:13-14 . Yet there were hopeful features in Solomon’s love for God, and the devotion and obedience by which it was proved. It remained, however, to be seen, which of these influences was to triumph in the outworking of his character. That is always the most urgent, question in life. With too many the early dew and... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - 1 Kings 3:1-28

Breaking Three Commandments 1 Kings 21:1-29 ; 1 Kings 1:1-53 ; 1 Kings 2:1-46 ; 1 Kings 3:1-28 ; 1 Kings 4:1-34 ; 1 Kings 5:1-18 ; 1 Kings 6:1-38 ; 1 Kings 7:1-51 ; 1 Kings 8:1-66 ; 1 Kings 9:1-28 ; 1 Kings 10:1-29 ; 1 Kings 11:1-43 ; 1 Kings 12:1-33 ; 1 Kings 13:1-34 ; 1 Kings 14:1-31 ; 1 Kings 15:1-34 ; 1 Kings 16:1-34 From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 3:1-28

The first brief paragraph in this chapter reveals at once Solomon's strength and weakness. He was strong, for he loved the Lord and walked in the statutes of his father David. However, there was the other side of his nature, to which he yielded in undue measure, even at the beginning. His affinity with Pharaoh, and his marriage with his daughter, while politically astute, was a vital mistake from the standpoint of his relationship with God and the divine purposes. It is at once seen how he... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 3:1-28

1 Kings 3:1 to 1 Kings 4:34 . Early Days, Reign, and Wisdom of Solomon.— The sources of this section are various, and the arrangement of the narrative in the LXX should be noticed. There are ( a) a statistical account of Solomon s reign, referred to, apparently in 1 Kings 11:41, as “ the book of the acts of Solomon” ; ( b) a number of narratives about this reign; ( c) several Deuteronomic additions— e.g. 1 Kings 3:6; 1 Kings 3:14, etc.: and ( d) some very late passages, possibly originally... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Kings 3:2

Only: this particle is used here and 1 Kings 3:3, as an exception to Solomon’s integrity and glory, and as his infirmity, and a blemish to his government, that he himself both permitted and practised this which was expressly forbidden, Leviticus 17:3,Leviticus 17:4; Deuteronomy 12:13,Deuteronomy 12:14, except in some extraordinary cases. Possibly he permitted it because he thought it better to allow an error in a circumstance, than to occasion a neglect of the substance of God’s worship, which... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - 1 Kings 3:1-4

THE RULE OF WISDOMCRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.—1 Kings 3:1. Pharaoh, king of Egypt—Probably Vaphres, but Winer suggests Psusennes. An alliance with so mighty a royal house shows that the Hebrew kingdom enjoyed high renown, and commanded influence among the nations. From the Egyptian monuments a supposed portrait of this princess has been obtained. The “Song of Solomon” is supposed to have her as the immediate theme. Brought her into the city of David—Not admitted into the stronghold of Zion,... read more

C.I. Scofield

Scofield's Reference Notes - 1 Kings 3:2

high places Cf. Leviticus 26:30; Deuteronomy 12:11-14. The use of commanding elevations for altars seems to have been immemorial and universal. In itself the practice was not evil ; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 12:8; Genesis 22:2-4 ; Genesis 31:54; Judges 6:25; Judges 6:26; Judges 13:16-23. After the establishment of Mount Moriah and the temple as the centre of divine worship ; Deuteronomy 12:5; 2 Chronicles 7:12 the pentateuchal prohibition of the use of high places Deuteronomy 12:11-14 which had... read more

Group of Brands