1 Kings 9:12-13 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 9:10-14

What agreement was made between Solomon and Hiram, when the building-work was to be begun, we read before, 1 Kgs. 5:1-18 Here we have an account of their fair and friendly parting when the work was done. 1. Hiram made good his bargain to the utmost. He had furnished Solomon with materials for his buildings, according to all his desire (1 Kgs. 9:11), and with gold, 1 Kgs. 9:15. So far was he from envying Solomon's growing greatness and reputation, and being jealous of him, that he helped to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:12

And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him ,.... For these cities, being in or near Galilee, were not far from Tyre: and they pleased him not ; being either out of repair, as some think; see 2 Chronicles 8:2 or the ground barren, and unfruitful; which is not likely, being in a very fruitful country, as the tribes on which they bordered were: but they were not agreeable to him, they did not suit with the disposition of him and his people, who were given... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:13

And he said ,.... By letter to him: what cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother ? so he called him, being not only his neighbour, but his ally, in friendship and covenant with him; and this he said of them not by way of complaint, or contempt, as unworthy of his acceptance; for so munificent a prince as Solomon would never offer to a king to whom he was so much obliged anything mean and contemptible; but as being unsuitable to him, however valuable they might be in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 9:13

Called them the land of Cabul - Whether this epithet was given to this land by Hiram as a mark of disapprobation, or what is its proper meaning, the learned are not agreed. That there was a country of this name in the promised land in the time of Joshua, is evident enough from Joshua 19:27 , as it was one part of the boundary of the tribe of Asher; hence some interpret the word border or boundary, and so, the Septuagint understood it, for they have translated the Hebrew word ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 9:12

And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. [Heb. were not right in his eyes . It has been conjectured that Hiram had hoped for the noble bay of Acco or Ptolemais (Milman, Rawlinson), but surely he had seaboard enough already. It was rather corn lands he would most need and desire. His disappointment is amply accounted for by the fact that the country assigned him was a hungry and mountainous, and therefore comparatively useless,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 9:13

And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? [Cf. 1 Kings 20:32 . It would seem, at first sight, as if this form of speech was then, as now, the usage of courts. But the Fellahin of Palestine, the "modern Canaanites," still address each other as "my father" or "my brother." See Conder, "Tent-work," p. 332]. And he called them the land of Cabul [The meaning of this word is quite uncertain. The LXX . reads οριον , which shows that they must have read ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 9:12

They pleased him not - It is a reasonable conjecture that, when a question arose with respect to a cession of land, Hiram had cast his eyes on the bay or harbour of Acco, or Ptolemais, and was therefore the more disappointed when he received an inland tract of mountain territory. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 9:13

Cabul is said to be a Phoenician word, and signified “displeasing” (see margin). There is some reason to believe that the cities thus despised by Hiram were restored to Solomon 2 Chronicles 8:2, and that Solomon rebuilt them and colonized them with Israelites. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 9:11-14

1 Kings 9:11-14. Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee Or, near the land of Galilee, bordering upon it; in those parts which were near, and adjoining to, Hiram’s dominions: with the cities, understand the territories belonging to them. These cities, though they were within those large bounds which God fixed to the land of promise, (Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4,) yet were not within those parts which were distributed by lot in Joshua’s time. It is probable they were not... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:10-25

Building development in other cities (9:10-25)Earlier Solomon had borrowed from Hiram about four thousand kilograms of gold to help finance his ambitious building programs. In payment of these debts, Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in northern Israel. Hiram was not satisfied with these cities and returned them (which meant that Solomon had to look for other ways to repay the loan) (10-14; see 2 Chronicles 8:1-2).To strengthen Jerusalem’s security, Solomon rebuilt the Millo (some sort of... read more