And it came to pass at the end of twenty years ,.... From the time Solomon first began to build: when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord, and the king's house; the first was seven years in building, and the other thirteen; in all twenty. read more
(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees ,.... For the building of both his houses; see 1 Kings 5:8 , and with gold, according to all his desire) : which is not before mentioned, and accounts for it from whence Solomon had his gold; if he made no use, as some think he did not, of what his father left him; see 1 Kings 7:51 with which he covered several parts of the temple, and made several vessels in it. Hiram traded to Ophir, and had it from... read more
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
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
And Hiram sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold. Not after the cities had been given him, but before; and it may be rendered "had sent" F13 ישלח "miserat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , and is the sum of the gold he furnished him with for the temple, 1 Kings 9:11 which, according to Brerewood F14 De Ponderibus & Pretiis, Vet. Num. c. 5. , was 540,000 pounds of our money; and, according to another F15 Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 571. ... read more
At the end of twenty years - He employed seven years and a half in building the temple, and twelve years and a half in building the king's house; see 1 Kings 7:1 ; 2 Chronicles 8:1 . read more
Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities - It is very likely that Solomon did not give those cities to Hiram so that they should be annexed to his Tyrian dominions, but rather gave him the produce of them till the money was paid which he had advanced to Solomon for his buildings. It appears however that either Hiram did not accept them, or that having received the produce till he was paid, he then restored them to Solomon; for in the parallel place, 2 Chronicles 8:2 , it is said, The... read more
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
Sixscore talents of gold - This was the sum which Hiram had lent, and in order to pay this Solomon had laid a tax upon his people, as we afterward learn. The whole is very darkly expressed. read more
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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