Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 9

Verse 4

9:4 And {a} if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, [and] wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

(a) If you walk in my fear, and withdraw yourself from the common manner of men, who follow their sensualities.

Verse 6

9:6 [But] if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will {b} not keep my commandments [and] my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:

(b) God declares that disobedience against him, is the cause of his displeasure, and so of all misery.

Verse 7

9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a {c} proverb and a byword among all people:

(c) The world will make a mockery of you for the vile contempt and abusing of God’s most liberal benefit.

Verse 14

9:14 And Hiram sent to the king {d} sixscore {e} talents of gold.

(d) For his tribute toward the building.

(e) The common talent was about 60 pound weight.

Verse 15

9:15 And this [is] the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and {f} Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

(f) Millo was as the town house or place of assembly which was open above.

Verse 19

9:19 And all the cities {g} of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

(g) Cities for his ammunition.

Verse 20

9:20 [And] all the people [that were] {h} left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which [were] not of the children of Israel,

(h) These were as bondmen and paid what was required, either labour or money.

Verse 23

9:23 These [were] the chief of the officers that [were] over Solomon’s work, {i} five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.

(i) The overseers of Solomon’s works were divided into three parts: the first contained 3300, the second 300, and the third 250 who were Israelites. Here are the two last parts, which make 550. See 2 Chronicles 8:10.

Verse 28

9:28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, {k} four hundred and twenty talents, and brought [it] to king Solomon.

(k) In 2Ch 8:18 , 30 more are mentioned who seem to have been employed for their wages.