Day #168

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8 - Audio
1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

1 Kings 9

Once again, Solomon and his successors are confronted with a choice. If they keep the covenant, walking with God the way their father David did, then their throne will be established forever. However, if they turn away from God to worship other deities, then Israel will be cut off from the land, and the very temple that they built for God will be utterly destroyed. History records the tragic choices that they made, and as the historian records the splendors of the Solomonic age, he is setting the stage to show how even the greatest earthly glories are forfeited when people abandon the one true God.

4 = "If you will..." - There is a condition being given here to Solomon...unfortunately we know that Solomon messes this up, big time.

7 = This happens to the nation of Israel as we will see in 2 Kings.

9 = This is our response today to what happened to Israel...go figure, the Bible was right.

11 = Hiram king of Tyre was first encountered in 5:1–18, where Solomon’s wise dealings with him were described. In one sense 9:10–14 simply confirms the impression gained there, that Hiram is the “junior partner” in his relationship with Solomon. The gold mentioned in v. 11 was not referenced in the agreement struck between the two kings in 5:1–18, but Hiram nevertheless supplied Solomon with as much as he desired. Solomon in turn “rewards” him with twenty cities of dubious worth. -ESVSB-

13 = The name Cabul was a pun meaning “like nothing,” an allusion to Hiram’s assessment of the region.

15-23 = Solomon’s labor force. Solomon conducted construction projects in many parts of his kingdom and depended on a combination of conscripted workers under a labor tax system as well as partially enslaved populations. The location of sites mentioned suggests that he felt threatened by Arameans northeast of the Sea of Galilee, Philistines from the coastal plain, and Egyptians from the southwest. The author drew this information from the same source as 5:27–31. -JSB-

15-28 = These are various things that Solomon did during his tenure. We can see that He was very powerful and had authority over the peoples.

2 Chronicles 8

1-16 = Solomon’s Other Accomplishments. Solomon’s further conquests and building projects are revealed, as well as his attention to matters of worship, both for himself and for the people. The success of Solomon’s various building projects are seen as blessings that follow his obedience in building the temple (which, along with his palace, took twenty years to complete). -ESVSB-

10 = 250: 1 Kings 9:23 reads “550.” Medieval commentators (Rashi, Radak) averred that the present v. refers only to Israelites, whereas 1 Kings ch 9 includes the foreign officials. Some have observed that the differential of “300” corresponds to a similar difference between 2:17 (3,600 overseers) and 1 Kings 5:30 (3,300 overseers); thus the total number is the same in each book. This explanation is problematic; Chronicles plainly states that Gentile overseers are involved at 2:17, Israelites here. The present v. may simply be the result of scribal error. -JSB-

*Again, as stated in an earlier post, the number translations/transmissions from Oral to Hebrew to present day English is finicky at best.

16 - The completion of the temple did not come with its building or dedication but with the institution of its regular services.

*Solomon is still faithful to God at this juncture.