The Lord’s Response

When Solomon finished building the temple of the Lord,(A) the royal palace, and all that Solomon desired to do,(B) the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.(C) The Lord said to him:

I have heard your prayer and petition you have made before me. I have consecrated this temple you have built, to put[a] my name there forever;(D) my eyes and my heart will be there at all times.(E)

As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and in what is right, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and ordinances,(F) I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David: You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.(G)

If you or your sons turn away from following me and do not keep my commands—my statutes that I have set before you—and if you go and serve other gods and bow in worship to them,(H) I will cut off Israel from the land I gave them,(I) and I will reject[b] the temple I have sanctified for my name.(J) Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples.(K) Though this temple is now exalted,[c] everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff.[d] They will say, “Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?”(L) Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt. They held on to other gods and bowed in worship to them and served them. Because of this, the Lord brought all this ruin on them.”(M)

King Hiram’s Twenty Towns

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the two houses, the Lord’s temple and the royal palace(N) 11 King Hiram of Tyre(O) having supplied him with cedar and cypress logs and gold(P) for his every wish(Q)—King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. 12 So Hiram went out from Tyre to look over the towns that Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased with them. 13 So he said, “What are these towns you’ve given me, my brother?” So he called them the Land of Cabul,[e] as they are still called today.(R) 14 Now Hiram had sent the king nine thousand pounds[f] of gold.(S)

Solomon’s Forced Labor

15 This is the account of the forced labor(T) that King Solomon had imposed to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the supporting terraces,(U) the wall of Jerusalem,(V) and Hazor,(W) Megiddo,(X) and Gezer.(Y) 16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He then burned it, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and gave it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.(Z) 17 Then Solomon rebuilt Gezer, Lower Beth-horon,(AA) 18 Baalath,(AB) Tamar[g][h] in the Wilderness of Judah, 19 all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, the chariot cities,(AC) the cavalry cities,(AD) and whatever Solomon desired to build(AE) in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.

20 As for all the peoples who remained of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not Israelites— 21 their descendants who remained in the land after them, those whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely(AF)—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is still this way today.(AG) 22 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to slavery;(AH) they were soldiers, his servants, his commanders, his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. 23 These were the deputies(AI) who were over Solomon’s work: 550 who supervised the people doing the work.(AJ)

Solomon’s Other Activities

24 Pharaoh’s daughter moved from the city of David(AK) to the house that Solomon had built for her;(AL) he then built the terraces.(AM)

25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them in the Lord’s presence.(AN) So he completed the temple.(AO)

26 King Solomon put together a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber,(AP) which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 27 With the fleet, Hiram sent his servants, experienced seamen, along with Solomon’s servants. 28 They went to Ophir(AQ) and acquired gold there—sixteen tons[i]—and delivered it to Solomon.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. 9:3 Or by putting
  2. 9:7 Lit send from my presence
  3. 9:8 Some ancient versions read temple will become a ruin
  4. 9:8 Lit hiss
  5. 9:13 = Like Nothing
  6. 9:14 Lit 120 talents
  7. 9:18 Alt Hb traditions, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read Tadmor; 2Ch 8:4
  8. 9:18 Tamar was a city in southern Judah; Ezk 47:19; 48:28.
  9. 9:28 Lit 420 talents

God’s Second Appearance to Solomon(A)

And (B)it came to pass, when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord (C)and the king’s house, and (D)all Solomon’s desire which he wanted to do, that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, (E)as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the Lord said to him: (F)“I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built (G)to put My name there forever, (H)and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you (I)walk before Me (J)as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you (K)keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, (L)as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ (M)But if you or your sons at all [a]turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, (N)then I will [b]cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated (O)for My name I will cast out of My sight. (P)Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And as for (Q)this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, (R)‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the Lord has brought all this (S)calamity on them.’ ”

Solomon and Hiram Exchange Gifts

10 Now (T)it happened at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king’s house 11 (U)(Hiram the king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress and gold, as much as he desired), that King Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 Then Hiram went from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, but they did not please him. 13 So he said, “What kind of cities are these which you have given me, my brother?” (V)And he called them the land of [c]Cabul, as they are to this day. 14 Then Hiram sent the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.

Solomon’s Additional Achievements(W)

15 And this is the reason for (X)the labor force which King Solomon raised: to build the house of the Lord, his own house, [d]the (Y)Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, (Z)Hazor, (AA)Megiddo, and (AB)Gezer. 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer and burned it with fire, (AC)had killed the Canaanites who dwelt in the city, and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.) 17 And Solomon built Gezer, Lower (AD)Beth Horon, 18 (AE)Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, 19 all the storage cities that Solomon had, cities for (AF)his chariots and cities for his (AG)cavalry, and whatever Solomon (AH)desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 (AI)All the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel— 21 that is, their descendants (AJ)who were left in the land after them, (AK)whom the children of Israel had not been able to destroy completely—(AL)from these Solomon raised (AM)forced labor, as it is to this day. 22 But of the children of Israel Solomon (AN)made no forced laborers, because they were men of war and his servants: his officers, his captains, commanders of his chariots, and his cavalry.

23 Others were chiefs of the officials who were over Solomon’s work: (AO)five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people who did the work.

24 But (AP)Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the City of David to (AQ)her house which [e]Solomon had built for her. (AR)Then he built the Millo.

25 (AS)Now three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them on the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the temple.

26 (AT)King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at (AU)Ezion Geber, which is near [f]Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 (AV)Then Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to (AW)Ophir, and acquired four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 turn back
  2. 1 Kings 9:7 destroy
  3. 1 Kings 9:13 Lit. Good for Nothing
  4. 1 Kings 9:15 Lit. The Landfill
  5. 1 Kings 9:24 Lit. he; cf. 2 Chr. 8:11
  6. 1 Kings 9:26 Heb. Eloth

The Lord Appears to Solomon(A)

When Solomon had finished(B) building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, the Lord appeared(C) to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The Lord said to him:

“I have heard(D) the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name(E) there forever. My eyes(F) and my heart will always be there.

“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart(G) and uprightness, as David(H) your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,(I) I will establish(J) your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail(K) to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

“But if you[a] or your descendants turn away(L) from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods(M) and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land(N) I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.(O) Israel will then become a byword(P) and an object of ridicule(Q) among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled(R) and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’(S) People will answer,(T) ‘Because they have forsaken(U) the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster(V) on them.’”

Solomon’s Other Activities(W)

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— 11 King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold(X) he wanted. 12 But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 13 “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul,[d](Y) a name they have to this day. 14 Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents[e] of gold.(Z)

15 Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted(AA) to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,[f](AB) the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor,(AC) Megiddo and Gezer.(AD) 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter,(AE) Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon,(AF) 18 Baalath,(AG) and Tadmor[g] in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store cities(AH) and the towns for his chariots(AI) and for his horses[h]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites,(AJ) Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites(AK) (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendants(AL) of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate[i](AM)—to serve as slave labor,(AN) as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves(AO) of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officials(AP) in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughter(AQ) had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.(AR)

25 Three(AS) times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

26 King Solomon also built ships(AT) at Ezion Geber,(AU) which is near Elath(AV) in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.[j] 27 And Hiram sent his men—sailors(AW) who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to Ophir(AX) and brought back 420 talents[k] of gold,(AY) which they delivered to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. 1 Kings 9:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now imposing, all
  4. 1 Kings 9:13 Kabul sounds like the Hebrew for good-for-nothing.
  5. 1 Kings 9:14 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  6. 1 Kings 9:15 Or the Millo; also in verse 24
  7. 1 Kings 9:18 The Hebrew may also be read Tamar.
  8. 1 Kings 9:19 Or charioteers
  9. 1 Kings 9:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  10. 1 Kings 9:26 Or the Sea of Reeds
  11. 1 Kings 9:28 That is, about 16 tons or about 14 metric tons

Då nu Salomo hade byggt HERRENS hus färdigt, så ock konungshuset, ävensom allt annat som han hade känt åstundan och lust att utföra,

uppenbarade sig HERREN för andra gången för Salomo, likasom han förut hade uppenbarat sig för honom i Gibeon.

Och HERREN sade till honom »Jag har hört den bön och åkallan som du har uppsänt till mig; detta hus som du har byggt har jag helgat, till att där fästa mitt namn för evig tid. Och mina ögon och mitt hjärta skola vara där alltid.

Om du nu vandrar inför mig, såsom din fader David vandrade, med ostraffligt hjärta och i redlighet, så att du gör allt vad jag har bjudit dig och håller mina stadgar och rätter

då skall jag upprätthålla din konungatron över Israel evinnerligen, såsom jag lovade angående din fader David, när jag sade: 'Aldrig skall på Israels tron saknas en avkomling av dig.'

Men om I och edra barn vänden om och övergiven mig, och icke hållen de bud och stadgar som jag har förelagt eder, utan gån bort och tjänen andra gudar och tillbedjen dem,

då skall jag utrota Israel ur det land som jag har givit dem; och det hus som jag har helgat åt mitt namn skall jag förkasta ifrån mitt ansikte; och Israel skall bliva ett ordspråk och en visa bland alla folk.

Och huru upphöjt detta hus nu än må vara, skall då var och en som går därförbi bliva häpen och vissla. Och när man frågar: 'Varför har HERREN gjort så mot detta land och detta hus?',

då skall man svara: 'Därför att de övergåvo HERREN, sin Gud, som hade fört deras fäder ut ur Egyptens land, och höllo sig till andra gudar och tillbådo dem och tjänade dem, därför har HERREN låtit allt detta onda komma över dem.'»

10 När de tjugu år voro förlidna, under vilka Salomo byggde på de två husen, HERRENS hus och konungshuset,

11 gav konung Salomo tjugu städer i Galileen åt Hiram, konungen i Tyrus, som hade försett honom med cederträ, cypressträ och guld, så mycket han begärde.

12 Men när Hiram från Tyrus begav sig ut för att bese de städer som Salomo hade givit honom, behagade de honom icke,

13 utan han sade: »Vad är detta för städer som du har givit mig, min broder?» Och han kallade dem Kabuls land, såsom de heta ännu i dag.

14 Men Hiram sände till konungen ett hundra tjugu talenter guld.

15 Och på följande sätt förhöll det sig med det arbetsfolk som konung Salomo bådade upp för att bygga HERRENS hus och hans eget hus och Millo, ävensom Jerusalems murar, så ock Hasor, Megiddo och Geser.

16 (Farao, konungen i Egypten, hade nämligen dragit upp och intagit Geser och bränt upp det i eld och dräpt de kananéer som bodde i staden, varefter han hade givit den till hemgift åt sin dotter, Salomos hustru.

17 Men Salomo byggde upp Geser, ävensom Nedre Bet-Horon,

18 så ock Baalat och Tamar i öknen där i landet,

19 vidare alla Salomos förrådsstäder, vagnsstäderna och häststäderna, och vad annat Salomo kände åstundan att bygga i Jerusalem, på Libanon och eljest i hela det land som lydde under hans välde.)

20 Allt det folk som fanns kvar av amoréerna, hetiterna, perisséerna hivéerna och jebuséerna, korteligen, alla de som icke voro av Israels barn --

21 deras avkomlingar, så många som funnos kvar i landet efter dem, i det Israels barn icke hade förmått giva dem till spillo, dessa pålade Salomo att vara arbetspliktiga tjänare, såsom de äro ännu i dag.

22 Men av Israels barn gjorde Salomo ingen till träl, utan de blevo krigare och blevo hans tjänare och hövitsman och kämpar, eller uppsyningsmän över hans vagnar och ridhästar.

23 Överfogdarna över Salomos arbeten voro fem hundra femtio; dessa hade befälet över folket som utförde arbetet.

24 Men så snart Faraos dotter hade flyttat upp från Davids stad till det hus som han hade byggt åt henne, byggde han ock Millo.

25 Och Salomo offrade tre gånger om året brännoffer och tackoffer på det altare som han hade byggt åt HERREN, och tände därjämte rökelsen inför HERRENS ansikte. Så hade han då gjort huset färdigt.

26 Konung Salomo byggde ock en flotta i Esjon-Geber, som ligger vid Elot, på stranden av Röda havet, i Edoms land.

27 På denna flotta sände Hiram av sitt folk sjökunnigt skeppsmanskap, som åtföljde Salomos folk.

28 De foro till Ofir och hämtade därifrån guld, fyra hundra tjugu talenter, som de förde till konung Salomo.