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1 Kings 9 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
1 Kings 9 provides some insight into the subtle turn taking place in Solomon.
As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.
1 Kings 9:1-2 ESV
Solomon’s heart was fully invested in building. The Lord appears to him and reminds him of what will ultimately determine his fate. It will not be his legacy of building, but his personal relationship and intimacy with God. God was not asking Solomon to follow Him perfectly. In fact, he uses his father David as the example and we all know David was not perfect. What God was asking of Solomon was not beyond his capability.
It appears Solomon mortgaged land to Hiram of Tyre in return for gold. This money was used to build both the temple and Solomon’s house. Some have estimated the gold to be the modern-day equivalent of 50 million. It also appears that Solomon made a shrewd deal. Hiram considered the land to be worthless and later would give it back. This decision is not necessarily wrong but it does lead to many questions. This was land that God had divinely established for Israel and Solomon was handing it over to foreign rulers without any indication that he was consulting God.
In order to complete all of his building endeavors, Solomon needed labor. He hired remnants of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites to complete his projects. This another questionable decision. These tribes were commanded to be driven out of the land of Canaan and Solomon decided to strategically use them to enhance his projects.
Small compromises lead to big sin struggles. This is why we find God intervening in Solomon’s life at the beginning of this chapter. He gives him the precise reminder he needs during this time. God, in His grace, knows Solomon’s heart and is continuing to give him opportunities to reinvest in what really matters.