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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T K I N G S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. IX.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In this chapter we have,
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I. The answer which God, in a vision, gave to Solomon's prayer, and the
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terms he settled with him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:1-9">ver. 1-9</A>.
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II. The interchanging of grateful kindnesses between Solomon and Hiram,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:10-14">ver. 10-14</A>.
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III. His workmen and buildings,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:15-24">ver. 15-24</A>.
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IV. His devotion,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:25">ver. 25</A>.
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V. His trading navy,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:26-28">ver. 26-28</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>God's Answer to Solomon.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1001.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building
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of the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and the king's house, and all Solomon's
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desire which he was pleased to do,
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2 That the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had
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appeared unto him at Gibeon.
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3 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy
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supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this
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house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and
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mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
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4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked,
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in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all
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that I have commanded thee, <I>and</I> wilt keep my statutes and my
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judgments:
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5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel
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for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall
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not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
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6 <I>But</I> if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your
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children, and will not keep my commandments <I>and</I> my statutes
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which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and
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worship them:
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7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given
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them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I
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cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword
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among all people:
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8 And at this house, <I>which</I> is high, every one that passeth by
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it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why
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hath the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> done thus unto this land, and to this house?
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9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> their
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God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt,
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and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them,
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and served them: therefore hath the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> brought upon them all
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this evil.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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God had given a real answer to Solomon's prayer, and tokens of his
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acceptance of it, immediately, by the <I>fire from heaven</I> which
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consumed the sacrifices (as we find
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+7:1">2 Chron. vii. 1</A>);
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but here we have a more express and distinct answer to it.
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Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. In what way God gave him this answer. He appeared to him, as he had
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done at Gibeon, in the beginning of his reign, in a dream or vision,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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The comparing of it with that intimates that it was the very night
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after he had finished the solemnities of his festival, for so that was,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+1:6,7">2 Chron. i. 6, 7</A>.
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And then
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>,
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speaking of Solomon's finishing all his buildings, which was not till
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many years after the dedication of the temple, must be read thus,
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<I>Solomon finished</I> (as it is
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+7:11">2 Chron. vii. 11</A>),
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and
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>
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must be read, <I>and the Lord had appeared.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. The purport of this answer.
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1. He assures him of his special presence in the temple he had built,
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in answer to the prayer he had made
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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<I>I have hallowed this house.</I> Solomon had dedicated it, but it was
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God's prerogative to hallow it--to sanctify or consecrate it. Men
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cannot make a place holy, yet what we, in sincerity, devote to God, we
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may hope he will graciously accept as his; and <I>his eyes and his
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heart shall be upon it.</I> Apply it to persons, the living temples.
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Those whom God hallows or sanctifies, whom he sets apart for himself,
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have his eye, his heart, his love and care, and this perpetually.
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2. He shows him that he and his people were for the future <I>upon
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their good behaviour.</I> Let them not be secure now, as if they might
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live as they please now that they have the <I>temple of the Lord</I>
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among them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+7:4">Jer. vii. 4</A>.
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No, this house was designed to protect them in their allegiance to God,
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but not in their rebellion or disobedience. God deals plainly with us,
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sets before us good and evil, the blessing and the curse, and lets us
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know what we must trust to. God here tells Solomon,
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(1.) That the establishment of his kingdom depended upon the constancy
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of his obedience
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:4,5"><I>v.</I> 4, 5</A>):
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"<I>If thou wilt walk before me as David did,</I> who left thee a good
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example and encouragement enough to follow it (and advantage thou wilt
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be accountable for if thou do not improve it), <I>if thou wilt walk as
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he did, in integrity of heart and uprightness</I>" (for that is the
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main matter--no religion without sincerity), "<I>then I will establish
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the throne of thy kingdom,</I> and not otherwise," for on that
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condition the promise was made,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps_132:12">Ps. cxxxii. 12</A>.
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If we perform our part of the covenant, God will not fail to perform
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his; if we improve the grace God has given us, he will confirm us to
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the end. Let not the children of godly parents expect the entail of the
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blessing, unless they tread in the steps of those that have gone before
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them to heaven, and keep up the virtue and piety of their ancestors.
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(2.) That the ruin of his kingdom would be the certain consequence of
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his or his children's apostasy from God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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"But know thou, and let thy family and kingdom know it, and be
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admonished by it, that <I>if you shall altogether turn from following
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me</I>" (so it is thought it should be read), "if you forsake my
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service, desert my altar, and go and serve other gods" (for that was
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the covenant-breaking sin), "if you or your children break off from me,
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this house will not save you. But,
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[1.] Israel, though a holy nation, will be cut off
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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by one judgment after another, till they become a proverb and a
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by-word, and the most despicable people under the sun, though now the
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most honourable." This supposes the destruction of the royal family,
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though it is not particularly threatened; the king is, of course,
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undone, if the kingdom be.
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[2.] "The temple, though a holy house, which God himself has
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<I>hallowed for his name,</I> shall be abandoned and laid desolate
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:8,9"><I>v.</I> 8, 9</A>):
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<I>This house which is high.</I>" They prided themselves in the
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stateliness and magnificence of the structure, but let them know that
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it is not so high as to be out of the reach of God's judgments, if they
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vilify it so as to exchange it for groves and idol-temples, and yet, at
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the same time, magnify it so as to think it will secure the favour of
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God to them though they ever so much corrupt themselves. <I>This house
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which is high.</I> Those that <I>now pass by it are astonished</I> at
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the bulk and beauty of it; the richness, contrivance, and workmanship,
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are admired by all spectators, and it is called a stupendous fabric;
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but, if you forsake God, its height will make its fall the more
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amazing, and those that pass by will be as much astonished at its
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ruins, while the guilty, self-convicted, self-condemned, Israelites,
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will be forced to acknowledge, with shame, that they themselves were
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the ruin of it; for when it shall be asked, <I>Why hath the Lord done
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thus to his house?</I> they cannot but answer, It was <I>because they
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forsook the Lord their God.</I> See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+29:24,25">Deut. xxix. 24, 25</A>.
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Their sin will be read in their punishment. They deserted the temple,
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and therefore God deserted it; they profaned it with their sins and
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laid it common, and therefore God profaned it with his judgments and
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laid it waste. God gave Solomon fair warning of this, now that he had
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newly built and dedicated it, that he and his people might not be
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high-minded, but fear.</P>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Solomon and Hiram.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1001.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon
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had built the two houses, the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and the king's
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house,
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11 (<I>Now</I> Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with
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cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his
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desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the
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land of Galilee.
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12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon
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had given him; and they pleased him not.
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13 And he said, What cities <I>are</I> these which thou hast given
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me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this
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day.
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14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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What agreement was made between Solomon and Hiram, when the
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building-work was to be begun, we read before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+5:1-18"><I>ch.</I> v.</A>
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Here we have an account of their fair and friendly parting when the
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work was done.
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1. Hiram made good his bargain to the utmost. He had furnished Solomon
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with materials for his buildings, according to all his desire
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
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and with gold,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
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So far was he from envying Solomon's growing greatness and reputation,
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and being jealous of him, that he helped to magnify him. Solomon's
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power, with Solomon's wisdom, needs not be dreaded by any of his
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neighbours. God honours him; therefore Hiram will.
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2. Solomon, no doubt, made good his bargain, and gave Hiram <I>food for
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his household,</I> as was agreed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+5:9"><I>ch.</I> v. 9</A>.
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But here we are told that, over and above that, he gave him twenty
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cities (small ones we may suppose, like those mentioned here,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>)
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<I>in the land of Galilee,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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It should seem, these were not allotted to any of the tribes of Israel
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(for the border of Asher came up to them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+19:27">Josh. xix. 27</A>,
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which intimates that it did not include them), but continued in the
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hands of the natives till Solomon made himself master of them, and then
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made a present of them to Hiram. It becomes those that are great and
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good to be generous. Hiram came to see these cities, and did not like
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them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>):
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<I>They pleased him not.</I> He called the country the land of
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<I>Cabul,</I> a Phoenician word (says Josephus) which signifies
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<I>displeasing,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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He therefore returned them to Solomon (as we find,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+8:2">2 Chron. viii. 2</A>),
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who repaired them, and then <I>caused the children of Israel to inhabit
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them,</I> which intimates that before they did not; but, when Solomon
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received back what he had given, no doubt he honourably gave Hiram an
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equivalent in something else. But what shall we think of this? Did
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Solomon act meanly in giving Hiram what was not worth his acceptance?
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Or was Hiram humoursome and hard to please? I am willing to believe it
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was neither the one nor the other. The country was truly valuable, and
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so were the cities in it, but not agreeable to Hiram's genius. The
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Tyrians were merchants, trading men, that lived in fine houses, and
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became rich by navigation, but knew not how to value a country that was
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fit for corn and pasture (that was business that lay out of their way);
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and therefore Hiram desired Solomon to take them again, he knew not
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what to do with them, and, if he would please to gratify him, let it be
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in his own element, by becoming his partner in trade, as we find he
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did,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:27"><I>v.</I> 27</A>.
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Hiram, who was used to the clean streets of Tyre, could by no means
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agree with the miry lanes in the land of Cabul, whereas the best lands
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have commonly the worst roads through them. See how the providence of
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God suits both the accommodation of this earth to the various
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dispositions of men and the dispositions of men to the various
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accommodations of the earth, and all for the good of mankind in
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general. Some take delight in husbandry, and wonder what pleasure
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sailors can take on a rough sea; others take as much delight in
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navigation, and wonder what pleasure husbandmen can take in a dirty
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country, like the land of Cabul. It is so in many other instances, in
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which we may observe the wisdom of him whose all souls are and all
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lands.</P>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_24"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_25"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_26"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_27"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ki9_28"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Solomon's Buildings; Solomon's Greatness.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 991.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>15 And this <I>is</I> the reason of the levy which king Solomon
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raised; for to build the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and his own house,
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and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and
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Gezer.
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16 <I>For</I> Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer,
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and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in
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the city, and given it <I>for</I> a present unto his daughter,
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Solomon's wife.
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17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,
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18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
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19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for
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his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon
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desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the
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land of his dominion.
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20 <I>And</I> all the people <I>that were</I> left of the Amorites,
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Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which <I>were</I> not of
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the children of Israel,
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21 Their children that were left after them in the land, whom
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the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy,
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upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this
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day.
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22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen:
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but they <I>were</I> men of war, and his servants, and his princes,
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and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
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23 These <I>were</I> the chief of the officers that <I>were</I> over
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Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the
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people that wrought in the work.
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24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto
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her house which <I>Solomon</I> had built for her: then did he build
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Millo.
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25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings
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and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,
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and he burnt incense upon the altar that <I>was</I> before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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So he finished the house.
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26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which
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<I>is</I> beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of
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Edom.
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27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had
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knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
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28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four
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hundred and twenty talents, and brought <I>it</I> to king Solomon.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here a further account of Solomon's greatness.</P>
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<P>
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I. His buildings. He raised a great levy both of men and money, because
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he projected a great deal of building, which would both employ many
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hands and put him to a vast expense,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
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And he was a wise builder, who sat down first, and counted the cost,
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and would not begin to build till he found himself able to finish.
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Perhaps there was some complaint of the heaviness of the taxes, which
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the historian excuses from the greatness of his undertakings. He raised
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it, not for war (as other princes), which would spend the blood of his
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subjects, but for building, which would require only their labour and
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purses. Perhaps David observed Solomon's genius to lie towards
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building, and foresaw he would have his head and hands full of it, when
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he penned that song of degrees for Solomon, which begins, <I>Except the
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Lord build the house, those labour in vain that build it</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+127:1">Ps. cxxvii. 1</A>),
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directing him to acknowledge God in all his ways, and, by prayer and
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faith in his providence, to take him along with him in all his designs
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of this kind. And Solomon verily began his work at the right end, for
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he built God's house first, and finished that before he began his own;
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and then God blessed him, and he prospered in all his other buildings.
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If we begin with God, he will go on with us. Let the first-fruits be
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his, and the after-fruits will the more comfortably be ours,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+6:33">Matt. vi. 33</A>.
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Solomon built a church first and then he was enabled to build houses,
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and cities, and walls. Those consult not their own interest that defer
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to the last what they design for pious uses. The further order in
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Solomon's buildings is observable. God's house first for religion, then
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his own for his own convenience, then a house for his wife, to which
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she removed as soon as it was ready for her
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:24"><I>v.</I> 24</A>),
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then Millo, the town-house or guild-hall, then the wall of Jerusalem,
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the royal city, then some cities of note and strength in the country,
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which were decayed and unfortified, Hazor, Megiddo, &c. As he rebuilt
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these at his own charge, the inhabitants would be not only his
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subjects, but his tenants, which would increase the revenues of the
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crown for the benefit of his successors. Among the rest, he built
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Gezer, which Pharaoh took out of the hands of the Canaanites, and made
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a present of to his daughter, Solomon's wife,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
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See how God <I>maketh the earth to help the woman.</I> Solomon was not
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himself a warlike prince, but the king of Egypt, who was, took cities
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for him to build. Then he built cities for convenience, for store, for
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his chariots, and for his horsemen,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
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And, <I>lastly,</I> he built for pleasure in Lebanon, for his hunting
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perhaps, or other diversions there. Let piety begin, and profit
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proceed, and leave pleasure to the last.</P>
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<P>
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II. His workmen and servants. In doing such great works, he must needs
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employ abundance of workmen. The honour of great men is borrowed from
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their inferiors, who do that which they have the credit of.
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1. Solomon employed those who remained of the conquered and devoted
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nations in all the slavish work,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:20,21"><I>v.</I> 20, 21</A>.
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We may suppose that they renounced their idolatry and submitted to
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Solomon's government, so that he could not, in honour, utterly destroy
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them, and they were so poor that he could not levy money on them;
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therefore he served himself of their labour. Herein he observed God's
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law
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+25:44">Lev. xxv. 44</A>,
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<I>Thy bondmen shall be of the heathen</I>), and fulfilled Noah's curse
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upon Canaan, <I>A servant of servants shall he be unto his
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brethren,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+9:25">Gen. ix. 25</A>.
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2. He employed Israelites in the more creditable services
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:22,23"><I>v.</I> 22, 23</A>):
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<I>Of them he made no bondmen,</I> for they were God's freemen, but he
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made them soldiers and courtiers, and gave them offices, as he saw them
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qualified, among his chariots and horsemen, appointing some to support
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the service of the inferior labourers. Thus he preserved the dignity
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and liberty of Israel and honoured their relation to God as a kingdom
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of priests.</P>
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<P>
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III. His piety and devotion
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:25"><I>v.</I> 25</A>):
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<I>Three times in a year</I> he offered burnt-offerings extraordinary
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(namely, at the three yearly feasts, the passover, pentecost, and feast
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of tabernacles) in honour of the divine institution, besides what he
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offered at other times, both statedly and upon special occasions. With
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his sacrifices he burnt incense, not himself (that was king Uzziah's
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crime), but the priest for him, at his charge, and for his particular
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use. It is said, He offered <I>on the altar which he</I> himself
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<I>built.</I> He took care to build it, and then,
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1. He himself made use of it. Many will assist the devotions of others
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that neglect their own. Solomon did not think his building an altar
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would excuse him from sacrificing, but rather engage him the more to
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it.
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2. He himself had the benefit and comfort of it. Whatever pains we
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take, for the support of religion, to the glory of God and the
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edification of others, we ourselves are likely to have the advantage of
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it.</P>
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<P>
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IV. His merchandise. He built a fleet of trading ships at Ezion-geber
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:26"><I>v.</I> 26</A>),
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a port on the coast of the Red Sea, the furthest stage of the
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Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+33:35">Num. xxxiii. 35</A>.
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Probably that wilderness now began to be peopled by the Edomites, which
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it was not then. To them this port had belonged, but, David having
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subdued the Edomites, it now pertained to the crown of Judah. The fleet
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traded to Ophir in the East Indies, supposed to be that which is now
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called <I>Ceylon.</I> Gold was the commodity traded for, substantial
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wealth. It should seem, Solomon had before been Hiram's partner, or
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put a venture into his ships, which made him a rich return of 120
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talents
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>),
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which encouraged him to build a fleet of his own. The success of others
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in any employment should quicken our industry; for <I>in all labour
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there is profit.</I> Solomon sent his own servants as factors, and
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merchants, and super-cargoes, but hired Tyrians for sailors, for they
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had <I>knowledge of the sea,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:27"><I>v.</I> 27</A>.
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Thus one nation needs another, Providence so ordering it that there may
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be mutual commerce and assistance; for not only as Christians, but as
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men, we are members one of another. The fleet brought home to Solomon
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420 <I>talents of gold,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+9:28"><I>v.</I> 28</A>.
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Canaan, the holy land, the glory of all lands, had no gold in it, which
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teaches us that that part of the wealth of this world which is for
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hoarding and trading is not the best part of it, but that which is more
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immediately for the present support and comfort of life, our own and
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others'; such were the productions of Canaan. Solomon got much by his
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merchandise, but, it should seem, David got much more by his conquests.
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What were Solomon's 420 <I>talents</I> to David's 100,000 <I>talents of
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gold?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+22:14,29:4">1 Chron. xxii. 14; xxix. 4</A>.
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Solomon got much by his merchandise, and yet has directed us to a
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better trade, within reach of the poorest, having assured us from his
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own experience of both that the <I>merchandise of wisdom is better than
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the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+3:14">Prov. iii. 14</A>.</P>
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