358 lines
28 KiB
XML
358 lines
28 KiB
XML
<div2 id="iKi.x" n="x" next="iKi.xi" prev="iKi.ix" progress="54.64%" title="Chapter IX">
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<h2 id="iKi.x-p0.1">F I R S T K I N G S</h2>
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<h3 id="iKi.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="iKi.x-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The answer which God,
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in a vision, gave to Solomon's prayer, and the terms he settled
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with him, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.1-1Kgs.9.9" parsed="|1Kgs|9|1|9|9" passage="1Ki 9:1-9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II.
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The interchanging of grateful kindnesses between Solomon and Hiram,
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<scripRef id="iKi.x-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.10-1Kgs.9.14" parsed="|1Kgs|9|10|9|14" passage="1Ki 9:10-14">ver. 10-14</scripRef>. III. His
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workmen and buildings, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.15-1Kgs.9.24" parsed="|1Kgs|9|15|9|24" passage="1Ki 9:15-24">ver.
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15-24</scripRef>. IV. His devotion, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.25" parsed="|1Kgs|9|25|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:25">ver. 25</scripRef>. V. His trading navy, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.26-1Kgs.9.28" parsed="|1Kgs|9|26|9|28" passage="1Ki 9:26-28">ver. 26-28</scripRef>.</p>
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<scripCom id="iKi.x-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9" parsed="|1Kgs|9|0|0|0" passage="1Ki 9" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="iKi.x-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.1-1Kgs.9.9" parsed="|1Kgs|9|1|9|9" passage="1Ki 9:1-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Kgs.9.1-1Kgs.9.9">
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<h4 id="iKi.x-p1.8">God's Answer to Solomon. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1001.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iKi.x-p2">1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished
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the building of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p2.1">Lord</span>, and the king's house, and all Solomon's
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desire which he was pleased to do, 2 That the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p2.2">Lord</span> appeared to Solomon the second time, as he
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had appeared unto him at Gibeon. 3 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p2.3">Lord</span> said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and
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thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed
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this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever;
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and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 4
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And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in
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integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that
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I have commanded thee, <i>and</i> wilt keep my statutes and my
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judgments: 5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom
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upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying,
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There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. 6
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<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: 7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land
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which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for
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my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb
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and a byword among all people: 8 And at this house,
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<i>which</i> is high, every one that passeth by it shall be
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astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p2.4">Lord</span> done thus unto this land, and to this
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house? 9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the
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<span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p2.5">Lord</span> their God, who brought forth
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their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon
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other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore
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hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p2.6">Lord</span> brought upon them all
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this evil.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p3">God had given a real answer to Solomon's
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prayer, and tokens of his acceptance of it, immediately, by the
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<i>fire from heaven</i> which consumed the sacrifices (as we find
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<scripRef id="iKi.x-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.1" parsed="|2Chr|7|1|0|0" passage="2Ch 7:1">2 Chron. vii. 1</scripRef>); but here
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we have a more express and distinct answer to it. Observe,</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p4">I. In what way God gave him this answer. He
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appeared to him, as he had done at Gibeon, in the beginning of his
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reign, in a dream or vision, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.2" parsed="|1Kgs|9|2|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:2"><i>v.</i>
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2</scripRef>. The comparing of it with that intimates that it was
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the very night after he had finished the solemnities of his
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festival, for so that was, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.6-2Chr.1.7" parsed="|2Chr|1|6|1|7" passage="2Ch 1:6,7">2 Chron.
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i. 6, 7</scripRef>. And then <scripRef id="iKi.x-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.1" parsed="|1Kgs|9|1|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:1"><i>v.</i>
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1</scripRef>, speaking of Solomon's finishing all his buildings,
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which was not till many years after the dedication of the temple,
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must be read thus, <i>Solomon finished</i> (as it is <scripRef id="iKi.x-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.11" parsed="|2Chr|7|11|0|0" passage="2Ch 7:11">2 Chron. vii. 11</scripRef>), and <scripRef id="iKi.x-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.2" parsed="|1Kgs|9|2|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef> must be read, <i>and the
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Lord had appeared.</i></p>
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<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p5">II. The purport of this answer. 1. He
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assures him of his special presence in the temple he had built, in
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answer to the prayer he had made (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.3" parsed="|1Kgs|9|3|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>I have hallowed this
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house.</i> Solomon had dedicated it, but it was God's prerogative
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to hallow it—to sanctify or consecrate it. Men cannot make a place
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holy, yet what we, in sincerity, devote to God, we may hope he will
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graciously accept as his; and <i>his eyes and his heart shall be
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upon it.</i> Apply it to persons, the living temples. Those whom
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God hallows or sanctifies, whom he sets apart for himself, have his
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eye, his heart, his love and care, and this perpetually. 2. He
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shows him that he and his people were for the future <i>upon their
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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
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Lord</i> among them, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.7.4" parsed="|Jer|7|4|0|0" passage="Jer 7:4">Jer. vii.
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4</scripRef>. No, this house was designed to protect them in their
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allegiance to God, but not in their rebellion or disobedience. God
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deals plainly with us, sets before us good and evil, the blessing
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and the curse, and lets us know what we must trust to. God here
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tells Solomon, (1.) That the establishment of his kingdom depended
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upon the constancy of his obedience (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.4-1Kgs.9.5" parsed="|1Kgs|9|4|9|5" passage="1Ki 9:4,5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>): "<i>If thou wilt walk
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before me as David did,</i> who left thee a good example and
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encouragement enough to follow it (and advantage thou wilt be
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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
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establish the throne of thy kingdom,</i> and not otherwise," for on
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that condition the promise was made, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.132.12" parsed="|Ps|132|12|0|0" passage="Ps 132:12">Ps. cxxxii. 12</scripRef>. If we perform our part of
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the covenant, God will not fail to perform his; if we improve the
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grace God has given us, he will confirm us to the end. Let not the
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children of godly parents expect the entail of the blessing, unless
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they tread in the steps of those that have gone before them to
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heaven, and keep up the virtue and piety of their ancestors. (2.)
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That the ruin of his kingdom would be the certain consequence of
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his or his children's apostasy from God (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.6" parsed="|1Kgs|9|6|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "But know thou, and let thy
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family and kingdom know it, and be admonished by it, that <i>if you
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shall altogether turn from following me</i>" (so it is thought it
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should be read), "if you forsake my service, desert my altar, and
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go and serve other gods" (for that was the covenant-breaking sin),
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"if you or your children break off from me, this house will not
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save you. But, [1.] Israel, though a holy nation, will be cut off
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(<scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.7" parsed="|1Kgs|9|7|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), by one
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judgment after another, till they become a proverb and a by-word,
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and the most despicable people under the sun, though now the most
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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. [2.] "The temple, though a holy house,
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which God himself has <i>hallowed for his name,</i> shall be
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abandoned and laid desolate (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.8-1Kgs.9.9" parsed="|1Kgs|9|8|9|9" passage="1Ki 9:8,9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>): <i>This house which is
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high.</i>" They prided themselves in the stateliness and
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magnificence of the structure, but let them know that it is not so
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high as to be out of the reach of God's judgments, if they vilify
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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
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of God to them though they ever so much corrupt themselves. <i>This
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house which is high.</i> Those that <i>now pass by it are
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astonished</i> at the bulk and beauty of it; the richness,
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contrivance, and workmanship, are admired by all spectators, and it
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is called a stupendous fabric; but, if you forsake God, its height
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will make its fall the more amazing, and those that pass by will be
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as much astonished at its ruins, while the guilty, self-convicted,
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self-condemned, Israelites, will be forced to acknowledge, with
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shame, that they themselves were the ruin of it; for when it shall
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be asked, <i>Why hath the Lord done thus to his house?</i> they
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cannot but answer, It was <i>because they forsook the Lord their
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God.</i> See <scripRef id="iKi.x-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.24-Deut.29.25" parsed="|Deut|29|24|29|25" passage="De 29:24,25">Deut. xxix. 24,
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25</scripRef>. Their sin will be read in their punishment. They
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deserted the temple, and therefore God deserted it; they profaned
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it with their sins and laid it common, and therefore God profaned
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it with his judgments and laid it waste. God gave Solomon fair
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warning of this, now that he had newly built and dedicated it, that
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he and his people might not be high-minded, but fear.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="iKi.x-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.10-1Kgs.9.14" parsed="|1Kgs|9|10|9|14" passage="1Ki 9:10-14" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Kgs.9.10-1Kgs.9.14">
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<h4 id="iKi.x-p5.10">Solomon and Hiram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p5.11">b. c.</span> 1001.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iKi.x-p6">10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty
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years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the
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<span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p6.1">Lord</span>, and the king's 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. 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the
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cities which Solomon 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
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given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto
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this day. 14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of
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gold.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p7">What agreement was made between Solomon and
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Hiram, when the building-work was to be begun, we read before,
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<scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.5.1-1Kgs.5.18" parsed="|1Kgs|5|1|5|18" passage="1Ki 5:1-18"><i>ch.</i> v.</scripRef> Here we
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have an account of their fair and friendly parting when the work
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was done. 1. Hiram made good his bargain to the utmost. He had
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furnished Solomon with materials for his buildings, according to
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all his desire (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.11" parsed="|1Kgs|9|11|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:11"><i>v.</i>
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11</scripRef>), and with gold, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.15" parsed="|1Kgs|9|15|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. So far was he from envying
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Solomon's growing greatness and reputation, and being jealous of
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him, that he helped to magnify him. Solomon's power, with Solomon's
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wisdom, needs not be dreaded by any of his neighbours. God honours
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him; therefore Hiram will. 2. Solomon, no doubt, made good his
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bargain, and gave Hiram <i>food for his household,</i> as was
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agreed, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.5.9" parsed="|1Kgs|5|9|0|0" passage="1Ki 5:9"><i>ch.</i> v. 9</scripRef>. But
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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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<scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.19" parsed="|1Kgs|9|19|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) <i>in the
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land of Galilee,</i> <scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.11" parsed="|1Kgs|9|11|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:11"><i>v.</i>
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11</scripRef>. It should seem, these were not allotted to any of
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the tribes of Israel (for the border of Asher came up to them,
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<scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:Josh.19.27" parsed="|Josh|19|27|0|0" passage="Jos 19:27">Josh. xix. 27</scripRef>, which
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intimates that it did not include them), but continued in the hands
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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
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and good to be generous. Hiram came to see these cities, and did
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not like them (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.8" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.12" parsed="|1Kgs|9|12|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:12"><i>v.</i>
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12</scripRef>): <i>They pleased him not.</i> He called the country
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the land of <i>Cabul,</i> a Phoenician word (says Josephus) which
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signifies <i>displeasing,</i> <scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.9" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.13" parsed="|1Kgs|9|13|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. He therefore returned them to
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Solomon (as we find, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.10" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.8.2" parsed="|2Chr|8|2|0|0" passage="2Ch 8:2">2 Chron. viii.
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2</scripRef>), who repaired them, and then <i>caused the children
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of Israel to inhabit them,</i> which intimates that before they did
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not; but, when Solomon received back what he had given, no doubt he
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honourably gave Hiram an equivalent in something else. But what
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shall we think of this? Did Solomon act meanly in giving Hiram what
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was not worth his acceptance? Or was Hiram humoursome and hard to
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please? I am willing to believe it was neither the one nor the
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other. The country was truly valuable, and so were the cities in
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it, but not agreeable to Hiram's genius. The Tyrians were
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merchants, trading men, that lived in fine houses, and became rich
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by navigation, but knew not how to value a country that was fit for
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corn and pasture (that was business that lay out of their way); and
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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
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it be in his own element, by becoming his partner in trade, as we
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find he did, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p7.11" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.27" parsed="|1Kgs|9|27|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>.
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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
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lands have commonly the worst roads through them. See how the
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providence of God suits both the accommodation of this earth to the
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various dispositions of men and the dispositions of men to the
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various accommodations of the earth, and all for the good of
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mankind in general. Some take delight in husbandry, and wonder what
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pleasure sailors can take on a rough sea; others take as much
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delight in navigation, and wonder what pleasure husbandmen can take
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in a dirty country, like the land of Cabul. It is so in many other
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instances, in which we may observe the wisdom of him whose all
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souls are and all lands.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="iKi.x-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.15-1Kgs.9.28" parsed="|1Kgs|9|15|9|28" passage="1Ki 9:15-28" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Kgs.9.15-1Kgs.9.28">
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<h4 id="iKi.x-p7.13">Solomon's Buildings; Solomon's
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Greatness. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p7.14">b. c.</span> 991.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iKi.x-p8">15 And this <i>is</i> the reason of the levy
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which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p8.1">Lord</span>, and his own house, and Millo, and
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the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. 16
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<i>For</i> Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and
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burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the
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city, and given it <i>for</i> a present unto his daughter,
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Solomon's wife. 17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon
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the nether, 18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in
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the land, 19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had,
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and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that
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which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in
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all the land of his dominion. 20 <i>And</i> all the people
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<i>that were</i> left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites,
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Hivites, and Jebusites, which <i>were</i> not of the children of
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Israel, 21 Their children that were left after them in the
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land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to
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destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto
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this day. 22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make
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no bondmen: but they <i>were</i> men of war, and his servants, and
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his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his
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horsemen. 23 These <i>were</i> the chief of the officers
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that <i>were</i> over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which
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bare rule over the people that wrought in the work. 24 But
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Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house
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which <i>Solomon</i> had built for her: then did he build Millo.
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25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt
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offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto
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the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p8.2">Lord</span>, and he burnt incense upon
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the altar that <i>was</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="iKi.x-p8.3">Lord</span>. So he finished the house. 26 And
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king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which <i>is</i>
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beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of 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. 28 And
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they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and
|
||
twenty talents, and brought <i>it</i> to king Solomon.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p9">We have here a further account of Solomon's
|
||
greatness.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p10">I. His buildings. He raised a great levy
|
||
both of men and money, because he projected a great deal of
|
||
building, which would both employ many hands and put him to a vast
|
||
expense, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.15" parsed="|1Kgs|9|15|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. And
|
||
he was a wise builder, who sat down first, and counted the cost,
|
||
and would not begin to build till he found himself able to finish.
|
||
Perhaps there was some complaint of the heaviness of the taxes,
|
||
which the historian excuses from the greatness of his undertakings.
|
||
He raised it, not for war (as other princes), which would spend the
|
||
blood of his subjects, but for building, which would require only
|
||
their labour and purses. Perhaps David observed Solomon's genius to
|
||
lie towards building, and foresaw he would have his head and hands
|
||
full of it, when he penned that song of degrees for Solomon, which
|
||
begins, <i>Except the Lord build the house, those labour in vain
|
||
that build it</i> (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.127.1" parsed="|Ps|127|1|0|0" passage="Ps 127:1">Ps. cxxvii.
|
||
1</scripRef>), directing him to acknowledge God in all his ways,
|
||
and, by prayer and faith in his providence, to take him along with
|
||
him in all his designs of this kind. And Solomon verily began his
|
||
work at the right end, for he built God's house first, and finished
|
||
that before he began his own; and then God blessed him, and he
|
||
prospered in all his other buildings. If we begin with God, he will
|
||
go on with us. Let the first-fruits be his, and the after-fruits
|
||
will the more comfortably be ours, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.33" parsed="|Matt|6|33|0|0" passage="Mt 6:33">Matt. vi. 33</scripRef>. Solomon built a church first and
|
||
then he was enabled to build houses, and cities, and walls. Those
|
||
consult not their own interest that defer to the last what they
|
||
design for pious uses. The further order in Solomon's buildings is
|
||
observable. God's house first for religion, then his own for his
|
||
own convenience, then a house for his wife, to which she removed as
|
||
soon as it was ready for her (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.24" parsed="|1Kgs|9|24|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), then Millo, the town-house or
|
||
guild-hall, then the wall of Jerusalem, the royal city, then some
|
||
cities of note and strength in the country, which were decayed and
|
||
unfortified, Hazor, Megiddo, &c. As he rebuilt these at his own
|
||
charge, the inhabitants would be not only his subjects, but his
|
||
tenants, which would increase the revenues of the crown for the
|
||
benefit of his successors. Among the rest, he built Gezer, which
|
||
Pharaoh took out of the hands of the Canaanites, and made a present
|
||
of to his daughter, Solomon's wife, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.16" parsed="|1Kgs|9|16|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. See how God <i>maketh the earth
|
||
to help the woman.</i> Solomon was not himself a warlike prince,
|
||
but the king of Egypt, who was, took cities for him to build. Then
|
||
he built cities for convenience, for store, for his chariots, and
|
||
for his horsemen, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.19" parsed="|1Kgs|9|19|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:19"><i>v.</i>
|
||
19</scripRef>. And, <i>lastly,</i> he built for pleasure in
|
||
Lebanon, for his hunting perhaps, or other diversions there. Let
|
||
piety begin, and profit proceed, and leave pleasure to the
|
||
last.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p11">II. His workmen and servants. In doing such
|
||
great works, he must needs employ abundance of workmen. The honour
|
||
of great men is borrowed from their inferiors, who do that which
|
||
they have the credit of. 1. Solomon employed those who remained of
|
||
the conquered and devoted nations in all the slavish work,
|
||
<scripRef id="iKi.x-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.20-1Kgs.9.21" parsed="|1Kgs|9|20|9|21" passage="1Ki 9:20,21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>. We may
|
||
suppose that they renounced their idolatry and submitted to
|
||
Solomon's government, so that he could not, in honour, utterly
|
||
destroy them, and they were so poor that he could not levy money on
|
||
them; therefore he served himself of their labour. Herein he
|
||
observed God's law (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.44" parsed="|Lev|25|44|0|0" passage="Le 25:44">Lev. xxv.
|
||
44</scripRef>, <i>Thy bondmen shall be of the heathen</i>), and
|
||
fulfilled Noah's curse upon Canaan, <i>A servant of servants shall
|
||
he be unto his brethren,</i> <scripRef id="iKi.x-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.25" parsed="|Gen|9|25|0|0" passage="Ge 9:25">Gen. ix.
|
||
25</scripRef>. 2. He employed Israelites in the more creditable
|
||
services (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.22-1Kgs.9.23" parsed="|1Kgs|9|22|9|23" passage="1Ki 9:22,23"><i>v.</i> 22,
|
||
23</scripRef>): <i>Of them he made no bondmen,</i> for they were
|
||
God's freemen, but he made them soldiers and courtiers, and gave
|
||
them offices, as he saw them qualified, among his chariots and
|
||
horsemen, appointing some to support the service of the inferior
|
||
labourers. Thus he preserved the dignity and liberty of Israel and
|
||
honoured their relation to God as a kingdom of priests.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p12">III. His piety and devotion (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.25" parsed="|1Kgs|9|25|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>): <i>Three times in a
|
||
year</i> he offered burnt-offerings extraordinary (namely, at the
|
||
three yearly feasts, the passover, pentecost, and feast of
|
||
tabernacles) in honour of the divine institution, besides what he
|
||
offered at other times, both statedly and upon special occasions.
|
||
With his sacrifices he burnt incense, not himself (that was king
|
||
Uzziah's crime), but the priest for him, at his charge, and for his
|
||
particular use. It is said, He offered <i>on the altar which he</i>
|
||
himself <i>built.</i> He took care to build it, and then, 1. He
|
||
himself made use of it. Many will assist the devotions of others
|
||
that neglect their own. Solomon did not think his building an altar
|
||
would excuse him from sacrificing, but rather engage him the more
|
||
to it. 2. He himself had the benefit and comfort of it. Whatever
|
||
pains we take, for the support of religion, to the glory of God and
|
||
the edification of others, we ourselves are likely to have the
|
||
advantage of it.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iKi.x-p13">IV. His merchandise. He built a fleet of
|
||
trading ships at Ezion-geber (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.26" parsed="|1Kgs|9|26|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), a port on the coast of the Red
|
||
Sea, the furthest stage of the Israelites when they wandered in the
|
||
wilderness, <scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.35" parsed="|Num|33|35|0|0" passage="Nu 33:35">Num. xxxiii.
|
||
35</scripRef>. Probably that wilderness now began to be peopled by
|
||
the Edomites, which it was not then. To them this port had
|
||
belonged, but, David having subdued the Edomites, it now pertained
|
||
to the crown of Judah. The fleet traded to Ophir in the East
|
||
Indies, supposed to be that which is now called <i>Ceylon.</i> Gold
|
||
was the commodity traded for, substantial wealth. It should seem,
|
||
Solomon had before been Hiram's partner, or put a venture into his
|
||
ships, which made him a rich return of 120 talents (<scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.14" parsed="|1Kgs|9|14|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), which encouraged him
|
||
to build a fleet of his own. The success of others in any
|
||
employment should quicken our industry; for <i>in all labour there
|
||
is profit.</i> Solomon sent his own servants as factors, and
|
||
merchants, and super-cargoes, but hired Tyrians for sailors, for
|
||
they had <i>knowledge of the sea,</i> <scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.27" parsed="|1Kgs|9|27|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Thus one nation needs another,
|
||
Providence so ordering it that there may be mutual commerce and
|
||
assistance; for not only as Christians, but as men, we are members
|
||
one of another. The fleet brought home to Solomon 420 <i>talents of
|
||
gold,</i> <scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.28" parsed="|1Kgs|9|28|0|0" passage="1Ki 9:28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>.
|
||
Canaan, the holy land, the glory of all lands, had no gold in it,
|
||
which teaches us that that part of the wealth of this world which
|
||
is for hoarding and trading is not the best part of it, but that
|
||
which is more immediately for the present support and comfort of
|
||
life, our own and others'; such were the productions of Canaan.
|
||
Solomon got much by his merchandise, but, it should seem, David got
|
||
much more by his conquests. What were Solomon's 420 <i>talents</i>
|
||
to David's 100,000 <i>talents of gold?</i> <scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.22.14 Bible:1Chr.29.4" parsed="|1Chr|22|14|0|0;|1Chr|29|4|0|0" passage="1Ch 22:14,29:4">1 Chron. xxii. 14; xxix. 4</scripRef>. Solomon got
|
||
much by his merchandise, and yet has directed us to a better trade,
|
||
within reach of the poorest, having assured us from his own
|
||
experience of both that the <i>merchandise of wisdom is better than
|
||
the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold,</i>
|
||
<scripRef id="iKi.x-p13.7" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.14" parsed="|Prov|3|14|0|0" passage="Pr 3:14">Prov. iii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
|
||
</div></div2> |