The big picture
1 Kings 9 opens in verse 1 with “And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD …”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.”, and closes in verse 28 with “And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents…” Repeated or prominent terms include Solomon, house, LORD, land, Israel. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Kings · King James Version · 281 Kings 9:1-7
1–7: It came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of…
1 Kings 9:1–7 opens with “And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD , and the…” and reaches “Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, house, LORD, land, Israel, with particular weight carried by house, Israel, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD , and the king’s house, and all…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.” Naming Gibeon and Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
1 Kings 9:1-7
King James Version1And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD , and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
2That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
1 Kings 9:8-14
8–14: At this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be…
1 Kings 9:8–14 opens with “And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall…” and reaches “And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, house, LORD, land, Israel, with particular weight carried by Hiram, house, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
1 Kings 9:8-14
King James Version8And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
10And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD , and the king’s house,
11(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
14And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
1 Kings 9:15-21
15–21: This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build…
1 Kings 9:15–21 opens with “And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD…” and reaches “Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, house, LORD, land, Israel, with particular weight carried by Solomon, children, cities.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD , and his own house…” Naming Gezer and Hazor keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
1 Kings 9:15-21
King James Version15And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD , and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
16For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon’s wife.
17And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,
18And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
19And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
20And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
21Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
1 Kings 9:22-28
22–28: Of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men…
1 Kings 9:22–28 opens with “But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his…” and reaches “And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 9 develops its own movement around Solomon, house, LORD, land, Israel, with particular weight carried by Solomon, servants, altar.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his…” Naming Israel and Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the…” The number five makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Kings 9:22-28
King James Version22But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
23These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
25And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD , and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD . So he finished the house.
26And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
27And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Kings 9:1 begins with “And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD , and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased…”
Where the chapter turns
1 Kings 9:13 forms a natural hinge: “And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.”
The final note
1 Kings 9:28 leaves the reader with “And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Solomon, house, LORD, land, Israel, king help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who is included in the covenant?
Noah, his descendants and every living creature. Trace the repeated wording in verses 8-17.
Why does verse 6 matter after the flood?
It grounds the protection of every human life in the continuing divine image.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- responsibility or rule
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.