A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 9
1 Kings CHAP. IX.
THIS Chapter gives an Account of Solomon's Building Cities and Navies, after he had compleated the Temple, &c.
N. B. 1. Having now through the good hand of my God upon me (as Nehemia's and Ezra's Phraſe is) travel'd through the moſt Remarkable Scripture Hiſtories from the Creation of Adam, unto the finiſhing of God's Temple by Solomon, wherein are compleated (by our moſt Authentick and beſt Chronologers, Biſhop Ʋſher, Dr. Lightfoot, &c.) the firſt three thouſand years of the World, I now addreſs my ſelf with Divine Aſſiſtance to run over the following moſt Remarkable Hiſtories until the accompliſhment of the next Thouſand years, even unto the end thereof, which uſhereth in the Birth of our Bleſſed Saviour, who was typified by this Temple of Solomon, John 2.19. and who was Born (as ſome ſuppoſe) at the ſame time of the year, when Solomon Dedicated his Temple to the Lord, which was in the Month Tiſri or Ethanim, the Seventh Month, anſwering to part of our September: ſub judice lis eſt.
Secondly, From the Birth of Chriſt the Old Rabbins reckon the World ſhall continue two thouſand years longer after Chriſt, to make the whole continuation of the World the term or time of Six Thouſand Years, after the expiration whereof ſucceedeth the Sabbatical or ſeventh thouſand year, which (according to this Old Tradition) will be a Bleſſed Jubilee, and Sabbath of ſweet reſt and peace, &c. This odd notion they ground not only upon the ſix days of God's creating the World, and then ſucceeded the Sabbath; but alſo upon the ſix days of the Ark's compaſſing the City Jericho, and then followed the downfal of its walls upon the Seventh Day. According to this Rabbinical Opinion, the World can continue but three hundred and ten years longer, which being added to our preſent one thouſand ſix hundred and ninetieth year after Chriſt, make up compleatly the laſt two thouſand years of the World's continuance after Chriſt, before the Seventh Millenary do enter, mentioned in Revel. 20. but our Lord himſelf telleth us [This Day is only known to the Lord,] Zech. 14.7. and [that day and hour knoweth no Man] Mat. 24.36. That the Lord will come, there is nothing more certain, but what time this will be, there is nothing more uncertain: Sundry gh…ſſes have been given to it both by Antient and Modern Authors, moſt of which that are now paſt, time hath already confuted: The dates to come are (1.) Nich. Cuſanus his 1700 y. (2.) Cardanus's 1800 y. (3.) Picus Mirandulas's 1905 y. &c. But what is all this conjecture ſave wanton wit upon ſerious work: Ideò latet unus dies, ut obſerventur omnes. God hath hid it, that we may not grow ſecure, Mat. 24.38, 48. Luke 17.24, 27. Knowing the time of her Lord's return made the Harlot ſin, Prov. 7.19, 20.
The Building of thoſe Cities and Navies mentioned in this Chapter, fall under a twofold Conſideration:
Firſt, What helps Solomon had to build them, and
Secondly, What they were he built, and for what uſe, &c.
Firſt of his Helps which were double, firſt Divine, ſecondly Humane.
Firſt, Remarks upon Solomon's Divine Help.
(1.) God's appearance again to Solomon to confirm him, v. 1.2, and 11. The manner of it was the ſame with that at Gibeon before, Chap. 3.5. which was a Viſion by Night, after a well ſpent day in religious duties, when he was juſt entring upon his Kingdom: But this is call'd the ſecond time here, after he had accompliſhed his foregoing Fabricks, and had attained to the very Apex and heighth of Royal Dignity, v. 1, 2, and 10. where 'tis intimated that this confirming Viſion came in the 24th year of his Reign, ſeeing he had Reigned four years before he began to build. N. B. Tho' Solomon ſeem to have two other Divine Confirmations betwixt thoſe two, as that mentioned Ch. 6.11. and that likewiſe, Chap. 8.10, 11. yet neither of thoſe two were like the firſt and the laſt; for that word which came to Solomon, Chap. 6.11. was moſt probably by ſome Prophet whom God ſent to him, and that in Chap 8.10, 11. there was indeed a glorious Cloud, but there was no Audible Voice (we read of) came out of that Cloud, it was only a viſible approbation.
The Second Remark here, is, The matter of this Audible Apparition, which is manifold, as
Firſt, God declares here, that he had graciouſly heard Solomon's prayer at the Dedication of the Temple, v. 3. N. B. A great encouragement from this prayer-hearing God, Pſal. 65.2. who ſometimes hears prayer before his people ask, Iſa. 65.24. Pſal. 32.5. and ſometimes as they are asking, Dan. 9.20.23. and 10.12. but always after they have prayed (either in kind, or by way of equivalency, 2 Cor. 12.8, 9.) provided they bring to him lawful petitions, and honeſt hearts: The Reaſon hereof is rendred, John 16.26, 27.
Secondly, That his Kingdom ſhould be continued in the houſe of David for ever, v. 4.5. that is, until Shilo come, and a period then put to the Jewiſh polity,
Thirdly, The Conditions of this Promiſe for ſo long a ſeaſon; the failure on Man's part herein makes the promiſe of God void, v. 6, 7, 8, 9. If thou (and Iſrael with thee) or thy poſterity fall into that foul ſin of Apoſtaſy, ſo hateful to God, and ſo hurtful to Men, then ſhall ye be a Scorn, and a By-word to the World, as the Jews are at this day, Zech. 8.13. 2 Chron. 7.21. If ye refuſe to return, Jer. 8.5, &c.
Secondly, Remarks upon Solomon's ſecond help, which was Humane.
Firſt, His Foreign, afforded by King Hiram.
Secondly, Domeſtick, his home Tribute, &c.
Remarks on his Foreign help are,
Firſt, Solomon's Commutative Juſtice in aſſigning ſome Cities in Galilee (lately Conquered) unto King Hiram, as ſatisfaction for all the Wood and Gold he had ſupplied him with, and ſent to him to carry on his many Famous Fabricks, v. 11.14. tho' Lebanon (ſaith Peter Martyr) did undoubtedly belong to Iſrael, ſo the Wood was none of Hiram's, yet is he ſaid to give it to Solomon, becauſe he found both Carpenters, and Carriages: However the Sixſcore Talents of Gold were Hiram's own goods, which great Sum Solomon ſolveth with a Country, containing in it twenty Cities.
Remark the Second, is, King Hiram's Avarice diſcovered by his lofty looks, and ſcornful expoſtulations, contemning thoſe Cities by the name of Chabul, Hebr. Dirty Cities, as laying in a clayie Land, v. 12, 13. tho' the Soil was good in it ſelf, yet becauſe it ſtood in need of more pains to manure and manage, than the luxurious and lazy Tyrians (ſo devoted to Merchandize) were willing to take, therefore he deſpiſed them, and required a better Recompence.
Remarks upon Solomon's Domeſtick help are,
Firſt, His laying of a Levy or Tribute at home; the Reaſon is rendred, v. 15. becauſe Hiram would not accept of thoſe twenty Cities for ſuitable ſatisfaction, therefore Solomon lays this Levy of Mony upon his Subjects, that Hiram might have his Mony repaid him.
Remark the Second, Solomon had his Levy of Men, as well as of Money, his Buildings as they were many, v. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. ſo they were coſtly (as 'tis ſaid of Building in general) ſwallowing up Hiram's Gold, as well as his own; and many hands were neceſſary to carry them on.
N. B. Howbeit Solomon uſed not Iſraelites as Bondmen, but the Poſterity of the Amorites, &c. v. 20, 21, 22, 23. Theſe they could once have deſtroyed, and would not, afterwards they would have done it, and could not; and tho' Solomon would not enſlave any of Iſrael as he did of theſe Canaanites, yet were they ſo diſcontented with his Government, that Ten whole Tribes caſt off his Son Rehoboam, and choſe his Servant Jeroboam for their King.
Remark the Third, When Solomon had finiſhed all his Houſes, &c. (having placed his Queen in her peculiar Palace, v. 24. and 2 Chron. 8.11. and had fixed his three Annual Feaſts in the Temple, v. 25. 2 Chron. 8.13. and Deut. 16.16. then he equipped a Navy to Sea in Ezion Geber, v. 26. which Jehoſaphat in imitation of Solomon eſſayed to do, but not with the ſame ſucceſs; for his Ships, that ſhould have gone to fetch Gold from Ophir were broken (the effect of his ſinful Affinity with wicked Ahaziah) 1 King. 22.48, 49. but theſe Ships of Solomon being aſſiſted with the skilful Seamen of King Hiram's Tyrians, v. 27. brought from the Eaſt-Indies four hundred and fifty Talents of Gold, 2 Chron. 8.18. but becauſe 30 Talents were allowed by Solomon to Hiram and his Seamen for their Voyage, therefore 'tis ſaid here, v. 28. 'twas but 420 Talents, becauſe no more came clearly into Solomon's Treaſury: This is call'd a three years Voyage, chap. 10.22. America, and the uſe of the Loadſtone might be made known to Wiſe Solomon, tho' unknown to after Ages, &c.