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1 Kings 9

When Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord, the royal palace and everything else he had set out to build, the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The Lord said: I have heard the prayer and plea you made before me. I have consecrated this house you built by putting my name there f

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The Lord shows himself again

When Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord, the royal palace and everything else he had set out to build, the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The Lord said: I have heard the prayer and plea you made before me. I have consecrated this house you built by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. As for you, if you walk before me as your father David did, with integrity and uprightness of heart, doing everything I command and keeping my rules and judgments, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, just as I promised your father David: You will never lack a man on the throne of Israel. But if you or your children turn away from following me, refuse to keep the commands and rules I have set before you, and instead go off to serve and worship other gods, then I will cut Israel off from the land I gave them. I will cast this house, which I consecrated for my name, out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house, which stands high, will astonish everyone who passes by. They will hiss and ask: Why has the Lord done this to this land and this house? People will answer: Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt. They embraced other gods, worshipped them and served them. That is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.

And when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king's house and everything Solomon wanted to make, the Lord showed himself to Solomon the second time, the way he'd shown himself to him at Gibeon. And the Lord said to him: I've heard your prayer and your pleading that you've made in front of me. I've made this house holy that you've built, to put my name there forever. And my eyes and my heart will be there always. And if you'll walk in front of me the way David your father walked, in wholeness of heart and in straightness, to do according to everything I've ordered you, and will keep my rules and my judgments — then I'll set up the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, the way I promised David your father: There won't fail you a man on the throne of Israel. But if you turn at all from following me, you or your children, and won't keep my orders and my rules that I've set in front of you, but go and serve other gods and bow down to them — then I'll cut Israel off out of the land I've given them. And this house that I've made holy for my name I'll throw out of my sight. And Israel will be a byword and something to laugh at among all people. And at this house, that's so high, everyone who goes past it will be shocked and will hiss. And they'll say: Why has the Lord done this to this land and to this house? And they'll answer: Because they left the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold of other gods and have bowed down to them and served them. That's why the Lord has brought all this trouble on them.

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 to do, That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And 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. And 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: Then 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. But 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: Then 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: And 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? And 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.

1

When Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord, the royal palace and everything else he had set out to build,

Plain English

And when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king's house and everything Solomon wanted to make,

King James Version, 1611

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 to do,

2

the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

Plain English

the Lord showed himself to Solomon the second time, the way he'd shown himself to him at Gibeon.

King James Version, 1611

That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3

The Lord said: I have heard the prayer and plea you made before me. I have consecrated this house you built by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

Plain English

And the Lord said to him: I've heard your prayer and your pleading that you've made in front of me. I've made this house holy that you've built, to put my name there forever. And my eyes and my heart will be there always.

King James Version, 1611

And 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.

4

As for you, if you walk before me as your father David did, with integrity and uprightness of heart, doing everything I command and keeping my rules and judgments,

Plain English

And if you'll walk in front of me the way David your father walked, in wholeness of heart and in straightness, to do according to everything I've ordered you, and will keep my rules and my judgments —

King James Version, 1611

And 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:

5

then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, just as I promised your father David: You will never lack a man on the throne of Israel.

Plain English

then I'll set up the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, the way I promised David your father: There won't fail you a man on the throne of Israel.

King James Version, 1611

Then 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.

6

But if you or your children turn away from following me, refuse to keep the commands and rules I have set before you, and instead go off to serve and worship other gods,

Plain English

But if you turn at all from following me, you or your children, and won't keep my orders and my rules that I've set in front of you, but go and serve other gods and bow down to them —

King James Version, 1611

But 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:

7

then I will cut Israel off from the land I gave them. I will cast this house, which I consecrated for my name, out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

Plain English

then I'll cut Israel off out of the land I've given them. And this house that I've made holy for my name I'll throw out of my sight. And Israel will be a byword and something to laugh at among all people.

King James Version, 1611

Then 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:

8

And this house, which stands high, will astonish everyone who passes by. They will hiss and ask: Why has the Lord done this to this land and this house?

Plain English

And at this house, that's so high, everyone who goes past it will be shocked and will hiss. And they'll say: Why has the Lord done this to this land and to this house?

King James Version, 1611

And 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?

9

People will answer: Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt. They embraced other gods, worshipped them and served them. That is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.

Plain English

And they'll answer: Because they left the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold of other gods and have bowed down to them and served them. That's why the Lord has brought all this trouble on them.

King James Version, 1611

And 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.

Solomon's towns and trade

At the end of the twenty years Solomon spent building the two houses — the house of the Lord and the royal palace — Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with all the cedar, fir and gold he wanted. In return King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. But when Hiram came from Tyre to inspect the cities Solomon had given him, he wasn't impressed. He said: What sort of cities are these you've given me, my brother? He called the area the land of Cabul, as it is known to this day. Hiram had sent the king 120 talents of gold. This is the account of the forced labour King Solomon raised to build the house of the Lord, his own palace, the Millo, Jerusalem's wall, Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. Pharaoh king of Egypt had captured Gezer, burned it, killed the Canaanites living there and given the city as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon's wife. Solomon rebuilt Gezer and Lower Beth-horon, as well as Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness within the land. He built all his store cities, chariot cities and cities for his horsemen, along with whatever else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon and throughout the territory he ruled. There were still Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites living in the land who were not Israelites. Their descendants remained because the Israelites had not destroyed them completely. Solomon conscripted them for forced labour, as they remain to this day. But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites. They served as soldiers, officials, commanders, captains, chariot commanders and horsemen. There were 550 chief officers over Solomon's work, supervising the labourers. After Pharaoh's daughter moved up from the City of David into the palace Solomon had built for her, he built the Millo. Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built to the Lord, and burned incense before the Lord. So he completed the house. King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. Hiram sent experienced sailors with the fleet to serve alongside Solomon's men. They sailed to Ophir, collected 420 talents of gold and brought it back to King Solomon.

And at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house, Hiram king of Tyre having provided Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees and with gold, according to all he wanted — then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the towns Solomon had given him, and they didn't please him. And he said: What towns are these you've given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Kabul right to this day. And Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold. And this is the reason for the forced labour King Solomon raised — to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer. Because Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer and burnt it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the town, and given it as a present to his daughter, Solomon's wife. And Solomon built Gezer and Lower Beth Horon, and Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, and all the store towns Solomon had, and towns for his chariots and towns for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon wanted to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land of his rule. And all the people left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, who weren't of the people of Israel — their children who were left after them in the land, who the people of Israel weren't able to completely wreck — Solomon put them to forced labour right to this day. But of the people of Israel Solomon didn't make any servants. But they were men of war and his servants and his leaders and his captains and rulers of his chariots and his horsemen. These were the chief of the officers over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people who worked at the work. But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the City of David to her house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo. And three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he built to the Lord, and he burnt incense on the altar in front of the Lord. So he finished the house. And King Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent his servants in the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir and fetched from there four hundred and twenty talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

And 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, (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. And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. 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. And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold. And 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. For 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. And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, And 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. And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, Their 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. But 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. These 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. But 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. And 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. And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

10

At the end of the twenty years Solomon spent building the two houses — the house of the Lord and the royal palace —

Plain English

And at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house,

King James Version, 1611

And 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

Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with all the cedar, fir and gold he wanted. In return King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

Plain English

Hiram king of Tyre having provided Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees and with gold, according to all he wanted — then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee.

King James Version, 1611

(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.

12

But when Hiram came from Tyre to inspect the cities Solomon had given him, he wasn't impressed.

Plain English

And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the towns Solomon had given him, and they didn't please him.

King James Version, 1611

And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.

13

He said: What sort of cities are these you've given me, my brother? He called the area the land of Cabul, as it is known to this day.

Plain English

And he said: What towns are these you've given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Kabul right to this day.

King James Version, 1611

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.

14

Hiram had sent the king 120 talents of gold.

Plain English

And Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.

King James Version, 1611

And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.

15

This is the account of the forced labour King Solomon raised to build the house of the Lord, his own palace, the Millo, Jerusalem's wall, Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.

Plain English

And this is the reason for the forced labour King Solomon raised — to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer.

King James Version, 1611

And 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.

16

Pharaoh king of Egypt had captured Gezer, burned it, killed the Canaanites living there and given the city as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon's wife.

Plain English

Because Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer and burnt it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the town, and given it as a present to his daughter, Solomon's wife.

King James Version, 1611

For 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.

17

Solomon rebuilt Gezer and Lower Beth-horon,

Plain English

And Solomon built Gezer and Lower Beth Horon,

King James Version, 1611

And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

18

as well as Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness within the land.

Plain English

and Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,

King James Version, 1611

And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,

19

He built all his store cities, chariot cities and cities for his horsemen, along with whatever else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon and throughout the territory he ruled.

Plain English

and all the store towns Solomon had, and towns for his chariots and towns for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon wanted to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land of his rule.

King James Version, 1611

And 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.

20

There were still Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites living in the land who were not Israelites.

Plain English

And all the people left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, who weren't of the people of Israel —

King James Version, 1611

And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,

21

Their descendants remained because the Israelites had not destroyed them completely. Solomon conscripted them for forced labour, as they remain to this day.

Plain English

their children who were left after them in the land, who the people of Israel weren't able to completely wreck — Solomon put them to forced labour right to this day.

King James Version, 1611

Their 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.

22

But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites. They served as soldiers, officials, commanders, captains, chariot commanders and horsemen.

Plain English

But of the people of Israel Solomon didn't make any servants. But they were men of war and his servants and his leaders and his captains and rulers of his chariots and his horsemen.

King James Version, 1611

But 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.

23

There were 550 chief officers over Solomon's work, supervising the labourers.

Plain English

These were the chief of the officers over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people who worked at the work.

King James Version, 1611

These 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.

24

After Pharaoh's daughter moved up from the City of David into the palace Solomon had built for her, he built the Millo.

Plain English

But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the City of David to her house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo.

King James Version, 1611

But 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.

25

Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built to the Lord, and burned incense before the Lord. So he completed the house.

Plain English

And three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he built to the Lord, and he burnt incense on the altar in front of the Lord. So he finished the house.

King James Version, 1611

And 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.

26

King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom.

Plain English

And King Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom.

King James Version, 1611

And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.

27

Hiram sent experienced sailors with the fleet to serve alongside Solomon's men.

Plain English

And Hiram sent his servants in the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

King James Version, 1611

And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

28

They sailed to Ophir, collected 420 talents of gold and brought it back to King Solomon.

Plain English

And they came to Ophir and fetched from there four hundred and twenty talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

King James Version, 1611

And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.