Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Kings 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Kings 9
"that Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon." — 1 Kings 9:2 (ASV)
This appearance is fixed by 1 Kings 9:1 to Solomon’s twenty-fourth year, which was the year he completed his palace (1 Kings 6:37–38; 1 Kings 7:1). It seems that although the temple was finished in Solomon’s eleventh year, the dedication did not take place until his twenty-fourth year.
The order of the narrative in Kings agrees with this view, as it places the account of the palace's construction (1 Kings 7:1–12) and the making of the furniture (1 Kings 7:13–51) between the completion of the temple building (1 Kings 6:38) and the dedication ceremony (1 Kings 8).
"And Jehovah 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 my heart shall be there perpetually." — 1 Kings 9:3 (ASV)
The answer given by God to Solomon’s prayer is reported more fully in 2 Chronicles 7:12–22.
When God puts His name in the temple, He does it with the intention that it be there “forever.” He will not arbitrarily withdraw it; as far as God is concerned, it will remain there “forever.” But the people may drive it away by their unfaithfulness (1 Kings 9:7–9).
And my eyes and my heart — This is an answer that exceeds the prayer in 1 Kings 8:29. The promise is not “my eyes only, but my eyes and my heart.”
"And as for thee, 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 mine ordinances;" — 1 Kings 9:4 (ASV)
See 1 Kings 3:14. Solomon’s subsequent fall gives these repeated warnings a special interest.
"But if ye shall turn away from following me, ye or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;" — 1 Kings 9:6 (ASV)
At all turn - Rather, If ye shall wholly turn from following Me (see 2 Chronicles 7:19). The Israelites were not to be cut off, except for an entire defection.
"And though this house is so high, yet shall every one that passeth by it be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath Jehovah done thus unto this land, and to this house?" — 1 Kings 9:8 (ASV)
The Hebrew text reads, And this house shall be high... The meaning appears to be that this house will be "high" (that is, conspicuous) in its ruin just as it was in its glory.
And shall hiss—meaning, in contempt. This expression first appears in the time of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:8; Micah 6:16). It is especially common in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:16; Jeremiah 19:8; and elsewhere).
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