Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 9:13

"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." — 1 Kings 9:13 (ASV)

Cabul is said to be a Phoenician word, and it signified “displeasing.” There is some reason to believe that the cities thus despised by Hiram were restored to Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:2), and that Solomon rebuilt them and colonized them with Israelites.