INTRODUCTION: This chapter and the next mark the height of Solomon’s reign. His wealth and wisdom are unmatched. It seems that everything he touches is blessed. But there is a warning here too. If he is faithful, he will continue to be blessed. But if he is not faithful to the Lord, the blessings will begin to disappear.

1. THE LORD’S APPEARANCE TO SOLOMON (1 Kings 9:1-9 [1] 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] That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. [3] 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] 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 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 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 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 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] 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.
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1. The Lord’s Second Appearance to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1-2 [1] 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] That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
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1. After Solomon had finished building (1 Kings 9:1And 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,
   See All...; Ecclesiastes 2:4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
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2. As the Lord had appeared before (1 Kings 9:2That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
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1. The first appearance was in Gibeon.
2. This second appearance was by night (2 Chronicles 7:11-12 [11] Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. [12] And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
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2. The Lord’s Response to Solomon’s Prayer (1 Kings 9:3And 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.
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1. I have heard thy prayer – an answer to the prayer in 1 Kings 8.
2. I have hallowed this house: to hallow means to set apart as holy, as in “Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
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1. To put my name there (Deuteronomy 12:5But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
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2. To put my eyes there
3. To put my heart there
3. The Lord’s Promise if Solomon Is Faithful (1 Kings 9:4-5 [4] 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 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.
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1. If Solomon obeys (1 Kings 9:4And 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:
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1. To walk before God as David walked
2. To do according to God’s commandments
2. God will bless (1 Kings 9:5Then 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.
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4. The Lord’s Warning if Solomon Is Unfaithful (1 Kings 9:6-9 [6] 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 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 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] 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.
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1. If Solomon rebels (1 Kings 9:6But 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:
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1. To turn from following God
2. To refuse to keep God’s commandments
3. To go and serve other gods
2. God will judge (1 Kings 9:7Then 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:
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1. Israel will be cut out of the land.
2. This house will be cast out of God’s sight.
3. Israel will become a byword among all people.
3. The world will know (1 Kings 9:8-9 [8] 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] 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.
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1. They will ask why God has done this (1 Kings 9:8And 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?
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2. They will answer, because of the sins of the people (1 Kings 9:9And 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.
   See All...).
2. SOLOMON’S GIFT TO HIRAM (1 Kings 9:10-14 [10] 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] (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] And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. [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. [14] And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
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1. The Completion of the Two Houses (1 Kings 9:10And 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,
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1. At the end of twenty years (cp. 1 Kings 6:38And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.
   See All... with 1 Kings 7:1But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
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2. When the two houses were built
2. Twenty Cities as a Gift for Hiram (1 Kings 9:11(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.
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1. Hiram’s provision for Solomon
2. Solomon’s gift to Hiram – Twenty cities in the land of Galilee
3. Hiram’s Displeasure with the Cities (1 Kings 9:12-13 [12] And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. [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.
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1. Hiram’s review of the cities (1 Kings 9:12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
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2. Hiram’s judgment of the cities (1 Kings 9:12-13 [12] And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. [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.
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1. They pleased him not (1 Kings 9:12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
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2. They provoked his complaint (1 Kings 9:13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
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3. He provided a name – Cabul, meaning worthless (1 Kings 9:13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
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3. These are evidently the cities that Hiram returned (2 Chronicles 8:2That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
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4. Hiram’s Gift of Gold for Solomon (1 Kings 9:14And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
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1. Hiram’s displeasure with the gift did not destroy the friendship.
2. Hiram still sent 120 talents of gold (generally speaking, a talent was the load a strong man could carry a reasonable distance; common measurements of a talent are 82 pounds or 94 pounds).
3. THE REASON FOR SOLOMON’S LEVY (1 Kings 9:15-19 [15] 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] 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] And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, [18] And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, [19] 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.
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1. The Initial Building Projects of Solomon (1 Kings 9:15And 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.
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1. The house of the Lord
2. Solomon’s house
3. Millo
1. Mentioned three times in reference to Abimelech in Judges 9:6And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
   See All..., 20. This was evidently in the city of Shechem.
2. Mentioned seven times in reference to Jerusalem
3. Probably some form of a citadel in the fortress (2 Samuel 5:9So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
   See All...; 1 Kings 11:27And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
   See All...; 2 Chronicles 32:5Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
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4. The wall of Jerusalem
5. Hazor; a major ancient Canaanite city in the north near Lake Hula
6. Megiddo; a major fortified city at the western edge of the Valley of Jezreel
7. Gezer; an ancient city about halfway between Jerusalem and Jaffa on the coast
2. The Gift of the City of Gezer (1 Kings 9:16For 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.
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1. Long inhabited by the Canaanites (Joshua 16:10And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
   See All...; Judges 1:29Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
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2. Taken by Pharaoh and given to Solomon’s wife
3. Rebuilt by Solomon as one of his chariot cities (1 Kings 9:17-19 [17] And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, [18] And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, [19] 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.
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3. Further Building Projects of Solomon (1 Kings 9:17-19 [17] And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, [18] And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, [19] 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.
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4. THE SERVICE OF SOLOMON’S LEVY (1 Kings 9:20-23 [20] 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 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 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] 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.
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1. Bond Service from the Conquered Peoples (1 Kings 9:20-21 [20] 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 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.
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1. The remaining nations (1 Kings 9:20And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
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2. The required tribute (1 Kings 9:21Their 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.
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2. Servants and Officers from the Children of Israel (1 Kings 9:22-23 [22] 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] 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.
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1. The service of the children of Israel (1 Kings 9:22But 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.
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2. The officers of the children of Israel (1 Kings 9:23These 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.
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5. THE FURTHER ACTIVITIES OF SOLOMON (1 Kings 9:24-28 [24] 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] 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] 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] And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. [28] And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
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1. Pharaoh’s Daughter Moves to Her House (1 Kings 9:24But 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.
   See All...; 1 Kings 7:8And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
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2. Solomon’s Offerings at the Temple (1 Kings 9:25And 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.
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1. Three times a year (Exodus 23:14-17 [14] Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. [15] Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) [16] And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. [17] Three items in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.
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2. Burnt offerings and peace offerings
3. On the brazen altar and the altar of incense
3. Solomon’s Navy on the Red Sea (1 Kings 9:26-28 [26] 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] And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. [28] And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
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1. Its base (1 Kings 9:26And 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.
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2. Its sailors (1 Kings 9:27And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
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3. Its merchandise (1 Kings 9:28And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
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CONCLUSION: Solomon’s kingdom is growing as he continues to build and prosper. However, the Lord warns that troubles are ahead should Solomon choose to turn from the Lord and begin to follow after other gods.