1 Kings Chapter 1
1:2-4. These verses describe a type of diatherapy widely practiced in ancient times, in which the body of a healthy
person was used to help a sick one.
1:5. David's first four sons were Amnon, Chileab, Absalom, and Adonjiah (cf. 2 Sam. 3:2-4). Amnon and Absalom had
suffered violent deaths (2 Sam. 13:28, 29; 18:14). Chileab must have died in childhood. Therefore, Adonijah would
assume that he had a legitimate right to the throne. However, even Adonijah knew that the Lord had selected Solomon
as David's successor (2:15).
1:6. David has again failed to discipline a son properly. See the note on 2 Samuel 13:39.
1:7-10. Adonijah's plot began with gaining valuable allies: Joab, whom David was unable to control (cf. 2:5, 6), and
Abiathar the priest. Adonijah's plan next took the form of a feast for his supporters at which he would declare his
kingship.
1:11. Nathan learned of Adonijah's plans to claim the throne and persuaded Bath-sheba to help him convince David
that he should issue a public proclamation that Solomon was king.
1:32-34. David instructed Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah, his chief aides in the spiritual and civil realms, to cause
Solomon. . . to ride upon David's own mule. . . to Gihon and there anoint him publicly as king. Although mules were
forbidden in the Levitical law concerning crossbredding (Lev. 19:19), the special mule was an ancient symbol of
royalty, as demonstrated in the Mari Tablets. David's sons had ridden upon a mule (2 Sam. 13:29; 18:9).
1:38-40. The public pronouncement made openly official what David had privately declared (vv. 13,17, 30). The noise
of the great pomp and fanfare carried over the hill to Adonijah's party at En-rogel (cf. vv. 9, 41). The Cherethites and
the Pelethites were foreign warriors who made up David's loyal bodyguard.
1:49-53. The news of Solomon' s kingship brought an end to Adonijah's plans. He sought mercy from Solomon by
laying hold on the horns of the altar, the time-honored place of refuge for those who had committed unintentional
crimes (cf. Ex. 21:12-14 with 1 Kin. 2:28-34).
1 Kings Chapter 2
2:1-9. Solomon, as David's co-regent, is given some needed advice concerning how to rule. It was traditional in the
ancient Near East for a king to pass on a formal set of wise instructions to his son and successor. Joab and Shimei
remained as unresolved problems of state for David. Joab had murdered two generals (2 Sam. 3:27; 20:10), not to
mention Absalom (2 Sam. 18:14), and as head of the military forces and party to David's most intimate activities (e.g., 2
Sam. 11), had become too strong for David to deal with. Shimei had openly opposed and even cursed David (2 Sam.
16:5-13; 19:6-23). Barzillai, on the other hand, had supported the king in times of great need (2 Sam. 17:27-29;
19:31-39).
2:17. Adonijah's request for David's concubine, Abishag (1:2-4), constituted a virtual claim upon the throne. (See the
note on 2 Sam. 3:7-10.) Therefore Adonijah was executed (vv. 24, 25).
2:26, 27. Abiathar had participated in Adonijah's plot to seize the throne (1:7). Because he had previously supported
David (2 Sam. 15:24-29, 35), his life was spared. His banishment from the active priesthood fulfilled the prophecy
concerning the house of Eli (1 Sam. 2:30-35).
2:28-34. Joab's guilt could not secure protection for him at the horns of the altar. See the note on 1:49-53.
2:46. Shimei's action violated the king's explicit command, which was designed to keep Shimei for gaining a base of
possible support for an insurrection (v. 37). Therefore, for this and his long-standing offense, he was executed.
1 Kings Chapter 3
3:1. The marrying of a princess of one royal house to someone in a foreign royal family customarily sealed a political
alliance in the ancient Near East. (See the note on 2 Sam. 5:13-15.) However, the giving of Pharaoh's daughter to a
foreign king is virtually without precedent (but cf. 1 Chr. 4:18). The fact that the king of Egypt did so testifies to his
respect for Solomon.
3:2, 3. The high places were open-air sanctuaries found on hilltops (13:32) or in special sacred enclosures (Jer. 7:31).
The basic problem with the high places was that they too easily becomes spots where the religious practices of
Canaan could creep into Israel's worship experience (cf. Deut. 12:12-14; Jer. 2:20).
3:4. The tabernacle was in Gibeon (1 Chr. 16:39, 40; 2 Chr. 1:3). The ark, however, had been taken to Jerusalem (2
Sam. 6:12-17).
3:7. Solomon' s humble remark that he was but a little child is to be understood as a statement of his inexperience. He
had already sired a son (14:21).
3:12. Wisdom and justice were highly esteemed qualities for a good king in the ancient Near East (Prov. 20:26;
21:1-3). They would be a distinguishing mark of the messianic King (Is. 9:6, 7; 11:1-5; Jer. 23:5, 6). Solomon' s wisdom
will be tested immediately (vv. 16-28). It will be demonstrated often (cf. 4:29-34; 10:1-13, 23, 24)
1 Kings Chapter 4
4:1. Verses 1-6 constitute a list of Solomon' s chief administrators.
4:7. Verses 7-19 contain a roster of Solomon' s district governors.
4:20. The great growth and prosperity of Solomon's kingdom attest the faithfulness of God in carrying out the
provisions of the Abrahamic covenant through the line of David.
4:21-28. The wide dominion of Solomon' s kingdom and the splendor of life at his court are clearly seen here (cf. 2
Chr. 9:26). The river (v. 21) is the Euphrates. The vine and fig tree (v. 25) symbolize the basic covenant with God and
its attendant peace and prosperity (cf. Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10).
4:26. Forty thousand was probably miscopied for four thousand, which is read in some Greek manuscripts here and in
2 Chronicles 9:25.
4:29. Wisdom in the Old Testament begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7; Eccl. 12:13, 14) and its wise application
to every facet of life.
4:32. Wise Solomon wrote most of the proverbs. As for songs, two psalms (72 and 127) and the Song of Solomon are
traditionally ascribed to Solomon. Solomon has also been credited traditionally with the writing of Ecclesiastes.
Because of his vast knowledge and wisdom, his literary productions cover every area of life (v. 33), and Solomon is
therefore sought out by people from all areas. Solomon' s prestige and honor grew all the more (cf. 10:23, 24), and he
became identified with wisdom itself (cf. Matt. 12:42).
1 Kings Chapter 5
5:1. The previous alliance between the Phoenician king and Israel in David's day was continued with Solomon (v. 12).
Solomon' s good relations with the Phoenicians added to the prosperity of his kingdom (cf. 10:22). The name Hiram is
probably an abbreviation of Ahiram ("My Father Is Exalted"), a royal name known in the Phoenician inscriptions.
5:3-5. Although David was not permitted to build the temple (2 Sam. 7:13), he laid careful preparations for its erection
(2 Sam. 24:18-25; 1 Chr. 21:18-22:19; 28:9-29:19).
5:7-10. Hiram not only provided for Solomon the fabled from Lebanon, but he brought them to him and sent along
skilled craftsmen to labor in the erection of the temple (v. 18). The whole venture was profitable for Hiram as well (v.
11).
5:13, 14. The instituting of forced labor by conscription (without pay) for work on public projects, while common in the
ancient Near East, was an innovation in Israel. It would prove to be a source of irritation and complaint for the northern
tribes (12:4). Samuel had given a prophetic warning concerning this social institution (1 Sam. 8:11-17).
5:15,16. The large work force detailed here was made up of non-Israelites and constituted a permanent group of slave
laborers (cf. 9:22: 2 Chr. 2:17, 18). Second Chronicles 2:2 and 18 record the number of supervisors as 3,600
Canaanites. To these were added 250 Israelite chief overseers in addition to the 3,300 Canaanite supervisors
mentioned here in verse 16. Apparently the total numbers of supervisors and chief overseers was 3,850. Of the chief
overseers, three hundred were Canaanites and 250 were Israelites.
5:17, 18. These large foundation stones were cut to perfect size while still at the quarry (6:7).
1 Kings Chapter 6
6:1. Since the division of the kingdom can accurately be given as 931 B.C., the beginning of Solomon' s 40-year reign
(11:42) would be 971 B.C. Accordingly, the fourth year would be 967 B.C. Adding the 480 years given here to 967
gives a date of 1447 B.C. for the date of Israel's Exodus from Egypt. Thus, a literal reading of verse 1 demands an
early date for the Exodus as opposed to a thirteenth-century date favored by many scholars.
6:2. The temple is called a house, for it was the place where a transcendent, sovereign, and holy God condescended
to dwell with His people. The basic plan of the temple was that of the previous tabernacle except for the doubling of the
length and width of the sanctuary and the increasing of its height. For the temple site, see the note on 2 Samuel 24:24.
6:3. The porch was situated before the front of the temple on its east side. According to 7:21, at the side of the
entrance to the porch were erected two freestanding pillars. The pillar on the right or south side was named Jachin; the
one on the left or north side was named Boaz (cf. 2 Chr. 3:15-17). The directions given with regard to the temple are
from God's vantage point in the Holy of Holies (Most Holy Place), looking outward from west to east.
6:5-10. These verses describe the three-storied side rooms.
6:11-13. Since it is recorded that the Lord appeared personally only three times to Solomon (3:5; 9:2; 11:11), these
words probably came to Solomon by a prophet.
6:14. Verse 14 deals with completing the exterior of the structure. Verses 15-35 have to do with the interior
arrangements, beginning with the interior walls and flooring.
6:16-22. Like the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies was partitioned off from the Holy Place. Within the Most Holy Place
rested the ark of the covenant (v. 19), the symbol of God's reigning presence among His people.
6:23-28. According to 2 Chronicles 3:13, these two tall gold-covered cherubim faced the door. The cherubim
symbolized the awesome holiness of the sovereign God.
6:31-35. The olive wood doors were made for access between the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place. Still larger
double-leaved doors made of fir were placed at the entrance to the Holy Place. Second Chronicles 3:14 mention that a
curtain was also in place between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, perhaps reminiscent of the inner veil of the
tabernacle (Ex. 26:31-36).
6:36. The inner court surrounding the temple was also called the court of the priests (2 Chr. 4:9), for access to it was
restricted to the priestly orders. For the outer or great court, to which all of the people were admitted, see the note on
7:12.