15 And this 'is' the matter of the tribute that king Solomon hath lifted up, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer, 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt hath gone up and doth capture Gezer, and doth burn it with fire, and the Canaanite who is dwelling in the city he hath slain, and giveth it 'with' presents to his daughter, wife of Solomon.) 17 And Solomon buildeth Gezer, and Beth-Horon the lower, 18 and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land; 19 and all the cities of stores that king Solomon hath, and the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the horsemen, and the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 The whole of the people that is left of the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, who 'are' not of the sons of Israel— 21 their sons who are left behind them in the land, whom the sons of Israel have not been able to devote—he hath even lifted up 'on' them a tribute of service unto this day. 22 And out of the sons of Israel Solomon hath not appointed a servant, for they 'are' the men of war, and his servants, and his heads, and his captains, and the heads of his chariots, and his horsemen. 23 These 'are' the heads of the officers who 'are' over the work of Solomon, fifty and five hundred, those ruling among the people who are labouring in the work. 24 Only, the daughter of Pharaoh went up out of the city of David unto her house that 'Solomon' built for her; then he built Millo. 25 And Solomon caused to ascend, three times in a year, burnt-offerings and peace-offerings on the altar that he built to Jehovah, and he perfumed it with that which 'is' before Jehovah, and finished the house. 26 And a navy hath king Solomon made in Ezion-Geber, that is beside Eloth, on the edge of the Sea of Suph, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sendeth in the navy his servants, shipmen knowing the sea, with servants of Solomon, 28 and they come in to Ophir and take thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and bring 'it' in unto king Solomon.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 9:15-28
Commentary on 1 Kings 9:15-28
(Read 1 Kings 9:15-28)
Here is a further account of Solomon's greatness. He began at the right end, for he built God's house first, and finished that before he began his own; then God blessed him, and he prospered in all his other buildings. Let piety begin, and profit follow; leave pleasure to the last. Whatever pains we take for the glory of God, and to profit others, we are likely to have the advantage. Canaan, the holy land, the glory of all lands, had no gold in it; which shows that the best produce is that which is for the present support of life, our own and others; such things did Canaan produce. Solomon got much by his merchandise, and yet has directed us to a better trade, within reach of the poorest. Wisdom is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold, Proverbs 3:14.