1 Kings 3:4

_AND THE KING WENT TO GIBEON TO SACRIFICE THERE; FOR THAT WAS THE GREAT HIGH PLACE: A THOUSAND BURNT OFFERINGS DID SOLOMON OFFER UPON THAT ALTAR._ The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, х_ GIB`OWN_ (H1391), a hill-city, standing on a hill (el-Jib).] The prominent distinction of this place arose from the old tabernacle and the brasen altar which Moses had made in the wilderness (1 Chronicles 16:39; 1 Chronicles 21:29; 2 Chronicles 1:3) having been removed from Nob there, end established on the heights called Nob there, and established on the heights called Neby Samwil, Mizpeh (Stanley, 'Sinai and Palestine,' p. 212). That

1-4 He that loved the Lord, should, for his sake, have fixed his love upon one of the Lord's people. Solomon was a wise man, a rich man, a great man; yet the brightest praise of him, is that which is the character of all the saints, even the poorest, "He loved the Lord." Where God sows plentifully, he expects to reap accordingly; and those that truly love God and his worship, will not grudge the expenses of their religion. We must never think that wasted which is laid out in the service of God....

GIBEON - The transfer to Gibeon of the “tabernacle of the congregation,” and the brass “altar of burnt offerings” made by Moses, which were removed there from Nob (compare 1 Samuel 21:6, with marginal references “i,” “k”), had made it “the great high-place,” more sacred, i. e., than any other in the holy land, unless it were Mount Zion where the ark had been conveyed by David. For the position of Gibeon, see Joshua 9:3 note. A THOUSAND BURNT OFFERINGS DID SOLOMON OFFER - Solomon presented the victims. The priests were the actual sacrificers 1 Kings 8:5. A sacrifice of a thousand victims was an act of royal magnificence suited to the greatness of Solomon. So Xer

EXPOSITION THE BEGINNING OF SOLOMON'S REIGN.—In the preceding chapter we have seen the establishment of Solomon's rule (verse 46) by the removal of internal foes, _i.e; _of disaffected and rebellious subjects. In this we see him strengthening his position by an external alliance, by a marriage with an Egyptian princess. This event, however, is related here, not because the historian had this connexion of ideas in his mind, but probably because the marriage came next in order of time. 1 KINGS 3:1 AND SOLOMON MADE AFFINITy [Not "alliance" (as some have supposed) but relationship. Lit; _made himself son-in-law_]_ _with PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT [which of the Pharaohs this was, it is impossible to say with certainty. As,

AND THE KING WENT TO GIBEON TO SACRIFICE THERE,.... About four or five miles from Jerusalem; 1 Kings 2:28; FOR THAT [WAS] THE GREAT HIGH PLACE; not that the place itself might be higher than others that were used; but here were the tabernacle of Moses, and the altar; so that it was a more dignified place, and more sacred because of them: A THOUSAND BURNT OFFERINGS DID SOLOMON OFFER UPON THAT ALTAR; the brazen altar of burnt offerings there; not at one time, but on several days successively; though Jarchi says on one day; and which was a prodigious number, never was known the like, unless at the dedication of the temple, 1 Kings 8:63....

2. JEHOVAH APPEARS TO SOLOMON HIS PRAYER AND THE ANSWER CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Affinity with Pharaoh and Pharaoh's daughter (1 Kings 3:1)_ 2. Solomon loved the LORD (1 Kings 3:2) 3. Jehovah appears to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5) 4. The wisdom granted and exemplified (1 Kings 3:16) We shall now see how the Lord kept His promise He made unto David in the establishment of his kingdom. After the execution of the demanded judgment Solomon entered into affinity with Pharaoh King of Egypt (probably the last King of the 21 Tanitic dynasty) and married his daughter. She was with him in David's city until he made an end of

1 KINGS 3:1 TO 1 KINGS 4:34. EARLY DAYS, REIGN, AND WISDOM OF SOLOMON. The sources of this section are various, and the arrangement of the narrative in the LXX should be noticed. There are (_a_) a statistical account of Solomon s reign, referred to, apparently in 1 Kings 11:41, as the book of the acts of Solomon; (_b_) a number of narratives about this reign; (_c_) several Deuteronomic additions_ e.g._ 1 Kings 3:6; 1 Kings 3:14, etc.: and (_d_) some very late passages, possibly originally explanatory notes. The history of Solomon's reign

1 Kings 3:1-4. Solomon marries Pharaoh's daughter. Sacrifices still offered on the high places. Solomon's sacrifice at Gibeon (2 Chronicles 1:3) At the beginning of this Chapter the LXX. inserts a long passage which has nothing to correspond to it in the Hebrew. It speaks of Solomon's wisdom, the number of the people, the presents of those who were tributary to Solomon, the provisions for his table, the names of his chief ministers, and contains a notice of his horses and chariots. Some portions of this passage are drawn from Chapter 4. and some from 2 Chronicles 9:25-26. The verses of Chapter 4. which are introduced here are omitted by the LXX. in that place. See notes there....

TO GIBEON—FOR THAT WAS THE GREAT HIGH PLACE— Of all the high places where the people sacrificed, Gibeon was _the great_ and celebrated one, because the _tabernacle_ and brazen altar were there. See 2 Chronicles 1:3. There is no reason to suppose, that the thousand sacrifices which Solomon is said to have made here, were offered in one day. The king, we may imagine, upon one of the great festivals, went in procession with his nobles to pay his devotion in Gibeon. Each of the great festivals lasted for seven days: but Solomon might stay much longer at Gibeon, until, by the daily oblations, a thousand burnt-offerings were consumed; and at the conclusion of this course of devotion, he might offer up his ardent prayer to God for wisdom, as recorded in the next verses. See 2 Chronicles 1:7.

I. THE ENDOWMENT OF THIS KING 3:4-28 Solomon is popularly known as the wisest man who ever lived. This section provides (1) an explanation of Solomon's wisdom (1 Kings 3:4-15); and (2) a demonstration of how that wisdom was put into practice (1 Kings 3:16-28). A. THE EXPLANATION OF SOLOMON'S Wisdom 3:4-15 The Bible explains Solomon's famous wisdom as a supernatural endowment of God. It was while the king was engaged in religious activity at Gibeon that God revealed Himself to Solomon in a dream. During the course of that majestic experience (1) Solomon prayed for wisdom to guide and govern his people (1 Kings 3:4-9); and (2) received the promise of wisdom and many added blessings ...