1 Kings 9:2

_THAT THE LORD APPEARED TO SOLOMON THE SECOND TIME, AS HE HAD APPEARED UNTO HIM AT GIBEON._ That (rather for) the Lord appeared. This appearance was, like the former one at Gibeon, most probably made in a supernatural vision, and on the night immediately following the dedication of the temple (2 Chronicles 7:12). The strain of it corresponds to this view, because it consists of direct answers to his solemn inaugural prayer: 1 Kings 9:3 is an answer to 1 Kings 8:29; 1 Kings 9:4, are an answer to 1 Kings 8:25;...

1-9 God warned Solomon, now he had newly built and dedicated the temple, that he and his people might not be high-minded, but fear. After all the services we can perform, we stand upon the same terms with the Lord as before. Nothing can purchase for us liberty to sin, nor would the true believer desire such a licence. He would rather be chastened of the Lord, than be allowed to go on with ease and prosperity in sin....

Verse 1 Kings 9:2. _THE LORD APPEARED TO SOLOMON_] The design of this appearance, which was in a dream, as that was at Gibeon, was to assure Solomon that God had accepted his service, and had taken that house for his dwelling-place, and would continue it, and establish him and his descendants upon the throne of Israel for ever, provided they served him with an upright heart; but, on the contrary, if they forsook him, he would abandon both them and his temple....

This appearance is fixed by 1 Kings 9:1 to Solomon’s twenty-fourth year, the year in which he completed his palace 1 Kings 6:37; 1 Kings 7:1. The fact seems to be that, though the temple was finished in Solomon’s eleventh year, the dedication did not take place until his twenty-fourth year. The order of the narrative in Kings agrees with this view, since it interposes the account of the building of the palace 1 Kings 7:1, and of the making of the furniture 1 Kings 7:13, between the completion of the building of the temple...

EXPOSITION THE ANSWER TO SOLOMON'S PRAYER.—This chapter opens with an account of God's second appearance to Solomon. It must not be supposed, however, from the apparent close connexion of this relation with the preceding narrative, that it stands to it in equally close chronological order. It probably finds a place here because the historian has grouped together all the suitable materials in his possession which related to the temple. But see on 1 Kings 9:1. 1 KINGS 9:1 AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN SOLOMON HAD FINISHED THE BUILDING OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, AND THE KING'S HOUSE [1 Kings 7:1],

THAT THE LORD APPEARED TO SOLOMON THE SECOND TIME,.... Junius and Tremellius read this verse with the following, to the end of the ninth, in a parenthesis, and render this clause, "for the Lord had appeared", c. and Piscator translates it, "moreover the Lord appeared", c. as beginning a distinct narrative from the former and indeed if the words are to be connected with the preceding, as in our version, this appearance must be thirteen years after the building of the temple, which is not probable but rather it was the night after the dedication of it, when an answer was returned to Solomon's prayer in the preceding chapter; for that it should be deferred twelve or thirteen years is not reasonable to suppose; and this appearance was the second of the kind and manner: AS HE HAD APPEARED UNTO HIM AT GIBEON; in a dream and a vision, and by night, 1 Kings 3:5, see...

5. JEHOVAH APPEARS UNTO SOLOMON AND THE GREATNESS OF THE KING CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The second appearance of the LORD to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1)_ 2. Transactions with Hiram (1 Kings 9:10) 3. The levy of the king (1 Kings 9:15) 4. Pharaoh's daughter occupies the house (1 Kings 9:24) 5. The king's offerings (1 Kings 9:25) 6. Solomon's navy (1 Kings 9:26) Jehovah's righteous government in the midst of His people Israel had

The first few verses are a continuation of 1 Kings 8, and are likewise cast in a thoroughly Deuteronomic mould. Yahweh again appeared to the king and assured him of His protection. In 1 Kings 9:6 there is a sudden change from the singular thou and thee to the plural ye, as if Yahweh were addressing Israel, threatening, in case of disobedience, to destroy the Temple and make its ruins a warning of the punishment He inflicts on those who do not obey His laws. Thus the section about the Temple closes, and the rest of the chapter, devoted to the reign of Solomon, takes up the account in 1 Kings 9:5, and deals with his public work, his splendour, his sin, and the adversaries whom Yahweh raised up against him....

AS HE HAD APPEARED. See 1 Kings 3:5....

_the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time_ In 2 Chron. we are told that this was -by night," therefore in a vision. Josephus says -a vision appearing to the king in his sleep shewed him that God had hearkened to his prayer." _at Gibeon_ Cf. on 1 Kings 3:5 above....