Ver. 1. At the end of twenty years.] See 1 Kings 9:19.
Ver. 2. Which Huram had restored.] Out of dislike of them. (1 Kings 9:12) Or, Which Huram had given to Solomon, that by exchange of courtesies their love might increase.
Ver. 3. And prevailed against it.] King James, when he first entered England at Berwick, himself gave fire to, and shot off a piece of ordinance, in which cannon he might seem to have discharged war out of England; so did Solomon out of Israel, by this one expedition.
Ver. 4. And he built Tadmor, &c.] See 1 Kings 9:18,19.
Ver. 5. Fenced cities.] To prevent and frighten an enemy.
Ver. 6. And in Lebanon.] In the forest of Lebanon, where he had his summer house.
Ver. 8. Them did Solomon make to pay tribute.] Not for a toleration of their heathenish superstitions—as our William Rufus dealt by the Jews here, nor to use them as the Pope still doth the Jews in his dominions, to suck from the meanest, and to be sucked—or rather squeezed as full sponges—by the greatest; but for state service, and haply to gain them to God.
Ver. 9. But of the children of Israel.] See 1 Kings 9:22.
Ver. 10. See on 1 Kings 9:23.
Ver. 11. For he said, My wife shall not dwell.] Or, He had said so, sc., before he built a house for her: and while the ark was yet in the city of David. Because the places are holy.] And she not yet too holy, but retaining some of her Egyptian profanenesses: vel propter multiplices huius sexus immunditles legales. Solomon had, against the law of God, married this and other strange wives, for political ends no doubt, and as hoping that by his wisdom he should reclaim them, or at least rule them. He did so at first, as we see in this instance. For we may not think that Solomon did this out of superstition, -as the monks at this day pare and sweep the rooms of their monasteries wherein women have been, as if they were unclean creatures, -but out of the reverential fear of God, and a religious respect to the ark. Howbeit afterwards, overcome by the importunities of his strange wives, he yielded to them shamefully. Watch, therefore, and beware.
Ver. 12. Then Solomon offered.] These sacrifices were their sacraments, visible words directing them to Christ.
Ver. 13. Three times in a year.] At the three great feasts following.
Ver. 14. According to the order of David.] See 1 Chronicles 24:1.
Ver. 16. So the house of God was perfected.] See 1 Kings 9:25.
Ver. 17. To Eziongeber.] A haven of the Red Sea, called by Josephus Berenice, by Jerome Essia; Eloth is also called Elath, (Deuteronomy 2:8) and at this day Elana, unde sinus Elaniticus. Four hundred and fifty talents.] Thirty of them seem to go for the charges of the voyage. Compare 1 Kings 9:28.