I Kings 9:3

The Lord appears a second time to Solomon, and assures him that he had heard his prayer; and that he would establish his worship for ever in that temple, and him and his successors on the throne of Israel, provided he and they would keep his statutes and judgments, Kg1 9:1-5; but if they should transgress and forsake the Lord, then they should be cast off, the temple itself abandoned, and their enemies permitted to prevail over them, Kg1 9:6-9. Solomon having finished the temple and the king's house, about which he was employed twenty years, and having received assistance from Hiram king of Tyre, he gave him in return twenty cities in Galilee, with which he was not pleased, Kg1 9:10-14. Solomon's levies, buildings, and the persons employed, Kg1 9:15-23. Pharaoh's daughter comes to the city of David, Kg1 9:24. He sacrifices thrice a year at the temple, Kg1 9:25. Solomon's navy, and the gold they brought from Ophir, Kg1 9:26-28.

GOD'S COVENANT IN A SECOND VISION WITH SOLOMON. (Kg1 9:1-9) And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house--This first verse is connected with Kg1 9:11, all that is contained between Kg1 9:2-10 being parenthetical.

And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me,.... With delight and pleasure, and had accepted it; meaning the prayer recorded in the preceding chapter: I have hallowed this house which thou hast built; by the cloud of glory filling it, and by fire descending from heaven, and consuming the sacrifices offered in it, Ch2 7:1. to put my name there for ever; there to grant his presence, so long as his pure worship should be continued in it; so the Targum adds, "and my Shechinah or divine Majesty shall abide in it, if my will is done there continually:'' and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually; his eyes of Providence should be upon it, to watch over it, and protect it, and his worshippers in it; and he should have a cordial regard to the sacrifices there offered, and to the persons of the offerers, so long as they offered them in a right way, and to right ends and purposes.

The divine promise to Solomon, that his prayer should be answered, is closely connected with the substance of the prayer; but in our account we have only a brief summary, whereas in the Chronicles it is given more elaborately (vid., Ch2 7:12-16). "I have sanctified this house which thou hast built, to put my name there." For the expression, see Deu 12:11. The sanctifying consisted in the fact, that Jehovah put His name in the temple; i.e., that by filling the temple with the cloud which visibly displayed His presence, He consecrated it as the scene of the manifestation of His grace. To Solomon's prayer, "May Thine eyes stand open over this house" (Kg1 8:29), the Lord replies, giving always more than we ask, "My eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually."

In this chapter we have, I. The answer which God, in a vision, gave to Solomon's prayer, and the terms he settled with him (Kg1 9:1-9). II. The interchanging of grateful kindnesses between Solomon and Hiram (Kg1 9:10-14). III. His workmen and buildings (Kg1 9:15-24). IV. His devotion (Kg1 9:25). V. His trading navy (Kg1 9:26-28).

9:3-9 The Lord answered Solomon’s prayer by reviewing the conditions of the covenant. Obedience would bring prosperity and the Lord’s blessing; disobedience could mean utter disaster, including destruction of the city and Temple, and deportation of God’s people (see Deut 28:36-37, 63-68). Although God’s covenant was irrevocable, receiving its blessings depended upon faithfulness to its terms (Ps 89:24-37).