March 17, 2020: Day 45 – I Kings 9

We find Solomon who is amassing his wealth and frankly amassing his military might with not only chariots and land cavalry and battle arrangements, but also a very formidable navy, just in case things might go sour.

We read about this relationship that he has with the king of Tyre, a guy named Hiram, who had basically been the main supplier for all of the goods that were needed in order to build the temple.  Solomon was grateful and so gave to this king 20 cities in Galilee, cities which were not very satisfactory to Hiram.  In fact, he calls them Cabul which could mean “a land good for nothing”.  Not a great vote of confidence for someone who has done so much for you.  But it doesn’t seem to affect their relationship.  

We also read about a relationship that Solomon had with the king of Egypt, whom we would know as Pharaoh, to the point where he gave his daughter to Solomon as a wife.  Keep this account in mind because we will see that this will start to lead to Solomon falling away from the Lord and beginning to worship the gods of Egypt.  Almost as if it is an end that states: To be continued…