PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — I Kings
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 123,839 words · 410 reading sections
1 Kings 1:1
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. 1 Kings 1:1 INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS This, and the following book, properly are but one book, divided into two parts, and went with the Jews under the common name of Kings. This, in the Syriac version, is called the Book of Kings; and in the Arabic version, the Book of …
1,309 wordsSECTION 21 Kings 1:2
1 Kings 1:2 Ver. 2. Wherefore his servants said unto him,.... His physicians; so Joseph's physicians are called his servants, Ge 50:2; let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin; not only a young woman, but a virgin, that has more natural heat than women that have bore children have, which is abated ther…
384 wordsSECTION 31 Kings 1:3
1 Kings 1:3 Ver. 3. So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel,.... Not only a damsel, but a beautiful one, that she might be the more acceptable to the king; who otherwise, if deformed and ugly, would not have endured her in his sight, or received at her hands, and much less suffered her to …
108 wordsSECTION 41 Kings 1:4
1 Kings 1:4 Ver. 4. And the damsel [was] very fair,.... And so very agreeable to the king to be in his presence, and wait upon him, and take things of her hand, as well as lie with him: and cherished the king; enlivened his spirits by her amiable countenance, her graceful behaviour, and tender care of him, and especi…
155 wordsSECTION 51 Kings 1:5
1 Kings 1:5 Ver. 5. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself,.... This was his mother's name, 2Sa 3:4; his father David being old and infirm, and not like to live long, notable to oppose him; and he being the eldest son, and a comely person, was inspired with ambition to set up for king: saying, I will be kin…
150 wordsSECTION 61 Kings 1:6
1 Kings 1:6 Ver. 6. And his father had not displeased him at any time,.... Always humoured him in everything, let him have his own way and will, and granted him what he desired, and never corrected him for his faults, or made him ashamed, as the Targum, by telling him of them, and chastising him for them; this was not…
269 wordsSECTION 71 Kings 1:7
1 Kings 1:7 Ver. 7. And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest,.... About getting the kingdom into his hands: and they were very proper persons to consult with, who, if gained to his interest, might be of great service, the one being the general of the army, and so had a great interest…
243 wordsSECTION 81 Kings 1:8
1 Kings 1:8 Ver. 8. But Zadok the priest,.... Who bid fair to be the high priest on Solomon's coming to the throne as he was: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who was near David's person, and over his bodyguards, the Cherethites and Pelethites: and Nathan the prophet; a very great intimate of David's, and his seer, …
165 wordsSECTION 91 Kings 1:9
1 Kings 1:9 Ver. 9. And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle,.... To make a feast of for those that were of his party, which was numerous, and some of them persons of the first rank, and therefore a large and elegant entertainment was provided for them: by the stone of Zoheleth, which [is] by Enrogel; or the f…
255 wordsSECTION 101 Kings 1:10
1 Kings 1:10 Ver. 10. But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. Did not invite them to this feast; not Nathan, who he might know had prophesied of Solomon's succession in the throne, and therefore it could not be thought he would be drawn over to him; nor "Benaiah…
79 wordsSECTION 111 Kings 1:11
1 Kings 1:11 Ver. 11. Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,.... Who not only had an interest in the king, being his wife, and an easy access to him, but had a special concern in this affair, as it affected her son, to whom the succession of the kingdom was designed and promised: saying, hast th…
167 wordsSECTION 121 Kings 1:12
1 Kings 1:12 Ver. 12. Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel,.... How to conduct in this affair, which she being a woman, and no doubt surprised and confounded at this relation, might be at a loss what to do; wherefore Nathan, being a wise man, and a faithful friend, offers to give the best advice …
124 wordsSECTION 131 Kings 1:13
1 Kings 1:13 Ver. 13. Go and get thee in unto King David,.... That is, go into the chamber where the king lay, at once, without any ceremony: and say unto him, didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? though no…
5,955 wordsSECTION 141 Kings 2:1
1 Kings 2:1 INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KING 2 This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, 1Ki 2:1; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, …
341 wordsSECTION 151 Kings 2:2
1 Kings 2:2 Ver. 2. I go the way of all the earth,.... A path which is the path of death {o}, which all pass in, kings and peasants, high and low, rich and poor, great and small, good and bad; none are exempted, all must die, and do; it is the appointment of God, a decree which can never be reversed; all experience co…
268 wordsSECTION 161 Kings 2:3
1 Kings 2:3 Ver. 3. And keep the charge of the Lord thy God,.... Which may in general respect his whole walk and conversation, and his obedience to the law and will of God; and in particular his just government of Israel committed to his charge: to walk in his ways; directed to in his word: to keep his statutes and …
202 wordsSECTION 171 Kings 2:4
1 Kings 2:4 Ver. 4. That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me,.... his word of promise concerning the kingdom of David, and the succession of it, and confirm and establish it: saying, if thy children take heed to their way; they are directed to walk in, even the way of the Lord, and not turn to…
187 wordsSECTION 181 Kings 2:5
1 Kings 2:5 Ver. 5. Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me,.... In slaying Absalom, contrary to his orders, and in behaving insolently towards him on account of his mourning for him, and at other times; but as these things might not be personally known to Solomon, only by hearsay, this may…
354 wordsSECTION 191 Kings 2:6
1 Kings 2:6 Ver. 6. Do therefore according to thy wisdom,.... Which though young began to appear in him, even in the life of his father; he therefore exhorts him to use the wisdom he had, and take the first and fittest opportunity to cut him off for his former murders and late treason, as a dangerous man to his govern…
155 wordsSECTION 201 Kings 2:7
1 Kings 2:7 Ver. 7. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite,.... Who perhaps was now dead, and therefore he would have kindness shown to his posterity for his sake: and let them be of those that eat of thy table; as Mephibosheth had at his, who also perhaps was dead, since no notice is taken of him; …
135 wordsSECTION 211 Kings 2:8
1 Kings 2:8 Ver. 8. And behold [thou hast] with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim,.... Of whom, and of his native place, See Gill on "2Sa 16:5"; he was now at Jerusalem, and so with Solomon, or near at hand; and was on his side, and of his party; see 1Ki 1:8; but not to be trusted, or looked upon as …
169 wordsSECTION 221 Kings 2:9
1 Kings 2:9 Ver. 9. Now therefore hold him not guiltless,.... Do not look upon him as an innocent person; and if he commits an offence against thee, as he has against me, do not acquit him as I have done: for thou [art] a wise man; so it seems he was before the appearance of the Lord to him at Gibeon, even before his…
149 wordsSECTION 231 Kings 2:10
1 Kings 2:10 Ver. 10. So David slept with his fathers,.... Died as his ancestors before him did; for, buried with them he was not; and therefore cannot be understood of his lying with them in the grave, but in the state of the dead; he died according as the Jews say {q} on the day of Pentecost, and according to Bishop…
154 wordsSECTION 241 Kings 2:11
1 Kings 2:11 Ver. 11. And the days that David reigned over Israel [were] forty years,.... So says Eupolemus {s}, an Heathen writer, which are thus reckoned: seven years reigned he in Hebron; the six months over are omitted, 2Sa 5:5; this part of his reign was over Judah only: and thirty three years reigned he in Jer…
90 wordsSECTION 251 Kings 2:12
1 Kings 2:12 Ver. 12. Then sat Solomon on the throne of David his father,.... So he did in his lifetime, with his consent, and by his order, and now by the agreement of the whole people: and his kingdom was established greatly; all submitting to it, and none opposing it.…
52 wordsSECTION 261 Kings 2:13
1 Kings 2:13 Ver. 13. And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon,.... Into her apartment; Abarbinel thinks it was a few days after the death of David: and she said, comest thou peaceably? in a friendly manner, with no ill design, only to pay a friendly visit; for she might fear he came t…
118 wordsSECTION 271 Kings 2:14
1 Kings 2:14 Ver. 14. He said, moreover, I have something to say unto thee,.... Signifying that he came upon business: and she said, say on; intimating her readiness to hear what it was.…
35 wordsSECTION 281 Kings 2:15
1 Kings 2:15 Ver. 15. And he said, thou knowest that the kingdom was mine,.... Belonged to him by virtue of his birthright; he was heir to it, being the eldest son: and [that] all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign; which was not true; for, as Bathsheba says, the body of the people were in suspense, th…
295 wordsSECTION 291 Kings 2:16
1 Kings 2:16 Ver. 16. And now I ask one petition of thee,.... And but one, and a small one too, as Bathsheba herself after calls it: deny me not, or "turn not away my face" {t}; with shame and sorrow, which would be the case should he be denied: and she said unto him, say on; let me hear it. {t} ynp ta ybyvt "ne av…
72 wordsSECTION 301 Kings 2:17
1 Kings 2:17 Ver. 17. And he said, speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king,.... He owns him to be king, and which he the rather did to engage her to take his suit in hand, and to cover his design:for he will not say thee nay; or turn away thy face, or deny thy request; she being his mother, for whom he had a great a…
5,088 wordsSECTION 311 Kings 3:1
1 Kings 3:1 INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 3 This chapter relates the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoh's daughter, 1Ki 3:1; his piety and devotion, 1Ki 3:2; his prayer for wisdom and understanding, which was acceptable to God, who promised to grant his request, with an addition to it, 1Ki 3:5; an instance and proof of t…
610 wordsSECTION 321 Kings 3:2
1 Kings 3:2 Ver. 2. Only the people sacrificed in high places,.... On the tops of their houses, on hills and mountains, and particularly at the high place in Gibeon, where the tabernacle was: because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until those days; to which they were obliged to repair as afterward…
72 wordsSECTION 331 Kings 3:3
1 Kings 3:3 Ver. 3. And Solomon loved the Lord,.... The worship of the Lord, as the Targum: and which he showed by walking in the statutes of David his father; in which his father walked, which were the statutes of the Lord, or which he exhorted him to walk in, and were the same, 1Ki 2:3; only he sacrificed and burn…
78 wordsSECTION 341 Kings 3:4
1 Kings 3:4 Ver. 4. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there,.... About four or five miles from Jerusalem; See Gill on "1Ki 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 mor…
125 wordsSECTION 351 Kings 3:5
1 Kings 3:5 Ver. 5. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night,.... This was not a common natural dream, but an extraordinary, divine, and supernatural one, a prophetic dream, a night vision, such as God used to speak in to his prophets; in which he had the full use of his reasoning powers, was under d…
201 wordsSECTION 361 Kings 3:6
1 Kings 3:6 Ver. 6. And Solomon said,.... In his dream; not that he dreamt he said, when he did not; but he really said, as follows: thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy; bestowed many favours and blessings upon him, both temporal and spiritual: according as he walked before thee in truth, a…
200 wordsSECTION 371 Kings 3:7
1 Kings 3:7 Ver. 7. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father,.... Removed by death, in whose stead he reigned by the appointment of God, and through his overruling providence, notwithstanding the attempts made to prevent it, and therefore to God he ascribes it: and I [am but]…
442 wordsSECTION 381 Kings 3:8
1 Kings 3:8 Ver. 8. And thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen,.... To be his special and peculiar people above all people on the earth; this is not to be understood locally, though Jerusalem, where his palace was, was in the middle of the land; but of the exercise of his office, he being p…
108 wordsSECTION 391 Kings 3:9
1 Kings 3:9 Ver. 9. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people,.... Not an understanding of things spiritual, nor of things natural, though both were given him, but of things political, what related to the civil government, that he might be able to judge or rule the people of Israel in the …
173 wordsSECTION 401 Kings 3:10
1 Kings 3:10 Ver. 10. And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Understanding in the affairs of civil government; since he had respect not to his own private benefit and advantage, but the good of the people he governed, and the honour and glory of God, who had set him over them, they being h…
68 wordsSECTION 411 Kings 3:11
1 Kings 3:11 Ver. 11. And God said unto him,.... Being yet in a dream: because thou hast asked this thing; wisdom for government: and hast not asked for thyself long life; which is naturally desired by men, and always reckoned a great temporal blessing, and especially to be wished for by a king living in great pomp …
171 wordsSECTION 421 Kings 3:12
1 Kings 3:12 Ver. 12. Behold, I have done according to thy words,.... Expressed in his request: he not only promised he would grant him it, but he had already done it, or at least had begun to do it: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; had greatly increased his wisdom and understanding in things …
290 wordsSECTION 431 Kings 3:13
1 Kings 3:13 Ver. 13. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked,.... That is, intended to give him, and now promised it, and was about to bestow it on him: both riches and honour; the former through the presents and tribute of the nations about him, and his trading to foreign parts; and the latter chi…
161 wordsSECTION 441 Kings 3:14
1 Kings 3:14 Ver. 14. And if thou wilt walk in my ways,.... Prescribed and directed to in his word, to keep my statutes and my commandments; ceremonial, moral, and judicial: as thy father David did walk; which Solomon himself had observed, 1Ki 3:6; and whose walk was worthy of his imitation: then I will lengthen th…
138 wordsSECTION 451 Kings 3:15
1 Kings 3:15 Ver. 15. And Solomon awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream,.... Not that it was nothing but a dream, a natural one, a vain and empty one, but a divine and supernatural one, a dream of prophecy, as the Jews call it, or a prophetic dream; a true one, which had its fall accomplishment in him, the truth of whi…
273 wordsSECTION 461 Kings 3:16
1 Kings 3:16 Ver. 16. Then came there two women [that] were harlots unto the king,.... The same day, as Abarbinel thinks, the night before which the Lord had appeared to Solomon; this came to pass through the providence of God, that there should be immediately an instance and proof of the wisdom and understanding the …
236 wordsSECTION 471 Kings 3:17
1 Kings 3:17 Ver. 17. And the one woman said,.... Who was the plaintiff: O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; pointing to the defendant, who stood by her: and I was delivered of a child with her in the house; she being present at the delivery, and she only, as it should seem.…
59 wordsSECTION 481 Kings 3:18
1 Kings 3:18 Ver. 18. And it came to pass, the third day after I was delivered,.... Of a child, as before expressed: that this woman was delivered also; of another child; and being both of the same sex, both sons, as afterwards appears; and being so nearly of an age, it was difficult to distinguish them; and we [wer…
1,247 wordsSECTION 491 Kings 4:1
1 Kings 4:1 INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 4 As in the preceding chapter we have a proof of the wisdom and understanding which the Lord gave to Solomon, as promised, so in this an account is given of the riches and honour he was possessed of; of him, as king over all Israel, and of his princes, 1Ki 4:1; of the providers…
218 wordsSECTION 501 Kings 4:2
1 Kings 4:2 Ver. 2. And these [were] the princes which he had,.... That were in office about him, in the highest posts of honour and trust: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest: or rather his grandson, since Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok, and Azariah the son of Ahimaaz, 1Ch 6:8; though another Zadok may be meant, and h…
91 wordsSECTION 511 Kings 4:3
1 Kings 4:3 Ver. 3. Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes,.... Their father Shisha, the same with Sheva, was scribe only in David's time; and he being dead very probably, both his sons were continued in the office as secretaries of state, Solomon having more business for such an office, see 2Sa 20:25; Jeho…
84 wordsSECTION 521 Kings 4:4
1 Kings 4:4 Ver. 4. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the host,.... General of the army in the room of Joab, 1Ki 2:35; and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests; so they were when Solomon came to the throne; but Abiathar was deposed by him after some time, though he might retain the name afterwards, and be e…
103 wordsSECTION 531 Kings 4:5
1 Kings 4:5 Ver. 5. And Azariah the son of Nathan [was] over the officers,.... The twelve officers who provided food for Solomon's household after mentioned: and Zabud the son of Nathan; another of the sons of Nathan the prophet: for he being a principal instrument of settling Solomon on the throne, had interest enou…
108 wordsSECTION 541 Kings 4:6
1 Kings 4:6 Ver. 6. And Abiathar [was] over the household,.... Steward of the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda [was] over the tribute, over those that collected the tribute, as the Targum, whether from the people of Israel or other nations, or both; this man was in the same post in David's time, 2Sa 20:24.…
59 wordsSECTION 551 Kings 4:7
1 Kings 4:7 Ver. 7. And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel,.... Not with respect to the twelve tribes of Israel, for it does not appear that they had each of them a tribe under them, but some particular places in a tribe; but with respect to the twelve months of the year, in which each took his turn: which p…
200 wordsSECTION 561 Kings 4:8
1 Kings 4:8 Ver. 8. And these [are] their names,.... Or rather the names of their fathers; for of many of them not their own names but their fathers' names are given, as being well known: the son of Hur, in Mount Ephraim; a fruitful country in the tribe of Ephraim, from whence this officer was to furnish the king wit…
69 wordsSECTION 571 Kings 4:9
1 Kings 4:9 Ver. 9. The son of Dekar in Makaz,.... A place in the tribe of Dan, on the borders of it: and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan; all in the same tribe, see Jos 19:41.…
40 wordsSECTION 581 Kings 4:10
1 Kings 4:10 Ver. 10. The son of Hesed in Aruboth,.... Which seems to have been in the tribe of Judah by the places that follow: to him [pertained] Sochoh; there were two places of this name in that tribe, Jos 15:35; and all the land of Hepher: there was an Hepher in the land of Canaan, which was a royal city in the…
117 wordsSECTION 591 Kings 4:11
1 Kings 4:11 Ver. 11. The son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor,.... The same with Dor and her towns, belonged to the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, Jos 17:11; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife; not when he was first put into this office, when, in all probability, Solomon had not a da…
82 wordsSECTION 601 Kings 4:12
1 Kings 4:12 Ver. 12. Baana the son of Ahilud, [to him pertained] Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean,.... All which were places in the tribe of Manasseh, Jos 17:11; which [is] by Zartanah beneath Jezreel; so described, to distinguish it, as is thought, from Zaretan in Jos 3:16; and the country this officer presid…
95 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.