Pharaoh's Daughter: 1 Kings 9:24-28

From: Meditations on 1 Kings By: Henri L. Rossier

1 Kings 9:24‑28 • 2 min. read • grade level: 9

In 1 Kings 9:24²⁴But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo. (1 Kings 9:24) Pharaoh’s daughter comes up from the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her (cf. 1 Kings 7:8⁸And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch. (1 Kings 7:8)). In keeping with this house, the king built Millo, the citadel which henceforth made up a part of Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:9⁹So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. (2 Samuel 5:9); 1 Kings 11:27²⁷And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. (1 Kings 11:27); 2 Kings 12:20²⁰And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla. (2 Kings 12:20); 1 Chron. 11:8⁸And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. (1 Chronicles 11:8); 2 Chron. 32:5⁵Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. (2 Chronicles 32:5)).

2 Chronicles (2 Chron. 8:11¹¹And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come. (2 Chronicles 8:11)) informs us of the reason for this change of residence. Solomon said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David, king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come.” The ark had first been placed in the city of David (2 Sam. 6:12¹²And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. (2 Samuel 6:12)) and, as the passage in 2 Chronicles tells us, in the very house of the king. Solomon had carried it from the city of David, or Zion, into the temple. But the Gentile wife could not dwell in the place sanctified by the presence of the covenant God, Jehovah. Doubtless she could have her own large part in the benefits of the covenant, even to being associated with him who was its representative on earth; nonetheless, a distance must be maintained. The covenant made with Israel did not directly concern her. In the Millennium there will be a difference between Israel and the nations. These latter shall not receive their blessing except through the medium of the people of God. The covenant will not be contracted with them.

Three times a year Solomon sacrificed upon the brazen altar (1 Kings 9:25²⁵And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the house. (1 Kings 9:25)) constructed for the temple by the ministry of Hiram (2 Chron. 4:1¹Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof. (2 Chronicles 4:1))—the only mention thereof in 1 Kings, and an incidental mention at that. Furthermore, he burned incense on the golden altar. As we have seen in 1 Kings 8, on certain occasions he filled the office of priest, of Melchizedek, and of intercessor. Does this not speak to us of Christ? Every dignity is concentrated in His person, and He has acquired them all by virtue of His death, without which He would not be able to assume even one of these offices. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings.

In 1 Kings 9:26-28²⁶And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom. ²⁷And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. ²⁸And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon. (1 Kings 9:26‑28) we again find the relationship of Solomon with Hiram in view of the glory and external affairs of the kingdom. Gold flows into Jerusalem. Hiram is the Gentile friend, ever ready to serve the greatness of the king who is seated on Jehovah’s throne, and his good will for the house of the Lord likewise extends to the wealth and prosperity of the kingdom.

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