“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet. But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no evil occurrence. Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place shall build the house for my name.’
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1 Kings 5:3-5 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David. Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet. But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no evil occurrence. Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place shall build the house for my name.’ Now therefore command that cedar trees be cut for me out of Lebanon. My servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say. For you know that there is nobody among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
Parallel Translations
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“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is no enemy and no evil occurrence.
Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place shall build the house for my name.’
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Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
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(5-17) 'Thou knowest how that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of my feet.
(5-18) But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.
(5-19) And, behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke unto David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the house for My name.
Cross-references (23)
- 1 Chronicles 22:9 (v4) Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall…
- 1 Chronicles 28:3 (v3) But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war, and have shed blood.’
- 1 Chronicles 17:12 (v5) He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
- 1 Chronicles 22:10 (v5) He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over…
- 2 Samuel 7:12-13 (v5) When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body,…
Show all 23 cross-references
- 1 Kings 4:24 (v4) For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace…
- 1 Chronicles 22:8 (v3) But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name,…
- 1 Chronicles 28:6 (v5) He said to me, ‘Solomon, your son, shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
- 1 Chronicles 28:10 (v5) Take heed now; for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.”
- Psalms 110:1 (v3) Yahweh says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”
- Acts 9:31 (v4) So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the…
- 1 Chronicles 22:4-6 (v3) and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David. David said, “Solomon my…
- Psalms 8:6 (v3) You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:
- Psalms 72:7 (v4) In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
- Isaiah 9:7 (v4) Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold…
- Zechariah 6:12-13 (v5) and speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he…
- 1 Corinthians 15:25 (v3) For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
- Joshua 10:24 (v3) When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went…
- 2 Samuel 7:5-11 (v3) “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you build me a house for me to dwell in? For I have not lived in a house since the day…
- 2 Chronicles 6:6-8 (v3) but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ Now it was in the heart…
- Malachi 4:3 (v3) You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies.
- 2 Chronicles 2:1-8 (v5) Now Solomon decided to build a house for Yahweh’s name, and a house for his kingdom. Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear…
- Ephesians 1:22 (v3) He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv3–4 Or, his enemies.
Or, his enemies.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv3–5 1Ki 5:3 Thou knowest how that David my father…
1Ki 5:3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
Ver. 3. For the wars that were about him.] He saith not for his shedding of blood, which elsewhere is made the reason why David might not build a house, {1Ch 28:3} but only for his continual wars, by reason whereof he had not time to do it. The best things are to be spoken of parents: to speak evil to them, {a} or of them, was death by God’s law; {Mat 15:5} yea, by Solon’s laws, though a heathen.
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{a} κακολογων.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v3 Thou knowest, by common fame, and by particular information.
Thou knowest, by common fame, and by particular information.
Could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God, i.e. either, first, For the worship and service of God, 1Ki 3:2. Or, secondly, For the Lord himself, as that phrase is used, Deu 28:58; Psa 20:1; 52:9.
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Which were about him on every side; which diverted his cares and thoughts to other things, and withal occasioned God’s denial of the honour of that work to him.
Put them under the soles of his feet, i.e. made them subject to him, that he might trample upon them at his pleasure. Compare Psa 8:6; 1Co 15:27.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv3–5 Thou knowest how that David my father could not…
Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God,.... As he designed, and was desirous of; and which Hiram might know not only by common fame, but from David himself, between whom there was an intercourse, and that in relation to cedars for building, which David had of Hiram, Ch2 2:3;
for the wars which were about him on every side; or warriors, as the Targum, the Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, and Syrians:
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until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet; made them subject and tributary to him, as he did at length, see Sa2 7:1, &c. so the "Cetib", or textual reading, is; but the "Keri", or marginal reading, is, "under the soles of my feet"; that is, Solomon's, which agrees with what follows; it was true of both.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Verse 4. There is neither adversary] אין שטן eyn…
Verse 4. There is neither adversary] אין שטן eyn satan, there is no satan-no opposer, nor any kind of evil; all is peace and quiet, both without and within. God has given me this quiet that I may build his temple. Deus nobis haec otia fecit.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v3 1Ki 5:3-5. A house unto the name of the…
1Ki 5:3-5. A house unto the name of the Lord — For his worship and service. For the wars which were about him on every side — Which diverted his cares and thoughts to other things, and occasioned God’s denying him the honour of that work. Until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet — That is, made them subject to him, that he could trample upon them at his pleasure. Compare Psa 8:6; 1Co 15:27. I purpose to build a house unto the name of the Lord — That shall be called by his name, namely, the house of Jehovah; and be appropriated to his honour and glory.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv3–5 Solomon’s presumption that Hiram knew David’s design has not…
Solomon’s presumption that Hiram knew David’s design has not appeared in the previous history, but it is in accordance with 1Ch 22:4.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv3–4 Wars. Many interpreters assert that this was the real…
Wars. Many interpreters assert that this was the real impediment, (Tostat; Salien, &c.) rather than the blood, which David had already spilt, 2 Kings vii., and 1 Paralipomenon xxii. 8.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv3–5 3. My father could not build — There was…
3. My father could not build — There was a moral incapacity in David on account of his many wars, or, as expressed in 1Ch_22:8, because he had shed so much blood in the sight of the Lord. He that builds the Lord’s house must not be a noted shedder of blood. Solomon assumes that Hiram knew this.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv3–5 3. Thou knowest] David’s preparations must have been well…
3. Thou knowest] David’s preparations must have been well known throughout the Phœnician kingdom, and so to Hiram even though he was not himself king. Cf. 1Ch_22:4 where we are told that the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. The reason why David himself did not begin to build the temple may also have been known to the northern king.
could not build a house] He was forbidden to do this by the word of the Lord (cf. 1Ch_22:8; 1Ch_28:3) because he had shed blood abundantly and made great wars.
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unto the name of the Lord] See above on 1Ki_3:2.
for the wars which were about him] The concord in this clause is not strictly grammatical, the noun rendered ‘wars’ being singular while the verb which follows is plural. It has therefore been proposed to render ‘because of the war wherewith they (i.e. his enemies) surrounded him.’ It seems better however to consider the singular noun as equivalent to a plural = enemies. And thus the rendering of the A. V. gives the correct sense. Another solution proposed has been to consider the words ‘men of’ as fallen out before ‘war,’ thus making the sense ‘because of the men of war who encompassed him.’ But such emendation of the text has no support in the versions.
put them under the soles of his feet] A phrase not uncommon to denote entire conquest. Cf. Psa_8:6; 1Co_15:27; Eph_1:22.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v3 (3) Thou knowest.—In the description (1Ch_22:4) of David’s collection…
(3) Thou knowest.—In the description (1Ch_22:4) of David’s collection of materials for the Temple, it is noted that “the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.” Hence Hiram knew well his desire of building the Temple, and the care with which, when disappointed of it, he prepared for the happier experience of his successor.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv3–5 Thou knowest how that David my father could not…
Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house Hiram could not fail to know this, as his relations with David had been close and intimate. Not only had he "sent cedar trees and carpenters and masons" to build David"s house, (2Sa_5:11) but "they of Tyro brought much cedar wood to David" (1Ch_22:4) for the house of the Lord unto the name of the Lord i.e. , to be dedicated to the Lord as His shrine and habitation (cf. Deu_12:5, Deu_12:11; and ch. 8:18, 19, 20, etc.) for the wars Heb., war. As we have singular noun and plural verb, Ewald, Rawlinson, al. assume that war stands for adversaries, as the next clause seems to imply. Bahr and Keil, however, with greater reason, interpret, "for the war with which they surrounded him;" a construction (bbs with double accusative) which is justified by Psa_109:3 until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet until, i.e., He trampled them down. The same image is found in some of David"s psalms, (e.g., Psa_7:5 Psa_60:12; cf. Psa_8:6 Psa_91:13; Isa_63:3; Romans Eph_1:22; Heb_2:8)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v4 General Information:
General Information:
Solomon continues to talk with King Hiram about building the Temple.
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has given me rest on every side
Before Solomon became king, King David and the people of Israel had been at war, but now King Solomon and the people were at rest and in a time of peace.
There is neither adversary nor disaster
neither humans who cause harm nor natural events that cause harm. This can be stated positively. AT: "We are safe from our enemies and from natural disasters" (See: Merism)
adversary
enemy
disaster
event that causes harm to people and their property
So
This is to emphasize the words that follow. "Listen! This is what I am going to do:" or "Because of what Yahweh has done for me, this is what I am going to do:"
for the name of Yahweh my God ... for my name
The word "name" is a metonym for the person. AT: "where Yahweh my God will live ... where I will live" (See: Metonymy)
set on your throne in your place
Here "throne" refers to ruling as king. AT: "make to be the king after you" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
rest
adversary
temple
ancestor
throne
name
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv3–4 5:3 gave him victory over all his enemies (literally…
5:3 gave him victory over all his enemies (literally put them under the soles of his feet): Ancient Near Eastern inscriptions and paintings often depict victorious kings with their feet upon the necks of vanquished foes or with enemies subdued at their feet.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.