1 Kings 9:9

9 But the answer will be, 'It's because they abandoned ADONAI their God, who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods, worshipping and serving them; this is why ADONAI brought all these calamities on them.'"

1 Kings 9:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:9

And they shall answer
Who were left in the land when others were carried captive, as were some by Nebuchadnezzar, and who were capable of making the following answer:

because they forsook the Lord;
the worship of the Lord their God, as the Targum:

who brought forth their fathers out of the land Egypt;
which is observed as an aggravation of their sin:

and have taken hold upon other gods:
the gods of the people, as the Targum; of the Gentiles, who knew not the true God:

and have worshipped them, and served them:
even idols of gold and silver, wood and stone; an instance of judicial blindness they were left unto, who had been favoured with a revelation from God:

therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil;
their idolatry was the cause of it, than which nothing is more provoking to God.

1 Kings 9:9 In-Context

7 then I will cut off Isra'el from the land I have given them. This house, which I consecrated for my name, I will eject from my sight; and Isra'el will become an example to avoid and an object of scorn among all peoples.
8 This house, now so exalted - everyone passing by will gasp in shock at the sight of it and will ask, 'Why has ADONAI done this to this land and to this house?'
9 But the answer will be, 'It's because they abandoned ADONAI their God, who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods, worshipping and serving them; this is why ADONAI brought all these calamities on them.'"
10 At the end of twenty years, during which time Shlomo had built the two buildings, the house of ADONAI and the royal palace,
11 King Shlomo gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of the Galil (recall that Hiram the king of Tzor had supplied Shlomo with cedar and cypress logs and with all the gold Shlomo wanted).
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.