1 Kings 5:3

3 ¹"You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God ²because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

1 Kings 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 5:3

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, ( 2 Chronicles 2:3 ) ;

for the wars which were about him on every side;
or warriors, as the Targum, the Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, and Syrians:

until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet;
made them subject and tributary to him, as he did at length, see ( 2 Samuel 7:1 ) ( 8:1 ) 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.

1 Kings 5:3 In-Context

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David.

2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram,

3 "You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune.

5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.'

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 3-11, see 2 Chronicles 2:3-16
• 2. 1 Chronicles 22:8; 1 Chronicles 28:3