1 Kings 9:12

12 And Hiram went out of Tyre that he should see the cities, which Solomon had given to him, and those pleased not him; (And Hiram went out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given to him, and they did not please him;)

1 Kings 9:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:12

And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon
had given him
For these cities, being in or near Galilee, were not far from Tyre:

and they pleased him not;
being either out of repair, as some think; see ( 2 Chronicles 8:2 ) or the ground barren, and unfruitful; which is not likely, being in a very fruitful country, as the tribes on which they bordered were: but they were not agreeable to him, they did not suit with the disposition of him and his people, who were given not to husbandry, but to merchandise; and the land about these would require a good deal of pains and labour to till, which they were not used to.

1 Kings 9:12 In-Context

10 Soothly when twenty years were [ful]filled, after that Solomon had builded (the) twain houses (after that Solomon had begun to build the two houses), that is, the house of the Lord, and the house of the king,

11 while Hiram, king of Tyre, gave to Solomon trees of cedar, and of fir, and gold, by all thing that he had needful; then Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. (and Hiram, the king of Tyre, had given to Solomon cedar, and fir, or pine, trees, and gold, yea, all the things that he had need of; then Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.)

12 And Hiram went out of Tyre that he should see the cities, which Solomon had given to him, and those pleased not him; (And Hiram went out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given to him, and they did not please him;)

13 and he said, Whether these be the cities, which thou, brother, hast given to me? And he called those cities the land of Cabul, that is, displeasing (that is, The Displeasing Land), unto this day.

14 Also Hiram (had) sent to king Solomon sixscore talents of gold.