1 Kings 3:1
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
Read 1 Kings 3:1 Using Other Translations
What does 1 Kings 3:1 mean?
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of
Egypt
Pharaoh was a common name of the kings of Egypt, of whom no
mention is made in Scripture from the times of Moses until this
time; which may seem strange, when it is considered that that
kingdom was a potent one, and near the land of Canaan; but it was
governed by a race of kings in this period of time, of whom, as
Diodorus Siculus F9 says, there is nothing worthy of
relation. The name of this Pharaoh, according to Eupolemus
F11, an Heathen writer, was Vaphres;
for he says, that David contracted a friendship with this king,
and he relates some letters which passed between him and Solomon,
concerning sending him workmen for the building of the temple,
which are still preserved; but Calvisius F12 thinks
it was Sesostris; what this affinity was is next observed:
and took Pharaoh's daughter:
that is, married her; who, according to Ben Gersom, was
proselyted first to the Jewish religion; which is very probable,
or otherwise it can hardly be thought Solomon would marry her;
and as the forty fifth psalm, ( Psalms
45:1-17 ) , and the book of Canticles, supposed to be written
on that occasion, seem to confirm; to which may be added, that it
does not appear she ever enticed or drew him into idolatry; for,
of all the idols his wives drew him into the worship of, no
mention is made of any Egyptian deities. The Jews say
F13 Rome was built the same day Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter, but without foundation: this was not Solomon's first wife; he was married to Naamah the Ammonitess before he was king, for he had Rehoboam by her a year before that for Solomon reigned only forty years, and Rehoboam, who succeeded him, was forty one years of age when he began to reign, ( 1 Kings 11:41 ) ( 14:21 ) ;
and brought
her into the city of David;
the fort of Zion:
until he had
made an end of building his own house:
which was thirteen years in building, and now seems to have been
begun, ( 1 Kings 7:1 ) ;
and the
house of the Lord;
the temple, which according: to the Jewish chronology F14, was
begun building before his marriage of Pharaoh's daughter, and was
seven years in building; and therefore this marriage must be in
the fourth year of his reign; for then he began to build the
temple, ( 1 Kings 6:37
1 Kings
6:38 ) ; and so it must be, since Shimei lived three years in
Jerusalem before he was put to death, after which this marriage
was, ( 1 Kings
2:37 ) ;
and the wall
of Jerusalem round about;
all which he built by raising a levy on the people, ( 1 Kings 9:15
) ; and when these buildings were finished, he built a house for
his wife, but in the mean while she dwelt in the city of
David.
F9 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 42.
F11 Apud. Euseb. Praeparet. Evangel. l. 9.
c. 30, 31, 32.
F12 Chronolog. p. 191, 192.
F13 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 56. 2. &
Sanhedrin, fol. 21. 2.
F14 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 15. p. 41.
