1 Kings 9:12

12 But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the towns which Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them.

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 Now at the end of twenty years, in which time Solomon had put up the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house,

11 (Hiram, king of Tyre, had given Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees and gold, as much as he had need of,) King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee.

12 But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the towns which Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them.

13 And he said, What sort of towns are these which you have given me, my brother? So they were named the land of Cabul, to this day.

14 And Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.