Kings I 9:19

19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am he: go up before me to Bama, and eat with me to-day, and I will send thee away in the morning, and I will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

Kings I 9:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:19

And all the cities of store that Solomon had
In which were his magazines of corn, arms, and ammunition; and these were built in Hamath, ( 2 Chronicles 8:4 )

and cities for his chariots;
chariots of war, iron chariots, which were kept in times of peace, in case of necessity, of which Solomon had 1400, ( 1 Kings 10:26 ) ,

and cities for his horsemen;
of which he had 12,000, a standing cavalry:

and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem;
besides the temple and his own palace before mentioned; see ( Ecclesiastes 2:4 ) ,

and in Lebanon;
the house of the forest of Lebanon, which Junius on ( 1 Kings 7:2 ) thinks he built after he had taken Hamathzobah, a royal city of Lebanon; see ( 2 Chronicles 8:3 2 Chronicles 8:6 ) or fortresses on Mount Lebanon, which was the northern border of his kingdom:

and in all the land of his dominions;
where he might repair or fortify cities, or erect new forts for the safety of his kingdom; now for the doing of all this was the levy both of men and money raised, and of whom next follows.

Kings I 9:19 In-Context

17 And Samuel looked upon Saul, and the Lord answered him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to thee, this one shall rule over my people.
18 And Saul drew near to Samuel into the midst of the city, and said, Tell me now which the house of the seer?
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am he: go up before me to Bama, and eat with me to-day, and I will send thee away in the morning, and I will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20 And concerning thine asses that have been lost now these three days, care not for them, for they are found. And to whom does the excellency of Israel belong? does it not to thee and to thy father's house?
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I the son of a Benjamite, the least tribe of the people of Israel? and of the least family of the whole tribe of Benjamin? and why hast thou spoken to me according to this word?

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.