Reading for August 4th

 Read 1 Kings 5.1-18. In 5.1-18: Solomon prepares to build the Temple.  In verse 1: Tyre was a Phoenician city-state on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel, essentially modern Lebanon. The trees from this area were highly valued in antiquity. King Hiram provided building materials to David for his palace in Jerusalem (2 Sam 5.11-12). In the ancient Near east a god's house was his temple. In verse 3: The house for the name of the Lord is the temple of Yahweh. Since the Lord does not actually reside in the temple it is built for his "name." In verse 4: Rest is an important theme in the the Deuteronomistic History (see 2 Sam 7.1). The Lord promised the people rest when they had entered the promised land and come to the "place" where he would make his name dwell. (Deut 12.10-11). With Solomon the promise of rest is fulfilled so that the Temple can now be built in Jerusalem. This emphasis on rest may be a play on Solomon's name, which sounds like the Hebrew word "shalom," meaning peace (see 1 Chr. 22.9). In verse 6: The Sidonians were people from Sidon, another Phoenician city-state. Here, however, it seems to refer to Phoenicians in general. In verse 13; Solomon's labor force was conscripted from Israel as distinguished from Judah. it is clear from ch. 12 that the use of this conscripted labor continued after the Temple was completed. In verse 18: Gebalites were people from the Phoenician city-state of Byblos (also known as Gebal). Comments or Questions..