1Ki 9:10 | KingComments | STEP | After Solomon has finished the two houses he has built, he gives twenty cities to Hiram king of Tyre. Possibly Solomon borrowed gold and gave twenty cities as security. With this he made God’s inheritance smaller. They are cities in the promised land and Hiram cannot appreciate them. It seems that Hiram returned the cities, probably because Solomon paid his debt ( ). Hiram did help with the building of the temple, but he has no interest in it, nor in the cities that Solomon gave him. He even despises the cities, which is evident from the name he gives to them. “Kabul” literally means ’as good as nothing’. Someone can be at work for the people of God, the church, by working on a certain work, but still have no interest for it. There is then a participation, but there is no relation, there is no taste of the heavenly land.

‏ 1 Kings 9:10

Cities for Hiram

After Solomon has finished the two houses he has built, he gives twenty cities to Hiram king of Tyre. Possibly Solomon borrowed gold and gave twenty cities as security. With this he made God’s inheritance smaller. They are cities in the promised land and Hiram cannot appreciate them. It seems that Hiram returned the cities, probably because Solomon paid his debt (2Chr 8:2).

Hiram did help with the building of the temple, but he has no interest in it, nor in the cities that Solomon gave him. He even despises the cities, which is evident from the name he gives to them. “Kabul” literally means ’as good as nothing’. Someone can be at work for the people of God, the church, by working on a certain work, but still have no interest for it. There is then a participation, but there is no relation, there is no taste of the heavenly land.