“ And though this house is so high (or ‘this house shall be very high’), yet will every one who passes by it be astonished, and will hiss, and they will say, “Why has YHWH done thus to this land, and to this house?.” And they will answer, “Because they forsook YHWH their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them. Therefore has YHWH brought all this evil on them.”

What is more, whatever reputation the Temple might achieve, it will collapse so that all who pass by will be astonished, and will hiss, and will say, “Why has YHWH done thus to this land, and to this house?” Compare Deu 29:24-29, although there is no thought there of astonishment and hissing. The reply, however is otherwise very similar, although with interesting dissimilarities. Here the covenant is not mentioned and the emphasis is now therefore more on the idea of the personal forsaking of Him (in Deuteronomy it is Moses speaking, here it is YHWH speaking, and He clearly ‘feels’ their attitude).

The strict translation of the Hebrew is ‘this house shall be very high’, with a recognition of the reputation that it would gain. But the contrast is clearly intended. The height of its renown will not prevent it becoming an astonishment, and something to be hissed at. Rather it will ensure it. For the idea and significance of the hissing see Lam 2:15; Eze 27:36; Zep 2:15.

For ‘YHWH your God Who brought forth your fathers out of the land of Egypt’ compare Exo 29:46 where it is ‘YHWH your God Who brought them forth from the land of Egypt’, and where it is also connected with the hallowing of YHWH’s Sanctuary. Compare also Jdg 2:12.

1Ki 9:10

‘ And it came about at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of YHWH and the king’s house.’

This verse represents part of the inclusio with 1Ki 9:1 and re-emphasises that this occurred once Solomon’s twenty year building stint was over, a period during which he had built two house, the house of YHWH and the king’s house. For the use of ‘it came about’ as a concluding comment in this way compare for example Gen 7:10; Gen 8:13; Gen 19:29; etc.

It will be noted that YHWH’s words are presented as well diversified, with ideas taken from different parts of the Books of Moses, and indeed from elsewhere as well. In spite of the undoubted Deuteronomic echoes there are no real grounds for calling any part of it specifically ‘Deuteronomic’. We do better to call it ‘Mosaic’ recognising that the echoes come from all sections of the Books of Moses.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Ki 9:8 And at this house, [which] is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

Ver. 8. And shall hiss. ] In scorn and horror.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

And at this house, &c. Render thus: “And this house will become conspicuous; every passer by will be astonished, and hiss; and they will say”, &c.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

at: 2Ch 7:21, Isa 64:11, Jer 19:8, Jer 49:17, Jer 50:13, Dan 9:12

Why: Deu 29:24-26, Jer 22:8, Jer 22:9, Jer 22:28

Reciprocal: Lev 26:32 – and your Deu 28:37 – become 2Ki 25:9 – he burnt 1Ch 22:5 – exceeding 2Ch 2:5 – great 2Ch 2:9 – wonderful great 2Ch 29:8 – to astonishment Job 18:20 – astonied Job 27:23 – hiss him Psa 69:25 – Let their Psa 78:69 – And he Jer 5:19 – Wherefore Jer 7:14 – as Jer 9:12 – for Jer 16:10 – Wherefore Jer 18:16 – a perpetual Jer 25:9 – an astonishment Jer 29:18 – to be a curse Jer 40:2 – The Lord Jer 44:8 – a curse Jer 44:22 – your land Lam 1:18 – hear Lam 4:12 – General Lam 5:18 – of the Eze 5:8 – in the Eze 27:36 – hiss Eze 32:10 – amazed Eze 36:3 – and ye Mic 6:16 – that Nah 3:6 – will set Zep 2:15 – every Zec 8:13 – a curse Mat 24:2 – There Mar 13:2 – there Luk 19:44 – lay

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Ki 9:8-9. And at this house, which is high Exalted in its privileges, and renowned for its riches and splendour, and the great resort of people to it. They gloried in the stateliness and magnificence of the structure; but God here lets them know it was not so high as to be out of the reach of his judgments, which should assuredly fall upon it and them, if they vilified it so as to exchange it for groves and idol-temples, and yet, at the same time, most inconsistently and absurdly magnified it, so as to suppose it would secure the favour of God to them, although they ever so much corrupted themselves. Every one that passeth by it shall be astonished At its unexpected and wonderful ruin. As they who now pass by it are astonished at the bulk and beauty, the richness, contrivance, and workmanship of it, and call it a stupendous fabric; so, if you forsake God, its height will make its fall the more amazing, and they that pass by will be as much astonished at its ruins. And shall hiss By way of contempt and derision; and shall say, Why hath the Lord, &c. What is the reason that this famous place, which boasted so much of the favour and protection of God, is thus laid in ruins? And they shall answer, Because they forsook, &c. The guilty, self-convicted, self-condemned Israelites will be forced to acknowledge with shame, that they themselves were the ruin of it. See Deu 29:24. Their sin will be read in their punishment. They deserted the temple, and therefore God deserted it; they profaned it with their sins, and laid it common; and therefore God profaned it with his judgments, and laid it waste. Of this God thus gave Solomon fair warning, now he had newly built and dedicated it, that he and his people might not be high-minded, but fear.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments