“Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the City of David to her house, which Shlomo had built for her. After that he built the Millo.“ — 1 Kings 9:24
So what’s the meaning of verse 24?
Why was this little detail included?
The rabbis give us an interesting answer.
Here’s what went down:
When Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter, she originally lived in the City of David.
But once Solomon built a separate house for her, she moved out of the City of David into her new royal quarters.
Afterward, we’re told Solomon built the Millo.
What exactly was the Millo?
It was probably a large structure or fortified area in or near the City of David in Jerusalem.
Now here’s where rabbinic commentary becomes useful.
Rashi explains that David had made breaches in the wall so that Israelites coming to Jerusalem for the pilgrimage festivals could enter.
Solomon, however, closed those openings in connection with the forced labor associated with Pharaoh’s daughter.
The Talmud makes the point even more clearly:
“David your father made breaches in the wall so that Israel could come up for the pilgrimage festivals, but you closed them in order to make forced labor for Pharaoh’s daughter.”
In other words, according to this Jewish tradition, Solomon closed the openings David had made to make it easier for pilgrims to come to Jerusalem.
The work was connected with forced labor for Pharaoh’s daughter.
That’s why the timing in 1 Kings 9:24 is so interesting.
Only after Solomon’s Egyptian wife moved into the house he had built for her does the text say that Solomon built the Millo.
According to Jewish tradition, Solomon changed an area that had helped pilgrims come to Jerusalem and made it part of his growing royal complex.
So what takeaway can we extract from this?
Well, here’s what’s coming to me.
This is what can happen when your affections are taken captive by an unbelieving spouse.
Instead of using your time, money, energy, and influence to further the Lord’s kingdom…
You start using them to satisfy the desires of your spouse.
And little by little, your priorities get divided.
Ya feel me?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“What I want is for you to be free of concern.
An unmarried man concerns
himself with the Lord’s affairs,
with how to please the Lord;
but the married man concerns
himself with the world’s affairs,
with how to please his wife;
and he finds himself split.”
-1 Corinthians 7:34
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