For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon’s wife.
The Pharaoh of Egypt had attacked and captured the city of Gezer, burned it down, and killed the Canaanites who lived there. Then he gave the city as a wedding gift to his daughter, who was married to Solomon.
This verse explains how Solomon acquired the city of Gezer - it was a wedding gift from his Egyptian father-in-law, who had conquered it and cleared out its previous inhabitants.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 1 Kings, this verse occurs during the prosperous reign of King Solomon, who had formed a political alliance with Egypt by marrying Pharaoh's daughter. Gezer was a key Canaanite city that Pharaoh conquered, destroyed, and then gifted to Solomon as part of this marital arrangement, reflecting the common ancient practice of using marriages to secure treaties and expand influence. This event illustrates the geopolitical tensions and alliances in the ancient Near East during Israel's united monarchy.
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