Discovery Box1 Kings 3:1 
Context3:1 Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; he married Pharaoh’s daughter. He brought her to the City of David 1 until he could finish building his residence and the temple of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2
1 Kings 18:26
Context18:26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested, 3 and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped 4 around on the altar they had made. 5
1 Kings 20:31
Context20:31 His advisers 6 said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. 7 Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads 8 and surrender 9 to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.”
1 sn The phrase City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
2 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
3 tn Heb “and they took the bull which he allowed them.”
4 tn Heb “limped” (the same verb is used in v. 21).
5 tc The MT has “which he made,” but some medieval Hebrew
6 tn Or “servants.”
7 tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.
8 sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.
9 tn Heb “go out.”
