The contrast is not between different periods of Solomon's reign, but between his reign and that of his father.

Evil occurrent - Rather, evil occurrence.

There is neither adversary - אין שטן eyn satan, there is no satan - no opposer, nor any kind of evil; all is peace and quiet, both without and within. God has given me this quiet that I may build his temple. Deus nobis haec otia fecit.

But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side,.... From foreign enemies; for Solomon had no wars with any:

so that there is neither adversary; or Satan, no internal enemy in his kingdom, as well as no external ones, Adonijah, Joab, and other ill-designing persons, being cut off:

nor evil occurrent; nothing that rose up, and met him, to discourage or hinder the prosecution of the good work he had in view.

"And now Jehovah my God has given me rest roundabout," such as David never enjoyed for a permanency (cf. 2 Samuel 7:1). "No adversary is there." This is not at variance with 1 Kings 11:14, for Hadad's enterprise belonged to a later period (see the comm. on that passage). "And no evil occurrence:" such as the rebellions of Absalom and Sheba, the pestilence at the numbering of the people, and other events which took place in David's reign.

But now the LORD my God hath given me {a} rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

(a) He declares that he was bound to set forth God's glory for as much as the Lord had sent him rest and peace.

5:1-9 Here is Solomon's design to build a temple. There is no adversary, no Satan, so the word is; no instrument of Satan to oppose it, or to divert from it. Satan does all he can, to hinder temple work. When there is no evil abroad, then let us be ready and active in that which is good, and get forward. Let God's promises quicken our endeavours. And all outward skill and advantages should be made serviceable to the interests of Christ's kingdom. It Tyre supplies Israel with craftsmen, Israel will supply Tyre with corn, Eze 27:17. Thus, by the wise disposal of Providence, one country has need of another, and is benefitted by another, that there may be dependence on one another, to the glory of God.