1 Kings 9:15-28
International Standard Version
Solomon’s Other Accomplishments(A)
15 Here is a summary of the conscripted labor that King Solomon required to build the Lord’s Temple, his royal palace, the terrace ramparts in the City of David,[a] the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had attacked and captured Gezer, burned it down, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and then gave it as a dowry for his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 So Solomon rebuilt Gezer, lower Beth-horon, 18 Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, 19 along with the storage cities that Solomon used for his chariots and for his cavalry, everything that Solomon felt like building in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in every territory under his control.
20 The people who survived from the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not related to the Israelis, 21 and whose descendants had survived them and continued to live in the land because the Israelis were unable to completely eliminate them, Solomon placed under conscripted labor, a situation that remains in effect to this day. 22 However, Solomon did not force Israelis into conscripted labor, but they did serve as his soldiers, servants, princes, captains, chariot commanders, and cavalry. 23 There were 550 chief officers who supervised Solomon’s activities and managed the staff that was doing the work.
24 As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter arrived from the City of David to live in her house that Solomon[b] had built for her, then he fortified the terrace ramparts in the City of David.[c] 25 Three times every year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he had built to the Lord, burning incense with the offerings in the presence of the Lord.
This concludes the record of the Temple construction.
Solomon’s Business Ventures(B)
26 King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Reed[d] Sea in the land of Edom. 27 Hiram sent his servants to sail with the fleet, since they were expert seamen, and so they accompanied Solomon’s servants. 28 They sailed as far as Ophir[e] and brought back 420 talents[f] of gold for Solomon.
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- 1 Kings 9:15 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
- 1 Kings 9:24 Lit. he
- 1 Kings 9:24 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
- 1 Kings 9:26 So MT; LXX reads Red
- 1 Kings 9:28 Or as a source of fine gold; cf. 1Chr 29:4
- 1 Kings 9:28 I.e. about 31,500 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
1 Kings 9:15-28
Lexham English Bible
Solomon’s Accomplishments
15 This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon conscripted to build the house of Yahweh and his house, the Millo, the walls of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had gone up and captured Gezer and burnt it with fire. He had also killed the Canaanites who were living in the city and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, the wife of Solomon. 17 Solomon rebuilt Gezer and Lower Beth-Horon, 18 as well as Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness in the land; 19 and he also built all of the storage cities which were Solomon’s, the cities for the chariots, the cities for the cavalry, and all of Solomon’s desire that he wanted[a] to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land of his dominion.
20 All of the people who were remaining from the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites who were not of the Israelites,[b] 21 their children who remained after them in the land, whom the Israelites[c] were not able to completely destroy, Solomon conscripted them for forced labor, until this very day. 22 But from the Israelites[d] Solomon did not make a slave, but they were the men of war, his officers, his commanders, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. 23 These were the commanders of the overseers who were over the work for Solomon, five hundred and fifty, ruling over the people doing the work.
24 As soon as the daughter of Pharaoh went up from the city of David to her house which he[e] built for her, then he built the Millo.
25 Solomon sacrificed three times a year: burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar that he had built to Yahweh, and he offered incense with it before Yahweh; and so he completed the house.
26 King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-Geber which is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea[f] in the land of Edom. 27 Hiram sent his servants with the fleet of ships, sailors[g] who knew the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28 They went to Ophir and imported from there four hundred and twenty talents of gold, and they brought it to King Solomon.
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- 1 Kings 9:19 Or “desired”
- 1 Kings 9:20 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- 1 Kings 9:21 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- 1 Kings 9:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- 1 Kings 9:24 That is, Solomon
- 1 Kings 9:26 Literally “sea of reed”
- 1 Kings 9:27 Literally “men of ships”
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