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15 This is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon conscripted to build the house of the Lord and his own house, Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 For Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had gone up against and conquered Gezer and burned it with fire and slain the Canaanites that lived in the city and given it as a present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 Solomon built Gezer and Lower Beth Horon 18 and Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, 19 and all the storage cities that Solomon had, cities for his chariots and cities for his horsemen and all that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land of his dominion.

20 All the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not children of Israel, 21 the descendants of those who were left in the land and whom the people of Israel were not able to utterly destroy, were conscripted by Solomon for slave labor to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make any children of Israel into slaves, but instead used them as men of war, as his servants, his leaders, his captains, rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. 23 These were the chief officers over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people who did the labor.

24 But Pharaoh’s daughter moved out of the City of David to her house which Solomon had built for her, and he then built Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built to the Lord, and he burned incense on the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon built a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Elath on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 27 Hiram sent shipmen who had knowledge of the sea to serve alongside Solomon’s men. 28 They went to Ophir and acquired four hundred and twenty talents[a] of gold there and brought it to King Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:28 About 16 tons, or 14 metric tons.

15 And this is the [a]reason of the [b]levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 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 portion unto his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether, 18 and Baalath, and [c]Tamar in the wilderness, in the land, 19 and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 As for all the people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel; 21 their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able [d]utterly to destroy, of them did Solomon raise [e]a levy of bondservants unto this day. 22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondservants; but they were the men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, who bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.

24 But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.

25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto Jehovah, burning incense therewith, upon the altar that was before Jehovah. So he finished the house.

26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:15 Or, account
  2. 1 Kings 9:15 Hebrew men subject to taskwork.
  3. 1 Kings 9:18 Another reading is, Tadmor. So 2 Chr. 8:4
  4. 1 Kings 9:21 Hebrew to devote.
  5. 1 Kings 9:21 Hebrew men subject to servile taskwork.