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Other Acts of Solomon

15 This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon conscripted to build the house of the Lord and his own house, the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer(A) 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it down, had killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife;(B) 17 so Solomon rebuilt Gezer), Lower Beth-horon,(C) 18 Baalath, Tadmor in the wilderness, within the land, 19 as well as all of Solomon’s storage cities, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his cavalry, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.(D) 20 All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel(E) 21 their descendants who were still left in the land, whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely—these Solomon conscripted for slave labor, and so they are to this day.(F) 22 But of the Israelites Solomon made no slaves; they were the soldiers; they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, and the commanders of his chariotry and cavalry.(G)

23 These were the chief officers who were over Solomon’s work: five hundred fifty who had charge of the people who carried on the work.(H)

24 But Pharaoh’s daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her; then he built the Millo.(I)

25 Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being on the altar that he built for the Lord, offering incense[a] before the Lord. So he completed the house.(J)

Solomon’s Commercial Activity

26 King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea,[b] in the land of Edom.(K) 27 Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon.(L) 28 They went to Ophir and imported from there four hundred twenty talents of gold that they delivered to King Solomon.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.25 Gk: Heb offering incense with it that was
  2. 9.26 Or Sea of Reeds

Solomon’s Forced Labor

15 This is the account of the forced labor(A) that King Solomon had imposed to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the supporting terraces,(B) the wall of Jerusalem,(C) and Hazor,(D) Megiddo,(E) and Gezer.(F) 16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He then burned it, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and gave it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.(G) 17 Then Solomon rebuilt Gezer, Lower Beth-horon,(H) 18 Baalath,(I) Tamar[a][b] in the Wilderness of Judah, 19 all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, the chariot cities,(J) the cavalry cities,(K) and whatever Solomon desired to build(L) in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.

20 As for all the peoples who remained of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not Israelites— 21 their descendants who remained in the land after them, those whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely(M)—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is still this way today.(N) 22 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to slavery;(O) they were soldiers, his servants, his commanders, his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. 23 These were the deputies(P) who were over Solomon’s work: 550 who supervised the people doing the work.(Q)

Solomon’s Other Activities

24 Pharaoh’s daughter moved from the city of David(R) to the house that Solomon had built for her;(S) he then built the terraces.(T)

25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them in the Lord’s presence.(U) So he completed the temple.(V)

26 King Solomon put together a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber,(W) which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 27 With the fleet, Hiram sent his servants, experienced seamen, along with Solomon’s servants. 28 They went to Ophir(X) and acquired gold there—sixteen tons[c]—and delivered it to Solomon.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. 9:18 Alt Hb traditions, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read Tadmor; 2Ch 8:4
  2. 9:18 Tamar was a city in southern Judah; Ezk 47:19; 48:28.
  3. 9:28 Lit 420 talents