2 Chronicles 8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Various Activities of Solomon
8 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house,(A) 2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given to him and settled the people of Israel in them.
3 Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage towns that he built in Hamath. 5 He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars,(B) 6 and Baalath, as well as all Solomon’s storage towns, and all the towns for his chariots, the towns for his cavalry, and whatever Solomon desired to build, in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 7 All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, 8 from their descendants who were still left in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed—these Solomon conscripted for forced labor, as is still the case today.(C) 9 But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers and his officers, the commanders of his chariotry and cavalry. 10 These were the chief officers of King Solomon, two hundred fifty of them, who exercised authority over the people.
11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of King David of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the Lord has come are holy.”(D)
12 Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord that he had built in front of the vestibule,(E) 13 as the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths.(F) 14 According to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry alongside the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions for the several gates, for so David the man of God had commanded.(G) 15 They did not turn away from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites regarding anything at all or regarding the treasuries.
16 Thus all the work of Solomon was accomplished, from[a] the day the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid until the house of the Lord was finished completely.
17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom.(H) 18 Huram sent him, in the care of his servants, ships and servants familiar with the sea. They went to Ophir together with the servants of Solomon and imported from there four hundred fifty talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.(I)
Footnotes
- 8.16 Gk Syr Vg: Heb to
2 Chronicles 8
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Solomon’s Later Building Projects
8 At the end of 20 years(A) during which Solomon had built the Lord’s temple and his own palace— 2 Solomon had rebuilt the cities Hiram[a] gave him and settled Israelites there— 3 Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and seized it. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness along with all the storage cities that he built in Hamath. 5 He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon(B)—fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars(C)— 6 Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, all the chariot cities, the cavalry cities, and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.
7 As for all the peoples who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not from Israel(D)— 8 their descendants who remained in the land after them, those the Israelites had not completely destroyed—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is this way today.(E) 9 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to be slaves for his work; they were soldiers, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. 10 These were King Solomon’s deputies: 250 who ruled over the people.
11 Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh from the city of David to the house he had built for her,(F) for he said, “My wife must not live in the house[b] of David king of Israel because the places the ark of the Lord has come into are holy.”
Public Worship Established at the Temple
12 At that time(G) Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar he had made in front of the portico.(H) 13 He followed the daily requirement(I) for offerings according to the commandment of Moses(J) for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths.(K) 14 According to the ordinances of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests over their service,(L) of the Levites over their responsibilities to offer praise and to minister before the priests following the daily requirement,(M) and of the gatekeepers by their divisions with respect to each gate,(N) for this had been the command of David, the man of God.(O) 15 They did not turn aside from the king’s command regarding the priests and the Levites concerning any matter or concerning the treasuries.(P) 16 All of Solomon’s work was carried out from the day the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple until it was finished. So the Lord’s temple was completed.
Solomon’s Fleet
17 At that time(Q) Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth(R) on the seashore in the land of Edom. 18 So Hiram[c] sent ships to him by his servants along with crews of experienced seamen. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir, took from there 17 tons[d] of gold, and delivered it to King Solomon.(S)
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 8:2 = the king of Tyre
- 2 Chronicles 8:11 LXX reads city
- 2 Chronicles 8:18 Lit Huram
- 2 Chronicles 8:18 Lit 450 talents
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.