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At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built Yahweh’s house and his own house, Solomon built the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.

Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it. He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath. Also he built Beth Horon the upper and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars; and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel; of their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel didn’t consume, of them Solomon conscripted forced labor to this day. But of the children of Israel, Solomon made no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen. 10 These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two-hundred fifty, who ruled over the people.

11 Solomon brought up Pharaoh’s daughter out of David’s city to the house that he had built for her; for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where Yahweh’s ark has come are holy.”

12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on Yahweh’s altar, which he had built before the porch, 13 even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times per year, during the feast of unleavened bread, during the feast of weeks, and during the feast of booths.[a]

14 He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate, for David the man of God had so commanded. 15 They didn’t depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.

16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared from the day of the foundation of Yahweh’s house until it was finished. So Yahweh’s house was completed.

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and to Eloth, on the seashore in the land of Edom. 18 Huram sent him ships and servants who had knowledge of the sea by the hands of his servants; and they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and brought from there four hundred fifty talents[b] of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 8:13 or, feast of tents (Sukkot)
  2. 8:18 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 450 talents is about 13.5 metric tons

Solomon’s buildings and prosperity

After twenty years of building the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, Solomon next rebuilt the cities Huram had given him, and he settled Israelites there.

Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and seized it. He fortified Tadmor in the wilderness, along with all the storage cities he had built in Hamath. Solomon also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon as fortress cities with walls, gates, and crossbars; Baalath; all the cities he used for storage; and all the cities used for chariots and cavalry—along with everything else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his kingdom.

Any non-Israelite people who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites— that is, the descendants of such people who were still in the land because the Israelites weren’t able to destroy them—Solomon forced into the labor gangs that are still in existence today. However, Solomon didn’t force the Israelites to work as slaves; instead, they became warriors, chief officers, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry. 10 And Solomon had two hundred fifty chief officers[a] who were in charge of the people.

11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter from David’s City to a palace he had built for her, because he said, “My wife mustn’t live in the palace of Israel’s King David, because the places where the Lord’s chest has been are holy.”

12 Then Solomon offered entirely burned offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar that Solomon had built in front of the porch, 13 as each day required, according to the commandment of Moses for sabbaths, new moon festivals, and the three annual festivals—Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Booths. 14 Just as his father David had ordered, Solomon set up the divisions of the priests for their services and the Levites to their posts for offering praise and ministering in front of the priests, doing what needed to be done each day; as well as the gatekeepers in their divisions at each gate, because this was what David the man of God had commanded. 15 They didn’t deviate in any way from the king’s commands concerning the priests, the Levites, or the treasuries. 16 All Solomon’s work was carried out from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid until its completion. Then the Lord’s temple was completely finished.

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the coast in the land of Edom. 18 Huram had his servants bring ships to Solomon, along with crews of expert sailors. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and imported four hundred fifty kikkars of gold, which they brought back to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 8:10 Qere; Kethib officers of the troops