2 Chronicles 8
International Standard Version
Solomon’s Accomplishments(A)
8 It took Solomon 20 years to build the Lord’s Temple and his own palace. 2 During this time, he also rebuilt the towns that Hiram had restored to him, and he settled Israelis in them. 3 After this, Solomon traveled to Hamath-zobah and captured it. 4 Then he rebuilt Tadmor in the desert, along with supply centers[a] that he had built in Hamath. 5 He also built upper and lower Beth-horon as fortified cities, installing[b] walls, gates, and bars, 6 and he rebuilt Baalath and its supply centers[c] that belonged to Solomon, along with all the cities that he utilized to garrison his chariots and cavalry forces. Solomon was pleased also to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in every territory[d] that he controlled.
Conscripted Laborers
7 All of the survivors who remained living in the land but who were not Israelis (including Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) 8 were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not eliminated. Solomon put them to work as conscripted laborers, which they continue to do[e] to this day. 9 However, Solomon never made conscripted laborers from among the Israelis, but they did serve as his army, as his chief captains, and as commanders in charge of his chariots and cavalry. 10 King Solomon appointed 250 chief officers to command his army.[f] 11 Later, Solomon moved Pharaoh’s daughter from the City of David to the palace that he had constructed to house her, because he reasoned, “My wife isn’t going to live in the palace where King David of Israel lived, because wherever the ark of the Lord entered is holy.”
12 Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar that he had built in front of the porch of the Temple,[g] 13 acting[h] in compliance with the daily rule by offering them in conformity to commands issued by 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 Tents). 14 Following proscriptions laid down by his father David, Solomon[i] appointed divisions of priests for their service as well as descendants of Levi for duties of praise and ministry before the priests consistent with the daily rules. Furthermore, because David, the man of God, had commanded it, Solomon[j] also appointed gatekeepers to serve by divisions at every gate of the Temple.[k] 15 They scrupulously adhered to[l] the orders issued by the king to the priests and descendants of Levi in everything, including matters pertaining to operation of[m] the treasuries.
Work on the Temple is Completed
16 And so Solomon completed all of the work, from the day that the foundation stone of the Lord’s Temple was laid[n] until the Lord’s Temple was completely finished. 17 After this, Solomon visited Ezion-geber and Elath at the seashore in the land of Edom. 18 Hiram sent Solomon[o] ships and servants who were expert mariners, and they sailed with Solomon’s servants to Ophir,[p] where they brought back 450 talents[q] of gold for Solomon.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 8:4 Lit. cities
- 2 Chronicles 8:5 The Heb. lacks installing
- 2 Chronicles 8:6 Lit. cities
- 2 Chronicles 8:6 Or land
- 2 Chronicles 8:8 The Heb. lacks which they continue to do
- 2 Chronicles 8:10 Or people
- 2 Chronicles 8:12 The Heb. lacks of the temple
- 2 Chronicles 8:13 The Heb. lacks acting
- 2 Chronicles 8:14 Lit. he
- 2 Chronicles 8:14 Lit. he
- 2 Chronicles 8:14 The Heb. lacks of the temple
- 2 Chronicles 8:15 Lit. They did not depart from
- 2 Chronicles 8:15 The Heb. lacks to operation of
- 2 Chronicles 8:16 The Heb. lacks was laid
- 2 Chronicles 8:18 Lit. him
- 2 Chronicles 8:18 Or to a source of fine gold; cf. 1Chr 29:4
- 2 Chronicles 8:18 I.e. about 33,750 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
2 Chronicles 8
King James Version
8 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house,
2 That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.
4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.
5 Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,
8 But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.
9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.
10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.
11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto 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 are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come.
12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch,
13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.
15 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.
16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord, and until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was perfected.
17 Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.
18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
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