2 Chronicles 8
World English Bible
8 At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built Yahweh’s house and his own house, 2 Solomon built the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath. 5 Also he built Beth Horon the upper and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6 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.
7 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; 8 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. 9 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.
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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.
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- 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
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