1 Kings 9:15-28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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 down, 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, Hittites, 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 completely destroy(M)—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is this way until 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 ruled over 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—16 tons[c]—and delivered it to Solomon.(Y)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 9:18 Alt Hb traditions, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read Tadmor; 2Ch 8:4
- 1 Kings 9:18 Tamar was a city in southern Judah; Ezk 47:19; 48:28.
- 1 Kings 9:28 Lit 420 talents
1 Kings 9:15-28
International Standard Version
Solomon’s Other Accomplishments(A)
15 Here is a summary of the conscripted labor that King Solomon required to build the Lord’s Temple, his royal palace, the terrace ramparts in the City of David,[a] the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had attacked and captured Gezer, burned it down, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and then gave it as a dowry for his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 So Solomon rebuilt Gezer, lower Beth-horon, 18 Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, 19 along with the storage cities that Solomon used for his chariots and for his cavalry, everything that Solomon felt like building in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in every territory under his control.
20 The people who survived from the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not related to the Israelis, 21 and whose descendants had survived them and continued to live in the land because the Israelis were unable to completely eliminate them, Solomon placed under conscripted labor, a situation that remains in effect to this day. 22 However, Solomon did not force Israelis into conscripted labor, but they did serve as his soldiers, servants, princes, captains, chariot commanders, and cavalry. 23 There were 550 chief officers who supervised Solomon’s activities and managed the staff that was doing the work.
24 As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter arrived from the City of David to live in her house that Solomon[b] had built for her, then he fortified the terrace ramparts in the City of David.[c] 25 Three times every year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he had built to the Lord, burning incense with the offerings in the presence of the Lord.
This concludes the record of the Temple construction.
Solomon’s Business Ventures(B)
26 King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Reed[d] Sea in the land of Edom. 27 Hiram sent his servants to sail with the fleet, since they were expert seamen, and so they accompanied Solomon’s servants. 28 They sailed as far as Ophir[e] and brought back 420 talents[f] of gold for Solomon.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 9:15 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
- 1 Kings 9:24 Lit. he
- 1 Kings 9:24 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
- 1 Kings 9:26 So MT; LXX reads Red
- 1 Kings 9:28 Or as a source of fine gold; cf. 1Chr 29:4
- 1 Kings 9:28 I.e. about 31,500 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
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