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Historical

Read the books of the Bible as they were written historically, according to the estimated date of their writing.
Duration: 365 days
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Version
2 Chronicles 8-10

Chapter 8

Public Works. (A)After the twenty years during which Solomon built the house of the Lord and his own house, he built up the cities which Huram had given him,[a] and settled Israelites there. Then Solomon went to Hamath of Zoba and conquered it. He built Tadmor[b] in the wilderness and all the supply cities, which he built in Hamath. (B)He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars; also Baalath, all the supply cities belonging to Solomon, and all the cities for the chariots, the cities for horses, and whatever else Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in the entire land under his dominion. All the people who were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who were not Israelites— those of their descendants who were left in the land and whom the Israelites had not destroyed—Solomon conscripted as forced laborers, as they are to this day. But Solomon made none of the Israelites forced laborers for his works, for they were his fighting force, commanders, adjutants, chariot officers, and cavalry. 10 They were also King Solomon’s two hundred and fifty overseers who directed the people.

Solomon’s Piety. 11 Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “No wife of mine shall dwell in the house of David, king of Israel, for the places where the ark of the Lord has come are holy.”

12 In those times Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord upon the altar of the Lord which he had built in front of the porch, 13 as was required to be done day by day according to the command of Moses, especially on the sabbaths, at the new moons, and on the fixed festivals three times a year: on the feast of the Unleavened Bread, the feast of Weeks, and the feast of Booths.(C)

14 And according to the ordinance of David his father he appointed the various divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites according to their functions of praise and attendance upon the priests, as the daily duty required. The gatekeepers by their divisions stood guard at each gate, since such was the command of David, the man of God.(D) 15 There was no deviation from the king’s command in whatever related to the priests and Levites or the treasuries. 16 All of Solomon’s work was carried out successfully from the day the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid until its completion. The house of the Lord was finished.

Glories of the Court. 17 In those times Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Elath on the seashore of the land of Edom.(E) 18 Huram had his servants send him ships and his own servants, expert seamen; they went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir, and obtained there four hundred and fifty talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.(F)

Chapter 9

The Queen of Sheba. (G)The queen of Sheba, having heard a report of Solomon’s fame, came to Jerusalem to test him with subtle questions, accompanied by a very numerous retinue and by camels bearing spices, a large amount of gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that she had on her mind. Solomon explained to her everything she asked about, and there was nothing so obscure that Solomon could not explain it to her.(H)

(I)When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom, the house he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance and dress of his waiters, his cupbearers and their dress, and the burnt offerings he sacrificed in the house of the Lord, it took her breath away. “The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true,” she told the king. “I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes that not even the half of your great wisdom had been told me. You have surpassed the report I heard. Happy your servants, happy these ministers of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord, your God, who was pleased to set you on his throne as king for the Lord, your God. In the love your God has for Israel, to establish them forever, he has made you king over them to carry out judgment and justice.” Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10 The servants of Huram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought cabinet wood and precious stones. 11 With the cabinet wood the king made stairs for the house of the Lord and the house of the king, and harps and lyres for the chanters. The like of these had not been seen before in the land of Judah.(J)

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she desired and asked for, more than she had brought to the king. Then she returned with her servants to her own country.(K)

13 (L)The gold that came to Solomon in one year weighed six hundred and sixty-six gold talents, 14 in addition to what came from the tolls on travelers and what the merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia also, and the governors of the country, brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold (six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield) 16 and three hundred bucklers of beaten gold (three hundred shekels of gold went into each buckler); and the king put them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon.

17 The king made a large ivory throne, and overlaid it with fine gold. 18 The throne had six steps; a footstool of gold was fastened to the throne, and there was an arm on each side of the seat, with two lions standing next to the arms, 19 and twelve other lions standing there on the steps, two to a step. Nothing like this was made in any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the utensils in the house of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, for in Solomon’s time silver was reckoned as nothing. 21 For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish ships would come with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.

Solomon’s Renown. 22 Thus King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23 All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon, to hear the wisdom God had put into his heart. 24 They all brought their tribute: vessels of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules—what was due each year. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses, chariots, and twelve thousand horses; these he allocated among the chariot cities and to the king’s service in Jerusalem. 26 He was ruler over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines and down to the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as numerous as the sycamores of the Shephelah. 28 [c]Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.

The Death of Solomon. 29 (M)The remainder of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are recorded in the acts of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam, son of Nebat. 30 Solomon was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 31 Solomon rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David, his father, and Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

II. The Post-Solomonic Monarchy of Judah

Chapter 10

Division of the Kingdom. (N)Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel[d] had come to make him king. When Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard about it, he was in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon; and he returned from Egypt. They sent for him; Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam: “Your father put on us a heavy yoke. If you now lighten the harsh servitude and the heavy yoke your father imposed on us, we will be your servants.” He answered them, “Come back to me in three days,” and the people went away.

King Rehoboam asked advice of the elders who had been in his father Solomon’s service while he was still alive, and asked, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” They replied, “If you will deal kindly with this people and please them, giving them a favorable reply, they will be your servants forever.” But he ignored the advice the elders had given him and asked advice of the young men who had grown up with him and were in his service. He said to them, “What answer do you advise us to give this people, who have told me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father imposed on us’?” 10 The young men who had grown up with him replied: “This is what you must say to this people who have told you, ‘Your father laid a heavy yoke on us; lighten it for us.’ You must say, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11 My father put a heavy yoke on you; I will make it heavier. My father beat you with whips; I will use scorpions!’”

12 On the third day, Jeroboam and the whole people came back to King Rehoboam as the king had instructed them: “Come back to me in three days.” 13 Ignoring the advice the elders had given him, King Rehoboam gave the people a harsh answer. 14 He spoke to them as the young men had advised: “My father laid a heavy yoke on you; I will make it heavier. My father beat you with whips; I will use scorpions.” 15 The king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God: the Lord fulfilled the word he had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.(O)

16 (P)When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king:

“What share have we in David?
    We have no heritage in the son of Jesse.
Everyone to your tents, Israel!
    Now look to your own house, David!”

So all Israel went off to their tents, 17 but the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah had Rehoboam as their king. 18 King Rehoboam then sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to mount his chariot and flee to Jerusalem. 19 And so Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.