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Solomon’s Accomplishments(A)

It took Solomon 20 years to build the Lord’s Temple and his own palace. During this time, he also rebuilt the towns that Hiram had restored to him, and he settled Israelis in them. After this, Solomon traveled to Hamath-zobah and captured it. Then he rebuilt Tadmor in the desert, along with supply centers[a] that he had built in Hamath. He also built upper and lower Beth-horon as fortified cities, installing[b] walls, gates, and bars, 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

All of the survivors who remained living in the land but who were not Israelis (including Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) 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. 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

  1. 2 Chronicles 8:4 Lit. cities
  2. 2 Chronicles 8:5 The Heb. lacks installing
  3. 2 Chronicles 8:6 Lit. cities
  4. 2 Chronicles 8:6 Or land
  5. 2 Chronicles 8:8 The Heb. lacks which they continue to do
  6. 2 Chronicles 8:10 Or people
  7. 2 Chronicles 8:12 The Heb. lacks of the temple
  8. 2 Chronicles 8:13 The Heb. lacks acting
  9. 2 Chronicles 8:14 Lit. he
  10. 2 Chronicles 8:14 Lit. he
  11. 2 Chronicles 8:14 The Heb. lacks of the temple
  12. 2 Chronicles 8:15 Lit. They did not depart from
  13. 2 Chronicles 8:15 The Heb. lacks to operation of
  14. 2 Chronicles 8:16 The Heb. lacks was laid
  15. 2 Chronicles 8:18 Lit. him
  16. 2 Chronicles 8:18 Or to a source of fine gold; cf. 1Chr 29:4
  17. 2 Chronicles 8:18 I.e. about 33,750 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds

Solomon’s Other Activities(A)

At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own palace,(B) Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram[a] had given him, and settled Israelites in them. Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath.(C) He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon(D) and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars, as well as Baalath(E) and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses[b]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites(F) (these people were not Israelites). Solomon conscripted(G) the descendants of all these people remaining in the land—whom the Israelites had not destroyed—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day. But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 10 They were also King Solomon’s chief officials—two hundred and fifty officials supervising the men.

11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter(H) up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”

12 On the altar(I) of the Lord that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord, 13 according to the daily requirement(J) for offerings commanded by Moses for the Sabbaths,(K) the New Moons(L) and the three(M) annual festivals—the Festival of Unleavened Bread,(N) the Festival of Weeks(O) and the Festival of Tabernacles.(P) 14 In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions(Q) of the priests for their duties, and the Levites(R) to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day’s requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers(S) by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God(T) had ordered.(U) 15 They did not deviate from the king’s commands to the priests or to the Levites in any matter, including that of the treasuries.

16 All Solomon’s work was carried out, from the day the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid until its completion. So the temple of the Lord was finished.

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the coast of Edom. 18 And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own men, sailors who knew the sea. These, with Solomon’s men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents[c] of gold,(V) which they delivered to King Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 8:2 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram; also in verse 18
  2. 2 Chronicles 8:6 Or charioteers
  3. 2 Chronicles 8:18 That is, about 17 tons or about 15 metric tons