1At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own palace,2Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram[1] had given him, and settled Israelites in them.3Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it.4He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath.5He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars,6as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses[2] – whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory that he ruled.7There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites).8Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land – whom the Israelites had not destroyed – to serve as slave labour, as it is to this day.9But 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.10They were also King Solomon’s chief officials – two hundred and fifty officials supervising the men.11Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter 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.’12On the altar of the Lord that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord,13according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded 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 Tabernacles.14In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their duties and the Levites to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day’s requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God had ordered.15They did not deviate from the king’s commands to the priests or to the Levites in any matter, including that of the treasuries.16All 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.17Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the coast of Edom.18And 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[3] of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.
2 Chronicles 8
English Standard Version
Solomon’s Accomplishments
1At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house, (1Ki 9:10)2Solomon rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given to him, and settled the people of Israel in them.3And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and took it.4He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath.5He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars, (De 3:5; Jos 16:3; Jos 16:5; 2Ch 14:7)6and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.7All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, (Ge 15:18)8from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed—these Solomon drafted as forced labor, and so they are to this day. (Jos 16:10; 1Ki 4:6; 1Ki 9:21; 1Ki 12:18; 2Ch 10:18)9But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen.10And these were the chief officers of King Solomon, 250, who exercised authority over the people.11Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the Lord has come are holy.” (1Ki 3:1; 1Ki 7:8; 1Ki 9:24)12Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord that he had built before the vestibule, (2Ch 4:1; 2Ch 15:8)13as the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. (Ex 23:14; Ex 29:38; Nu 28:3; Nu 28:9; Nu 28:11; Nu 28:26; Nu 29:2; De 16:16)14According to the ruling of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry before the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions at each gate, for so David the man of God had commanded. (1Ch 9:17; 1Ch 9:26; 2Ch 7:6; 2Ch 8:13; Ne 12:24; Ne 12:36)15And they did not turn aside from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites concerning any matter and concerning the treasuries.16Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon from[1] the day the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was completed.17Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom. (De 2:8; 1Ki 9:26; 2Ki 14:22)18And Hiram sent to him by the hand of his servants ships and servants familiar with the sea, and they went to Ophir together with the servants of Solomon and brought from there 450 talents[2] of gold and brought it to King Solomon. (1Ki 9:28; 2Ch 9:10)