2 Chronicles 8
8
The Cities Solomon Built
1It took 20 years for King Solomon to build the Lord’s Temple and the king’s palace. 2Then Solomon rebuilt the towns that Hiram gave him and then moved Israelites into those towns to live there. 3After this Solomon went to Hamath of Zobah and captured it. 4He also built the town of Tadmor in the desert. He built all the towns in Hamath to store things in. 5He rebuilt the towns of Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon. He made them into strong forts with strong walls, gates, and bars in the gates. 6He also rebuilt the town of Baalath and all the other towns where he stored things. He built all the cities where the chariots were kept and where the horse riders lived. Solomon built all he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and in all the country where he was king.
7-8There were many people left in the land who were not Israelites. There were Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. The Israelites had not been able to destroy them, but Solomon forced them to work for him as slaves. They are still slaves today. 9Solomon did not force any of the Israelites to be his slaves. They were soldiers, government officials, officers, captains, and chariot commanders and drivers. 10There were 250 supervisors over Solomon’s projects. They supervised the men.
11Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the house he built for her. He said, “My wife must not live in King David’s palace because the places where the Lord’s Holy Box has been are holy places.”
12Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar. He built that altar in front of the Temple porch. 13Solomon offered sacrifices every day the way Moses commanded. Sacrifices were to be offered on Sabbath days, during New Moon celebrations, and at the three yearly festivals. The three yearly festivals were the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. 14Solomon followed his father David’s instructions. He chose the groups of priests for their service and the Levites for their duties. The Levites were to lead the praise and help the priests from day to day to do what needed to be done in the Temple service. And he chose the gatekeepers by their groups to serve at each gate. This is the way David, the man of God, instructed. 15The Israelites did not change or disobey any of Solomon’s instructions to the priests and Levites. They did not change any of the instructions, even in the way they should keep the valuable things.
16So Solomon completed his work on the Lord’s Temple. Work began the day they laid the foundation and continued without stopping until the day the Temple was finished.
17King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber. This town is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 18Hiram sent ships to Solomon. Hiram’s own men sailed the ships. They were skilled at sailing on the sea. His men went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir#8:18 Ophir A place where there was much gold. Today no one knows where Ophir really was. Also in 9:10. and brought back 17 tons#8:18 17 tons Literally, “450 talents” (15,525 kg). of gold to King Solomon.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Chronicles 8
8
Solomon’s Other Achievements
1By the end of twenty years, Solomon had built the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace. 2Solomon rebuilt the towns that Hiram had given him, and Solomon sent Israelites to live in them. 3Then he went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. 4Solomon also built the town of Tadmor in the desert, and he built all the towns in Hamath as towns for storing grain and supplies. 5He rebuilt the towns of Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon, protecting them with strong walls, gates, and bars in the gates. 6He also rebuilt the town of Baalath. And he built all the other towns for storage and all the cities for his chariots and horses. He built all he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and everywhere he ruled.
7There were other people in the land who were not Israelites—the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 8They were descendants of the people that the Israelites had not destroyed. Solomon forced them to be slave workers, as is still true today. 9But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites. They were his soldiers, chief captains, commanders of his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 10These were his most important officers. There were two hundred fifty of them to direct the people.
11Solomon brought the daughter of the king of Egypt from the older part of Jerusalem to the palace he had built for her. Solomon said, “My wife must not live in King David’s palace, because the places where the Ark of the Agreement has been are holy.”
12Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar he had built for the Lord in front of the Temple porch. 13He offered sacrifices every day as Moses had commanded. They were offered on the Sabbath days, New Moons, and the three yearly feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Shelters. 14Solomon followed his father David’s instructions and chose the groups of priests for their service and the Levites to lead the praise and to help the priests do their daily work. And he chose the gatekeepers by their groups to serve at each gate, as David, the man of God, had commanded. 15They obeyed all of Solomon’s commands to the priests and Levites, as well as his commands about the treasuries.
16All Solomon’s work was done as he had said from the day the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was begun, until it was finished. So the Temple was finished.
17Then Solomon went to the towns of Ezion Geber and Elath near the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 18Hiram sent ships to Solomon that were commanded by his own men, who were skilled sailors. Hiram’s men went with Solomon’s men to Ophir and brought back about thirty-four thousand pounds of gold to King Solomon.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.