2 Chronicles Chapter 8

Solomon’s Other Activities

¹ At the end of the 20 years it took Solomon to build Yahveh’s Temple and his own palace, ² he rebuilt the towns Hiram had given him and settled Israelites in them. ³ Then he captured Hamath-zobah ⁴ and built Tadmor in the open country and storage cities in Hamath. ⁵ He built Upper and Lower Beth-horon, fortified towns with walls, gates, and bars. ⁶ He built Baalath, the storage cities he had, towns for his chariots and cavalry, and everything he delighted to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and the rest of the territory he ruled.

⁷ The people left over from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who weren’t Israelites ⁸ the Israelites hadn’t destroyed, Solomon has made forced laborers ever since. ⁹ He didn’t make slaves out of Israelites for his work. They were soldiers, chief captains, and commanders of his chariots and cavalry. ¹⁰ Solomon had 250 chief officers that oversaw the people. ¹¹ Then he brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from The City of David to the house he’d built for her, because he said, “My wife won’t live in David’s palace, because the places are holy where Yahveh’s Ark has been.” 2 Ch 8:1-11

¹² Then Solomon offered burnt offerings on the altar he’d built in front of the vestibule. ¹³ He followed the daily rule, offering them according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, new moons, and the three annual festivals: The Festival of Unleavened Bread, The Festival of Weeks, and The Festival of Booths.

¹⁴ He followed David’s ordinance and appointed the priestly divisions for their service: the Levites for their duties of praise and serving in the presence of the priests by the daily rule; the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate. ¹⁵ They kept his commandments to the priests and Levites about the treasuries.

¹⁶ Solomon carried out his work from the day he laid the foundation of Yahveh’s Temple till he finished it. ¹⁷ Then he went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore in Edom. ¹⁸ By his own officers, Hiram sent him ships and sailors that knew the sea. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and brought back 17 tons ^{450 talents} of gold.                                                             2 Ch 8:12-18