II Chronicles

aCf. 1 Kings 9.10–28. At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon constructed the House of GOD and his palace—

Solomon also rebuilt the cities that Huram had given to him,bhim Heb. “Solomon.” and settled Israelites in them—

Solomon marched against Hamath-zobah and overpowered it.

He built Tadmor in the desert and all the garrison towns that he built in Hamath.

He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

as well as Baalath and all of Solomon’s garrison towns, chariot towns, and towns for his riderscriders Or “horses”; force of Heb. parash(im) uncertain.—everything that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in the Lebanon, and throughout the territory that he ruled.

All the people that were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, none of whom were of Israelite stock—

those of their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the Israelites had not annihilated—these Solomon subjected to forced labor, as is still the case.

But the Israelites, none of whom Solomon enslaved for his works, served as soldiers and as his chief officers, and as commanders of his chariots and riders.

These were King Solomon’s prefects—250 supervisors over the people.

Solomon brought up Pharaoh’s daughter from the City of David to the palace that he had built for her, for he said, “No wife of mine shall dwell in a palace of King David of Israel, for [the area] is sacred since the Ark of GOD has entered it.”

At that time, Solomon offered burnt offerings on the altar that he had built in front of the porch.

What was due for each day he sacrificed according to the commandment of Moses for the sabbaths, the new moons, and the thrice-yearly festivals—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.

Following the prescription of his father David, he set up the divisions of the priests for their duties, and the Levites for their watches, to praise and to serve alongside the priests, according to each day’s requirement, and the gatekeepers in their watches, gate by gate, for such was the commandment of David, the agent of God.

They did not depart from the commandment of the king relating to the priests and the Levites in all these matters and also relating to the treasuries.

And all of Solomon’s work was well executed from the day the House of GOD was founded until the House of GOD was completed to perfection.

At that time Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth on the seacoast of the land of Edom.

Huram sent him, under the charge of servants, a fleet with a crew of expert seamen; they went with Solomon’s men to Ophir, and obtained gold there in the amount of 450 talents, which they brought to King Solomon.