2 Chronicles 8

1 Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own palace,

And at the end of twenty years after Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house:

2 Solomon rebuilt the cities Hiram had given him and settled Israelites there.

He built the cities which Hiram had given to Solomon, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.

3 Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it.

He went also into Emath Suba, and possessed it.

4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, in addition to all the store cities that he had built in Hamath.

And he built Palmira in the desert, and he built other strong cities in Emath.

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

And he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, walled cities with Rates and bars and locks.

6 as well as Baalath, all the store cities that belonged to Solomon, and all the cities for his chariots and horses —whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout the land of his dominion.

Balaath also and all the strong cities that were Solomon’s, and all the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the horsemen. All that Solomon had a mind, and designed, he built in Jerusalem and in Libanus, and in all the land of his dominion.

7 As for all the people who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)—

All the people that were left of the Hethites, and the Amorrhites, and the Pherezites, and the Hevites, and the Jebusites, that were not of the stock of Israel:

8 their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to destroy—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.

Of their children, and of the posterity, whom the children of Israel had not slain, Solomon made to be the tributaries, unto this day.

9 But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slave labor, because they were his men of war, his officers and captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry.

But of the children of Israel he set none to serve in the king’s works: for they were men of war, and chief captains, and rulers of his chariots and horsemen.

10 They were also the chief officers for King Solomon: 250 supervisors.

And all the chief captains of king Solomon’s army were two hundred and fifty, who taught the people.

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

And he removed the daughter of Pharao from the city of David, to the house which he had built for her. For the king said: My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for it is sanctified: because the ark of the Lord came into it.

12 At that time Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD he had built in front of the portico.

Then Solomon offered holocausts to the Lord upon the altar of the Lord which he had built before the porch,

13 He observed the daily requirement for offerings according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

That every day an offering might be made on it according to the ordinance of Moses, in the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the festival days three times a year, that is to say, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

14 In keeping with the ordinances of his father David, Solomon appointed the divisions of the priests over their service, and the Levites for their duties to offer praise and to minister before the priests according to the daily requirement. He also appointed gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate, for this had been the command of David, the man of God.

And he appointed according to the order of David his father the offices of the priests in their ministries: and the Levites in their order to give praise, and minister before the priests according to the duty of every day: and the porters in their divisions by gate and gate: for so David the man of God had commanded.

15 They did not turn aside from the king’s command regarding the priests or the Levites or any matter concerning the treasuries.

And the priests and Levites departed not from the king’s commandments, as to any thing that he had commanded, and as to the keeping of the treasures.

16 Thus all the work of Solomon was carried out, from the day the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

Solomon had all charges prepared, from the day that he founded the house of the Lord, until the day wherein he finished it.

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth on the coast of Edom.

Then Solomon went to Asiongaber, and to Ailath, on the coast of the Red Sea, which is in the land of Edom.

18 So Hiram sent him ships captained by his servants, along with crews of experienced sailors. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and acquired from there 450 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

And Hiram sent him ships by the hands of his servants, and skillful mariners, and they went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir, and they took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought it to king Solomon.