2 Chronicles 8

1 And it comes to pass at the end of twenty years that Solomon has built the house of YHWH and his own house.

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

2 As for the cities that Huram has given to Solomon, Solomon has built them, and he causes the sons of Israel to dwell there.

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

3 And Solomon goes to Hamath-Zobah, and lays hold on it;

Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it.

4 and he builds Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the cities of store that he has built in Hamath.

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

5 And he builds Beth-Horon the upper, and Beth-Horon the lower—cities of defense, with walls, double gates, and bar—

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

6 and Ba‘alath, and all the cities of store that Solomon had, and all the cities of the chariot, and the cities of the horsemen, and all the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

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.

7 All the people who are left of the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, who are not of Israel—

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

8 of their sons who have been left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel did not consume—Solomon lifts up a tribute to this day.

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.

9 And Solomon has made none of the sons of Israel servants for his work, but they [are] men of war, and heads of his captains, and heads of his charioteers, and of his horsemen;

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.

10 and these [are] heads of the officers whom King Solomon has, two hundred and fifty who are rulers among the people.

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

11 And Solomon has brought up the daughter of Pharaoh from the City of David to the house that he built for her, for he said, “My wife does not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for they are holy to whom the Ark of YHWH has come.”

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.”

12 Then Solomon has caused burnt-offerings to ascend to YHWH on the altar of YHWH that he built before the porch,

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

13 even by the matter of a day in its day, to cause to ascend according to the command of Moses, on Sabbaths, and on new moons, and on appointed times, three times in a year—in the Celebration of Unleavened Things, and in the Celebration of Weeks, and in the Celebration of Shelters.

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.

14 And he establishes, according to the ordinance of his father David, the divisions of the priests over their service, and of the Levites over their charges, to praise and to minister before the priests, according to the matter of a day in its day, and the gatekeepers in their divisions at every gate, for so [is] the command of David the man of God.

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.

15 And they have not turned aside [from] the command of the king concerning the priests and the Levites, in reference to any matter, and to the treasures.

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

16 And all the work of Solomon is prepared until the day of the foundation of the house of YHWH, and until its completion; the house of YHWH is perfect.

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.

17 Then Solomon has gone to Ezion-Geber, and to Elath, on the border of the sea, in the land of Edom;

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

18 and Huram sends to him, by the hand of his servants, ships and servants knowing the sea, and they go with servants of Solomon to Ophir, and take four hundred and fifty talents of gold from there, and bring it to King Solomon.

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.