2 ChroniclesChapter 8

Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.

¹It took Solomon twenty years to build the LORD's house and his own palace. At the end of that time, ²Solomon rebuilt the cities Hiram had given him. He had Israelites settle there. ³Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it. ⁴He built Tadmor in the wilderness. He also built all the store cities in Hamath. ⁵He rebuilt Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon. He made them strong cities with walls, gates, and bars. ⁶He also built Baalath and all of Solomon's store cities. He built all the cities for his chariots and horses. He built whatever he wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and all through the land he ruled. ⁷There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These people were not Israelites. ⁸Their descendants were still in the land. The Israelites had not destroyed them. Solomon forced these people to be slave workers, as they still are today. ⁹But Solomon did not make any Israelites slave workers. They were his soldiers, the leaders of his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and horsemen. ¹⁰They were also King Solomon's chief officers. There were 250 who were in charge of the people. ¹¹Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her. He said, "My wife must not live in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of the LORD has been are holy." ¹²Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the LORD's altar. He had built it in front of the porch. ¹³He followed the daily rule for offerings that Moses commanded. He gave offerings on the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the three yearly feasts. These were the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. ¹⁴Solomon followed the rules of his father David. He appointed the groups of priests for their service. He appointed the Levites for their duties. They were to lead praise and to help the priests, as each day required. He also appointed gatekeepers by their groups for each gate. David the man of God had commanded this. ¹⁵They did not turn away from what the king had commanded about the priests or the Levites in any matter. This included the treasure rooms. ¹⁶So all of Solomon's work was done, from the day the base of the LORD's house was laid until it was finished. So the LORD's house was completed. ¹⁷Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the coast of Edom. ¹⁸Hiram sent him ships led by his own servants, along with crews of skilled sailors. They went with Solomon's servants to Ophir. They got 450 talents of gold from there and brought it to King Solomon.a