Solomon's Other Accomplishments
2 Chronicles 8, verse 1. Twenty years after Solomon built the house of the Lord and his own house, 2 Chronicles 8, verse 2. Solomon built the cities Hiram had given him and settled the sons of Israel there. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 3. And Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 4. And he built Tadmor in the desert and built all the fortified cities in Hamath. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 5. He built Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon, cities fortified with walls, gates, and bars, 2 Chronicles 8, verse 6. and Baalath and all the fortified cities Solomon had, and all the chariot cities and the cities of the cavalry, and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all his kingdom. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 7. All the people who were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of Israel— 2 Chronicles 8, verse 8. that is, their sons who were left in the land after them, whom the sons of Israel did not destroy—from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is done today. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 9. But Solomon did not turn the sons of Israel into servants for his kingdom. Some were men of war, captains of his officers, captains of his chariots and his cavalry. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 10. Others were chiefs of the officials of King Solomon, two hundred fifty, who ruled over the people. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 11. Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he built for her. For he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David, king of Israel, because the place where the ark of the Lord has come is holy.” 2 Chronicles 8, verse 12. Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord he built before the temple, 2 Chronicles 8, verse 13. according to the daily rate, offering according to the commandment of Moses, for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the three appointed yearly feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 14. According to the order of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, the Levites for their duties—to praise and serve before the priests—as each day's duty required, and he appointed the gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate, for so David the man of God commanded. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 15. Concerning any matter or the treasuries, they did not depart from the command of the king to the priests and Levites. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 16. Now all the work of Solomon was well ordered, from the day of the foundation until Solomon finished the house of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 17. Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the seacoast, in the land of Edom. 2 Chronicles 8, verse 18. And Hiram sent him ships by the hand of his servants, and servants who knew the sea. They went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, where they acquired four hundred fifty gold talents and brought them to King Solomon.