2 Chronicles 8

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Solomon's Accomplishments

1 1At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house,
2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given to him, and settled the people of Israel in them.
3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and took it.
4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath.
5 He also built 2Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, 3fortified cities 4with walls, gates, and bars,
6 and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
7 5All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel,
8 from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed--these Solomon drafted 6as forced labor, and so they are to this day.
9 But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen.
10 And these were the chief officers of King Solomon, 250, who exercised authority over the people.
11 7Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, "My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy."
12 Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD 8 that he had built before the vestibule,
13 9as the duty of each day required, offering 10according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the 11three annual feasts--the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.
14 According to the ruling of David his father, he appointed 12the divisions of the priests for their service, 13and the Levites for their offices of praise and 14ministry before the priests 15as the duty of each day required, and 16the gatekeepers in their divisions at each gate, for so David 17the man of God had commanded.
15 And they did not turn aside from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites concerning any matter and concerning the treasuries.
16 Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon from[a] the day the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.
17 Then Solomon went to 18Ezion-geber and 19Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom.
18 And Hiram sent to him by the hand of his servants ships and servants familiar with the sea, and they went to Ophir together with the servants of Solomon and brought from there talents[b] of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

2 Chronicles 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Solomon's buildings and trade.

- It sometimes requires more wisdom and resolution to govern a family in the fear of God, than to govern a kingdom with reputation. The difficulty is increased, when a man has a hinderance instead of a help meet in the wife of his bosom. Solomon kept up the holy sacrifices, according to the law of Moses. In vain had the altar been built, in vain had fire come down from heaven, if sacrifices had not been constantly brought. Spiritual sacrifices are required of us, which we are to bring daily and weekly; it is good to be in a settled method of devotion. When the service of the temple was put into good order, it is said, The house of the Lord was perfected. The work was the main matter, not the place; the temple was unfinished till all this was done. Canaan was a rich country, and yet must send to Ophir for gold The Israelites were a wise people, but must be beholden to the king of Tyre for men that had knowledge of the seas. Grace, and not gold, is the best riches, and acquaintance with God and his law, the best knowledge. Leaving the children of this world to scramble for the toys of this world, may we, as the children of God, lay up our treasure in heaven, that where our treasure is, our hearts also may be.

Cross References 20

  • 1. For ver. 1-18, see 1 Kings 9:10-28
  • 2. See Joshua 16:3, 5
  • 3. 2 Chronicles 14:7; Deuteronomy 3:5
  • 4. 2 Chronicles 14:7; Deuteronomy 3:5
  • 5. See Genesis 15:18-21
  • 6. 2 Chronicles 10:18; 1 Kings 4:6; 1 Kings 9:21; 1 Kings 12:18; [Joshua 16:10]
  • 7. 1 Kings 3:1; 1 Kings 7:8; 1 Kings 9:24
  • 8. 2 Chronicles 4:1; 2 Chronicles 15:8
  • 9. [Exodus 29:38]
  • 10. Num. 28:3, 9, 11, 26; Numbers 29:2
  • 11. Exodus 23:14; Deuteronomy 16:16
  • 12. See 1 Chronicles 24
  • 13. See 1 Chronicles 25
  • 14. 2 Chronicles 7:6
  • 15. [See ver. 13 above]
  • 16. See 1 Chronicles 9:17-23; 1 Chronicles 26
  • 17. Nehemiah 12:24, 36
  • 18. 1 Kings 9:26
  • 19. [Deuteronomy 2:8; 2 Kings 14:22]
  • 20. 2 Chronicles 9:10; [1 Kings 9:28]

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew to
  • [b]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 8

This chapter contains much the same, with a little variation, as what is related in 1Ki 9:10-28.

2 Chronicles 8 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.