2 Chronicles 8

1 At the end of twenty years, Solomon had quite a list of accomplishments. He had: built The Temple of God and his own palace;

2 rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given him and colonized them with Israelites;

3 marched on Hamath Zobah and took it;

4 fortified Tadmor in the desert and all the store-cities he had founded in Hamath;

5 built the fortress cities Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon, complete with walls, gates, and bars;

6 built Baalath and store-cities; built chariot-cities for his horses. Solomon built impulsively and extravagantly - whenever a whim took him. And in Jerusalem, in Lebanon - wherever he fancied.

7 The remnants from the original inhabitants of the land (Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites - all non-Israelites),

8 survivors of the holy wars, were rounded up by Solomon for his gangs of slave labor. The policy is in effect today.

9 But true Israelites were not treated this way; they were used in his army and administration - government leaders and commanders of his chariots and charioteers.

10 They were also the project managers responsible for Solomon's building operations - 250 in all in charge of the workforce.

11 Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter from the City of David to a house built especially for her, "Because," he said, "my wife cannot live in the house of David king of Israel, for the areas in which the Chest of God has entered are sacred."

12 Then Solomon offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings to God on the Altar of God that he had built in front of The Temple porch.

13 He kept to the regular schedule of worship set down by Moses: Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual feasts of Unraised Bread (Passover), Weeks (Pentecost), and Booths.

14 He followed the practice of his father David in setting up groups of priests carrying out the work of worship, with the Levites assigned to lead the sacred music for praising God and to assist the priests in the daily worship; he assigned security guards to be on duty at each gate - that's what David the man of God had ordered.

15 The king's directions to the priests and Levites and financial stewards were kept right down to the fine print - no innovations - including the treasuries.

16 All that Solomon set out to do, from the groundbreaking of The Temple of God to its finish, was now complete.

17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the coast of Edom.

18 Hiram sent him ships and with them veteran sailors. Joined by Solomon's men they sailed to Ophir (in east Africa), loaded on fifteen tons of gold, and brought it back to King Solomon.

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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.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)