2 Chronicles 8:5

Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Also.—And. 1Kings 9:17, “And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether.”

Built—i.e., fortified, as the rest of the verse explains. (See 1Chronicles 7:24.) He built them as (or into) fenced cities, viz., walls, doors, and bar (Micah 7:12; Deuteronomy 3:5). This description is wanting in Kings.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:1 - 18 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Built - "Rebuilt," or "repaired" (as in 2 Chronicles 8:2). The two Beth-borons were both ancient cities (see Joshua 10:10 note).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3-6. And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah—Hamath was on the Orontes, in Cœle-Syria. Its king, Toi, had been the ally of David; but from the combination, Hamath and Zobah, it would appear that some revolution had taken place which led to the union of these two petty kingdoms of Syria into one. For what cause the resentment of Solomon was provoked against it, we are not informed, but he sent an armed force which reduced it. He made himself master also of Tadmor, the famous Palmyra in the same region. Various other cities along the frontiers of his extended dominions he repaired and fitted up, either to serve as store-places for the furtherance of his commercial enterprises, or to secure his kingdom from foreign invasion (see on [426]2Ch 1:14; [427]1Ki 9:15).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether,.... Only mention is made of the latter in 1 Kings 9:17,

fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; fortified cities in the tribe of Ephraim.

Geneva Study Bible

Also he built {d} Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;

(d) That is, he repaired and fortified them, for they were built long before by Sherah a noble woman of the tribe of Ephraim, 1Ch 6:68,7:24.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. Beth-horon the upper] Not mentioned in the parallel passage (1 Kings 9:17).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - Beth-heron the upper... Beth-heron the nether. The parallel mentions only the latter (1 Kings 9:17). They were both in Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:24; Joshua 10:10, 11; Joshua 16:1-6; Joshua 18:13, 14), but were assigned to the Kohathite Levites (Joshua 21:22; 1 Chronicles 6:68). The name means "the hollow place." The upper Beth-heron was about four miles from Gibeon, and the lower about three miles further on. The Roman general Cestius Gallus was defeated here in the last Jewish war; Judas Maccabaeus conquered here (1 Maccabees 3:18-25). Other interesting references may be made to 1 Samuel 13:18; 1 Kings 9:7; 2 Chronicles 25:18. 2 Chronicles 8:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Besides these, he made Upper and Nether Beth-horon (see on 1 Chronicles 7:24) into fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars. מצור ערי is the second object of ויּבן, and וגו חומות is in apposition to that. Further, he fortified Baalah, in the tribe of Dan, to defend the kingdom against the Philistines, and, according to 1 Kings 9:15-17, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer also, - which are omitted here, while in 1 Kings 9:17 Upper Beth-horon is omitted, - and store cities, chariot cities, and cavalry cities; see on 1 Kings 9:15-19.