Solomon’s Activities and Accomplishments

1Now it came about at the end of the twenty years in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house, 2that he built the cities which Huram had given [a]him, and settled the sons of Israel there.

3Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it. 4He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities which he had built in Hamath. 5He also built upper Beth-horon and lower Beth-horon, which were fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars; 6and Baalath and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for [b]his chariots and cities for [c]his horsemen, and everything that it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and all the land [d]under his rule.

7All of the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, 8that is, from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel had not destroyed, Solomon raised them as forced laborers to this day. 9But Solomon did not make slaves from the sons of Israel for his work; for they were men of war, his chief captains and commanders of his chariots and his horsemen. 10These were the chief [e]officers of King Solomon, 250 who ruled over the people.

11Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, because [f]the places where the ark of the LORD has entered are holy.”

12Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD which he had built in front of the porch; 13and he did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.

14Now according to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their duties of praise and ministering before the priests according to the daily rule, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate; for this is what David, the man of God, had commanded. 15And they did not deviate from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites in any matter or regarding the storehouses.

16So all the work of Solomon was carried out [g]from the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

17Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth on the seashore in the land of Edom. 18And by his servants Huram sent him ships and servants who knew the sea; and they went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and took from there [h]450 talents of gold, and brought it to King Solomon.