Solomon Builds Cities

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

3Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and overpowered it. 4And he 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, fortified cities with walls, gates and bars; 6and Baalath and all the storage cities which Solomon had, and all the cities for [†]his chariots, and the cities for [†]his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land [†]under his rule.

7As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, 8namely, from their sons who were left after them in the land whom the sons of Israel had not consumed, from them Solomon raised up forced laborers to this day. 9But Solomon did not make slaves for his work from the sons of Israel; for they were men of war, his chief captains and his chariot commanders and his horsemen. 10These were the chief [†]deputies 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 [†]the places are holy where the ark of Yahweh has entered.”

12Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh which he had built before the porch; 13and 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.

14And according to the judgment of his father David, he caused the divisions of the priests to stand for their service, and the Levites for their responsibilities to praise and minister before the priests according to the daily rule, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate; for David the man of God had so commanded. 15And they did not turn away from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites in any manner or concerning the treasuries.

16Thus all the work of Solomon was carried out [†]from the day of the foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was completed. So the house of Yahweh was finished.

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