2 Chronicles 8:3-6 King James Version (KJV)

3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.

4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.

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

6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.


2 Chronicles 8:3-6 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

3 And Solomon H8010 went H3212 to Hamathzobah, H2578 and prevailed H2388 against it.

4 And he built H1129 Tadmor H8412 in the wilderness, H4057 and all the store H4543 cities, H5892 which he built H1129 in Hamath. H2574

5 Also he built H1129 Bethhoron H1032 the upper, H5945 and Bethhoron H1032 the nether, H8481 fenced H4692 cities, H5892 with walls, H2346 gates, H1817 and bars; H1280

6 And Baalath, H1191 and all the store H4543 cities H5892 that Solomon H8010 had, and all the chariot H7393 cities, H5892 and the cities H5892 of the horsemen, H6571 and all that Solomon H8010 desired H2836 H2837 to build H1129 in Jerusalem, H3389 and in Lebanon, H3844 and throughout all the land H776 of his dominion. H4475


2 Chronicles 8:3-6 American Standard (ASV)

3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath.

5 Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fortified cities, with 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 all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


2 Chronicles 8:3-6 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 And Solomon goeth to Hamath-Zobah, and layeth hold upon it;

4 and he buildeth Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the cities of store that he hath built in Hamath.

5 And he buildeth Beth-Horon the upper, and Beth-Horon the lower -- cities of defence, with walls, two-leaved doors, and bar --

6 and Baalath, and all the cities of store that Solomon had, and all the cities of the chariot, and the cities of the horsemen, and all the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


2 Chronicles 8:3-6 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

3 And Solomon went to Hamath-Zobah, and overcame it.

4 And he built Tadmor, in the wilderness, and all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath.

5 And he built upper Beth-Horon and lower Beth-Horon, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;

6 and Baalath, and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for chariots, and the cities for the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and on Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


2 Chronicles 8:3-6 World English Bible (WEB)

3 Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath.

5 Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with 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 all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


2 Chronicles 8:3-6 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and overcame it.

4 And he put up the buildings of Tadmor in the waste land, and of all the store-towns in Hamath;

5 And of Beth-horon the higher and the lower, walled towns with walls and doorways and locks;

6 And of Baalath, and all the store-towns which Solomon had, and the towns where he kept his war-carriages and his horse men, and everything which it was his pleasure to put up in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land under his rule.

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 8

2Ch 8:1-6. Solomon's Buildings.

2. cities which Huram had restored … Solomon built them, &c.—These cities lay in the northwest of Galilee. Though included within the limits of the promised land, they had never been conquered. The right of occupying them Solomon granted to Huram, who, after consideration, refused them as unsuitable to the commercial habits of his subjects (see on 1Ki 9:11). Solomon, having wrested them from the possession of the Canaanite inhabitants, repaired them and filled them with a colony of Hebrews.

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 2Ch 1:14; 1Ki 9:15).

2Ch 8:7-11. The Canaanites Made Tributaries.

7. all the people that were left, &c.—The descendants of the Canaanites who remained in the country were treated as war prisoners, being obliged to "pay tribute or to serve as galley slaves" (2Ch 2:18), while the Israelites were employed in no works but such as were of an honorable character.

10. two hundred and fifty that bare rule—(Compare 1Ki 9:23). It is generally agreed that the text of one of these passages is corrupt.

11. Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her—On his marriage with the Egyptian princess at the beginning of his reign, he assigned her a temporary abode in the city of David, that is, Jerusalem, until a suitable palace for his wife had been erected. While that palace was in progress, he himself lodged in the palace of David, but he did not allow her to occupy it, because he felt that she being a heathen proselyte, and having brought from her own country an establishment of heathen maid-servants, there would have been an impropriety in her being domiciled in a mansion which was or had been hallowed by the reception of the ark. It seems she was received on her arrival into his mother's abode (So 3:4; 8:2).

2Ch 8:15-18. Solomon's Festival Sacrifices.

15. they departed not from the commandment of the king—that is, David, in any of his ordinances, which by divine authority he established.

unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures—either in regulating the courses of the priests and Levites, or in the destination of his accumulated treasures to the construction and adornment of the temple.

17. Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth—These two maritime ports were situated at the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, now called the Gulf of Akaba. Eloth is seen in the modern Akaba, Ezion-geber in El Gudyan [Robinson]. Solomon, determined to cultivate the arts of peace, was sagacious enough to perceive that his kingdom could become great and glorious only by encouraging a spirit of commercial enterprise among his subjects; and, accordingly, with that in mind he made a contract with Huram for ships and seamen to instruct his people in navigation.

18. Huram sent him … ships—either sent him ship-men, able seamen, overland; or, taking the word "sent" in a looser sense, supplied him, that is, built him ships—namely, in docks at Eloth (compare 1Ki 9:26, 27). This navy of Solomon was manned by Tyrians, for Solomon had no seamen capable of performing distant expeditions. The Hebrew fishermen, whose boats plied on the Sea of Tiberias or coasted the shores of the Mediterranean, were not equal to the conducting of large vessels laden with valuable cargoes on long voyages and through the wide and unfrequented ocean.

four hundred and fifty talents of gold—(Compare 1Ki 9:28). The text in one of these passages is corrupt.