1 And it came to pass at the end H7093 of twenty H6242 years, H8141 wherein Solomon H8010 had built H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and his own house, H1004
2 That the cities H5892 which Huram H2361 had restored H5414 to Solomon, H8010 Solomon H8010 built H1129 them, and caused the children H1121 of Israel H3478 to dwell H3427 there.
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
7 As for all the people H5971 that were left H3498 of the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites, H2983 which were not of Israel, H3478
8 But of their children, H1121 who were left H3498 after H310 them in the land, H776 whom the children H1121 of Israel H3478 consumed H3615 not, them did Solomon H8010 make to pay H5927 tribute H4522 until this day. H3117
9 But of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did Solomon H8010 make H5414 no servants H5650 for his work; H4399 but they were men H582 of war, H4421 and chief H8269 of his captains, H7991 and captains H8269 of his chariots H7393 and horsemen. H6571
10 And these were the chief H8269 of king H4428 Solomon's H8010 officers, H5324 H5333 even two hundred H3967 and fifty, H2572 that bare rule H7287 over the people. H5971
11 And Solomon H8010 brought up H5927 the daughter H1323 of Pharaoh H6547 out of the city H5892 of David H1732 unto the house H1004 that he had built H1129 for her: for he said, H559 My wife H802 shall not dwell H3427 in the house H1004 of David H1732 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 because the places are holy, H6944 whereunto the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 hath come. H935
12 Then Solomon H8010 offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 unto the LORD H3068 on the altar H4196 of the LORD, H3068 which he had built H1129 before H6440 the porch, H197
13 Even after a certain rate H1697 every day, H3117 offering H5927 according to the commandment H4687 of Moses, H4872 on the sabbaths, H7676 and on the new moons, H2320 and on the solemn feasts, H4150 three H7969 times H6471 in the year, H8141 even in the feast H2282 of unleavened bread, H4682 and in the feast H2282 of weeks, H7620 and in the feast H2282 of tabernacles. H5521
14 And he appointed, H5975 according to the order H4941 of David H1732 his father, H1 the courses H4256 of the priests H3548 to their service, H5656 and the Levites H3881 to their charges, H4931 to praise H1984 and minister H8334 before the priests, H3548 as the duty H1697 of every day H3117 required: H3117 the porters H7778 also by their courses H4256 at every gate: H8179 for so had David H1732 the man H376 of God H430 commanded. H4687
15 And they departed H5493 not from the commandment H4687 of the king H4428 unto the priests H3548 and Levites H3881 concerning any matter, H1697 or concerning the treasures. H214
16 Now all the work H4399 of Solomon H8010 was prepared H3559 unto the day H3117 of the foundation H4143 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and until it was finished. H3615 So the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 was perfected. H8003
17 Then went H1980 Solomon H8010 to Eziongeber, H6100 and to Eloth, H359 at the sea H3220 side H8193 in the land H776 of Edom. H123
18 And Huram H2361 sent H7971 him by the hands H3027 of his servants H5650 ships, H591 H591 and servants H5650 that had knowledge H3045 of the sea; H3220 and they went H935 with the servants H5650 of Solomon H8010 to Ophir, H211 and took H3947 thence four H702 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 talents H3603 of gold, H2091 and brought H935 them to king H4428 Solomon. H8010
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 8
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.