Solomon’s Exploits Throughout the Land
8 It came to pass at the end of 20 years, during which Solomon built the House of Adonai and his own palace, 2 that he built the cities which Huram had given to him and settled Bnei-Yisrael there. 3 Then Solomon marched against Hamath-zobah and overpowered it. 4 He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath. 5 He also built upper Beth-horon and lower Bet-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates and bars, 6 as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and cities for his chariots and cities for his horsemen—every thing that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land that he ruled.
7 All the people that were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, who were not of Israel, 8 that is, those of their descendants that were left after them in the land, whom Bnei-Yisrael did not destroy—these Solomon conscripted for forced labor, as it is to this day. 9 But Solomon did not make slaves of Bnei-Yisrael for his work. Rather, they were his soldiers, his chief officers and commanders of his chariots and horsemen. 10 These were the chief officers of King Solomon, 250 who ruled over the people.
11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the palace of King David of Israel, because the places where the Ark of Adonai has entered are holy.”
12 At that time, Solomon offered burnt offerings to Adonai on the altar of Adonai which he had built before the porch, 13 according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for Shabbatot, for New Moons and for the moadim three times a year—at the Feast of Matzot, at the Feast of Shavuot and at the Feast of Sukkot. 14 Following the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the kohanim for their avodah and the Levites for their duties—to praise and minister alongside the kohanim according to the daily assignment—and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate, because this is what David the man of God had commanded. 15 They did not depart from the king’s commandment to the kohanim and Levites in any matter, including the treasuries.
16 Thus all Solomon’s work was carried out from the day of the foundation of the House of Adonai until it was finished. So the House of Adonai was completed.
17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Elat on the coast of the land of Edom. 18 And Huram sent him ships commanded by his servants and servants that knew the sea. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and obtained from there 450 talents of gold and brought them to King Solomon.