Solomon's reign

18.1-18: 1 Kings 9.10-28.At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house, 2Solomon rebuilt the cities which Huram had given to him, and settled the people of Israel in them.

3And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and took it. 4He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store-cities which he built in Hamath. 5He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars, 6and Ba'alath, and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 7All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb'usites, who were not of Israel, 8from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed — these Solomon made a forced levy and so they are to this day. 9But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen. 10And these were the chief officers of King Solomon, two hundred and fifty, who exercised authority over the people.

11Solomon 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, for the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.”

12Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the LORD upon the altar of the LORD which he had built before the vestibule, 13as the duty of each day required, offering 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 tabernacles. 14According to the ordinance of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry before the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions for the several gates; for so David the man of God had commanded. 15And they did not turn aside from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites concerning any matter and concerning the treasuries.

16Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon from8.16 Gk Syr Vg: Heb to the day the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

17Then Solomon went to E'zion-ge'ber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom. 18And Huram sent him by his servants ships and servants familiar with the sea, and they went to Ophir together with the servants of Solomon, and fetched from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.