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2 Chronicles Chapter Eight

 

2 Chronicles 8 Outline of Contents

Solomon’s Additional Achievements (v.1~18)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 8

This chapter contains much the same, with a little variation, as what is related in 1 Kings 9:10.

 

2 Chronicles 8:1  It came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house,

   YLT  1And it cometh to pass, at the end of twenty years, that Solomon hath built the house of Jehovah, and his own house.

And it came to pass at the end of twenty years,.... See Gill on 1 Kings 9:10.

 

2 Chronicles 8:2  2 that the cities which Hiram[a] had given to Solomon, Solomon built them; and he settled the children of Israel there.

   YLT  2As to the cities that Huram hath given to Solomon, Solomon hath built them, and there he causeth the sons of Israel to dwell.

That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon,.... Which Solomon first gave to him, but he not liking them, returned them to him, 1 Kings 9:12,

Solomon built them; or rebuilt them, being very much out of repair, which might be one reason of Huram's not accepting them:

and caused the children of Israel to dwell there; they being inhabited by others, the remains of the Canaanitcs perhaps; see 2 Chronicles 8:7.

 

2 Chronicles 8:3  3 And Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it.

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

And Solomon went to Hamathzobah,.... In an hostile manner, which is the only instance of any warlike expedition of Solomon's. This was Coelesyria, which though subdued in the times of David, perhaps rebelled, and now Solomon went forth to reduce it:

and prevailed against it; took it.

 

2 Chronicles 8:4  4 He also built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities which he built in Hamath.

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

And built Tadmor in the wilderness,.... Of which See Gill on 1 Kings 9:18.

and all the storehouses which he built in Hamath; a country in Syria, which he made himself master of, and where he laid up store of provision and ammunition to keep it, should any attempt be made to rescue it out of his hands. According to an Arabic writerF1Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. dyn. 3. p. 53. , Solomon in the twenty fourth year of his reign having demolished Antioch, built seven cities, of which Tadmor was one.

 

2 Chronicles 8:5  5 He built Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

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

Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether,.... Only mention is made of the latter in 1 Kings 9:17,

fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; fortified cities in the tribe of Ephraim.

 

2 Chronicles 8:6  6 also Baalath and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities and the cities of the cavalry, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

   YLT  6and 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.

Verses 6-11

And Baalath,.... See 1 Kings 9:18. From hence, to the end of 2 Chronicles 8:11, it is the same with 1 Kings 9:19. See Gill on 1 Kings 9:19. 1 Kings 9:20. 1 Kings 9:21. 1 Kings 9:22. 1 Kings 9:23. 1 Kings 9:24.

 

2 Chronicles 8:7  7 All the people who were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of Israel—

   YLT  7All the people who are left of the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, who are not of Israel –

 

2 Chronicles 8:8  8 that is, their descendants who were left in the land after them, whom the children of Israel did not destroy—from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is to this day.

   YLT  8of their sons who have been left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel consumed not -- doth Solomon lift up a tribute unto this day.

 

2 Chronicles 8:9  9 But Solomon did not make the children of Israel servants for his work. Some were men of war, captains of his officers, captains of his chariots, and his cavalry.

   YLT  9And none of the sons of Israel hath Solomon made servants for his work, but they [are] men of war, and heads of his captains, and heads of his charioteers, and of his horsemen;

 

2 Chronicles 8:10  10 And others were chiefs of the officials of King Solomon: two hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people.

   YLT  10and these [are] heads of the officers whom king Solomon hath, two hundred and fifty who are rulers among the people.

 

2 Chronicles 8:11  11 Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the Lord has come are holy.”

   YLT  11And the daughter of Pharaoh hath Solomon brought up from the city of David to the house that he built for her, for he said, `My wife doth not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for they are holy unto whom hath come the ark of Jehovah.'

 

2 Chronicles 8:12  12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built before the vestibule,

   YLT  12Then hath Solomon caused to ascend burnt-offerings to Jehovah on the altar of Jehovah that he built before the porch,

Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord,.... Meaning not barely at the time he rebuilt the above cities, for it was his constant practice:

on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch; the brasen altar, which was at the entrance into the temple, within the court; of which see 2 Chronicles 4:1.

 

2 Chronicles 8:13  13 according to the daily rate, offering according to the commandment of Moses, for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the three appointed yearly feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

   YLT  13even by the matter of a day in its day, to cause to ascend according to the command of Moses, on sabbaths, and on new moons, and on appointed seasons, three times in a year -- in the feast of unleavened things, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths.

Even after a certain rate every day, according to the commandment of Moses,.... The daily sacrifice, morning and evening, Exodus 29:38,

on the sabbaths, and on the new moons; when there were additional sacrifices, Numbers 28:9, &c.

and on the solemn feasts three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; which serves to explain the three times in 1 Kings 9:25.

 

2 Chronicles 8:14  14 And, according to the order of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, the Levites for their duties (to praise and serve before the priests) as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate; for so David the man of God had commanded.

   YLT  14And he establisheth, according to the ordinance of David his father, the courses of the priests over their service, and of the Levites over their charges, to praise and to minister over-against the priests, according to the matter of a day in its day, and the gatekeepers in their courses at gate and gate, for so [is] the command of David the man of God.

And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service,.... The twenty four courses which served weekly in their turns, 1 Chronicles 24:1.

and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as duty of every day required; who also had their courses by lot, to sing the praises of God, when the priests sacrificed, or blew the trumpets, 1 Chronicles 25:1,

the porters also by their courses at every gate; from hence Dr. Lightfoot concludes that these were divided into twenty four classes, as the priests and Levite singers were:

for so had David the man of God commanded, 1 Chronicles 26:1, who in all these affairs acted as a prophet, under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit of God.

 

2 Chronicles 8:15  15 They did not depart from the command of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter or concerning the treasuries.

   YLT  15And they have not turned aside [from] the command of the king concerning the priests and the Levites, in reference to any matter, and to the treasures.

And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites,.... The priests and Levites departed not from it, not from the commandment of Solomon, according to the order of David, but in all things obeyed it:

concerning any matter; which related to the office of either of them, sacrificers, singers, or porters:

or concerning the treasures; such of the Levites as had the care of them were faithful to their trust, see 1 Chronicles 26:20, &c.

 

2 Chronicles 8:16  16 Now all the work of Solomon was well-ordered from[b] the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was completed.

   YLT  16And all the work of Solomon is prepared till the day of the foundation of the house of Jehovah, and till its completion; perfect is the house of Jehovah.

Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord, and until it was finished,.... The materials were prepared, and the money for the expenses; and even the very stones and timber were made fit for the building, so that there was nothing to retard the completion of it:

so the house of God was perfected; in the space of seven years, in all the parts, and according to the form and pattern of it, see 1 Kings 6:38.

 

2 Chronicles 8:17  17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath[c] on the seacoast, in the land of Edom.

   YLT  17Then hath Solomon gone to Ezion-Geber, and unto Elath, on the border of the sea, in the land of Edom;

Verse 17-18

Then went Solomon to Eziongeber,.... Being now at leisure to look after his navy, to carry on merchandise; and of this, and the following verse, and the reconciliation of them with 1 Kings 9:26; see Gill on 1 Kings 9:26, 1 Kings 9:27, 1 Kings 9:28.

 

2 Chronicles 8:18  18 And Hiram sent him ships by the hand of his servants, and servants who knew the sea. They went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and acquired four hundred and fifty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon.

   YLT  18and Huram sendeth to him, by the hand of his servants, ships and servants knowing the sea, and they go with servants of Solomon to Ophir, and take thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and bring in unto king Solomon.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 8:2 Hebrew Huram (compare 2 Chronicles 2:3)
  2. 2 Chronicles 8:16 Following Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads as far as.
  3. 2 Chronicles 8:17 Hebrew Eloth (compare 2 Kings 14:22)