2 Chronicles, 8

1. At the end of the twenty years which it took Solomon to build the Temple of Yahweh and his own palace,

1. At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house,

2. and to rebuild the towns which Huram had given him and settle them with Israelites,

2. Solomon rebuilt the cities which Huram had given to him, and settled the people of Israel in them.

3. Solomon mounted an expedition against Hamath-Zobah and captured it.

3. And Solomon went to Ha'math-zo'bah, and took it.

4. He also fortified Tadmor in the desert and all the storage towns which he had built in Hamath.

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

5. He also built Upper Beth-Horon and Lower Beth-Horon as fortified towns with walls and gates and bars,

5. He also built Upper Beth-hor'on and Lower Beth-hor'on, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

6. also Baalath and all Solomon's storage towns, all the towns for his chariots and horses, and everything which Solomon was pleased to build in Jerusalem, in the Lebanon and throughout the territory under his rule.

6. and 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.

7. All those who survived of the Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, Hivite and Jebusite peoples, who did not belong to Israel-

7. All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Per'izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb'usites, who were not of Israel,

8. those of their descendants still remaining in the country, whom the Israelites had not exterminated, these Solomon levied for forced labour, as is still the case today.

8. from 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.

9. Solomon did not, however, impose forced labour on the Israelites for his work -- for they were soldiers, his senior officers and his chariot and cavalry commanders.

9. But 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.

10. There were two hundred and fifty of King Solomon's officials in charge of the foremen who supervised the people.

10. And these were the chief officers of King Solomon, two hundred and fifty, who exercised authority over the people.

11. Solomon moved Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace which he had built for her. 'I must not be responsible', he said, 'for a woman living in the palace of David king of Israel, for these buildings to which the ark of Yahweh has come are sacred.'

11. Solomon 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."

12. Thereafter, Solomon made burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh which he had built in front of the portico,

12. Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the LORD upon the altar of the LORD which he had built before the vestibule,

13. in accordance with the regular prescriptions for burnt sacrifice as commanded by Moses, on the Sabbaths, New Moons and the three annual feasts; the feast of Unleavened Bread, the feast of Weeks and the feast of Shelters.

13. as 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.

14. Following the prescriptions of his father David, he assigned the orders of priests to their duties and the Levites to their tasks of praise and of assisting the priests in accordance with day-to-day requirements; as also the gatekeepers in their various orders to each gate- for cush was the command of David, man of God.

14. According 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.

15. Nor was there deviation on any point from the king's command as regards the priests, the Levites or even the storehouses.

15. And they did not turn aside from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites concerning any matter and concerning the treasuries.

16. Thus, all the work was over which Solomon had put in hand when the Temple of Yahweh was founded until it was finished. The Temple of Yahweh was complete in every detail.

16. Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon from the day the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

17. Solomon then mounted an expedition to Ezion-Geber and Elath on the sea-coast of Edom.

17. Then Solomon went to E'zion-ge'ber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom.

18. Huram sent him ships through his agents, as well as experienced sailors, who went to Ophir with men in Solomon's service, where they took on four hundred and fifty talents of gold, which they brought back to King Solomon.

18. And 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.