8It took Solomon twenty years to build the LORD's Temple and his own royal palace. At the end of that time,H7093H6242H8141H8010H1129H1004H3068H10042Solomon turned his attention to rebuilding the towns that King Hiram had given him, and he settled Israelites in them.H5892H2361H5414H8010H8010H1129H1121H3478H34273Solomon also fought against the town of Hamath-zobah and conquered it.H8010H3212H2578H23884He rebuilt Tadmor in the wilderness and built towns in the region of Hamath as supply centers.H1129H8412H4057H4543H5892H1129H25745He fortified the towns of Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, rebuilding their walls and installing barred gates.H1129H1032H5945H1032H8481H4692H5892H2346H1817H12806He also rebuilt Baalath and other supply centers and constructed towns where his chariots and horses could be stationed. He built everything he desired in Jerusalem and Lebanon and throughout his entire realm.H1191H4543H5892H8010H7393H5892H5892H6571H8010H2836H2837H1129H3389H3844H776H44757There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.H5971H3498H2850H567H6522H2340H2983H34788These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them for his labor force, and they serve in the labor force to this day.H1121H3498H310H776H1121H3478H3615H8010H5927H4522H31179But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for his labor force. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, officers in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.H1121H3478H8010H5414H5650H4399H582H4421H8269H7991H8269H7393H657110King Solomon appointed 250 of them to supervise the people.H8269H4428H8010H5324H5333H3967H2572H7287H597111Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he had built for her. He said, "My wife must not live in King David's palace, for the Ark of the LORD has been there, and it is holy ground."H8010H5927H1323H6547H5892H1732H1004H1129H559H802H3427H1004H1732H4428H3478H6944H727H3068H93512Then Solomon presented burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar he had built for him in front of the entry room of the Temple.H8010H5927H5930H3068H4196H3068H1129H6440H19713He offered the sacrifices for the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals, and the three annual festivals—the Passover celebration, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters—as Moses had commanded.H1697H3117H5927H4687H4872H7676H2320H4150H7969H6471H8141H2282H4682H2282H7620H2282H552114In assigning the priests to their duties, Solomon followed the regulations of his father, David. He also assigned the Levites to lead the people in praise and to assist the priests in their daily duties. And he assigned the gatekeepers to their gates by their divisions, following the commands of David, the man of God.H5975H4941H1732H1H4256H3548H5656H3881H4931H1984H8334H3548H1697H3117H3117H7778H4256H8179H1732H376H430H468715Solomon did not deviate in any way from David's commands concerning the priests and Levites and the treasuries.H5493H4687H4428H3548H3881H1697H21416So Solomon made sure that all the work related to building the Temple of the LORD was carried out, from the day its foundation was laid to the day of its completion.H4399H8010H3559H3117H4143H1004H3068H3615H1004H3068H800317Later Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Elath, ports along the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom.H1980H8010H6100H359H3220H8193H776H12318Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers and manned by experienced crews of sailors. These ships sailed to Ophir with Solomon's men and brought back to Solomon almost seventeen tons of gold.H2361H7971H3027H5650H591H591H5650H3045H3220H935H5650H8010H211H3947H702H3967H2572H3603H2091H935H4428H8010
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had given him, and he settled Israelites in them.H5892
