17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon,(A) 18 Baalath,(B) and Tadmor[a] in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store cities(C) and the towns for his chariots(D) and for his horses[b]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites,(E) Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites(F) (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendants(G) of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate[c](H)—to serve as slave labor,(I) as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves(J) of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officials(K) in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughter(L) had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.(M)

25 Three(N) times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:18 The Hebrew may also be read Tamar.
  2. 1 Kings 9:19 Or charioteers
  3. 1 Kings 9:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

17 So Shlomo rebuilt Gezer; he also built Lower Beit-Horon, 18 Ba‘alat, Tadmor in the desert, in the land, 19 as well as all the cities that Shlomo had for storing supplies, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and the other buildings Shlomo wanted to build for himself in Yerushalayim, in the L’vanon and throughout the land he ruled. 20 All the people still left from the Emori, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi, and Y’vusi, who were not part of the people of Isra’el, 21 that is, their descendants remaining after them in the land, whom the people of Isra’el were not able to destroy completely — from them Shlomo levied his forced laborers; as it is to this day. 22 But Shlomo did not raise any of his forced labor from the people of Isra’el; rather, they were the soldiers, his servants, administrators and commanders, and the officials in charge of his chariots and horsemen. 23 There were 550 chief officers over Shlomo’s work, in charge of the workers.

24 Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the City of David to her house, which Shlomo had built for her. After that he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Shlomo offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he had built for Adonai, offering incense with them on the altar before Adonai. So he finished the house.

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