2 chronicles 8 commentary

2 CHRONICLES 8 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Solomon’s Other Activities
1 At the end of twenty years, during which
Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own
palace,
CLARKE, "At the end of twenty years - He employed seven years and a half in
building the temple, and twelve and a half, or thirteen, in building his own house. -
Compare this with 1Ki_7:1.
GILL, "And it came to pass at the end of twenty years,.... See Gill on 1Ki_9:10.
HENRY, "This we had 1Ki_9:10-24, and therefore shall only observe here,
I. Though Solomon was a man of great learning and knowledge, yet he spent his days,
not in contemplation, but in action, not in his study, but in his country, in building cities
and fortifying them, in a time of peace preparing for a time of war, which is as much a
man's business as it is in summer to provide food for winter.
II. As he was a man of business himself, and did not consult his own ease, so he
employed a great many hands, kept abundance of people to work. It is the interest of a
state by all means possible to promote and encourage industry, and to keep its subjects
from idleness. A great many strangers there were in Israel, many that remained of the
Canaanites; and they were welcome to live there, but not to live and do nothing. The men
of Laish, who had no business, were an easy prey to the invaders, Jdg_18:7.
K&D, "The city-building. - 2Ch_8:1. The date, “at the end of twenty years, when
Solomon ... had built,” agrees with that in 1Ki_9:10. The twenty years are to be reckoned
from the commencement of the building of the temple, for he had spent seven years in
the building of the temple, and thirteen years in that of his palace (1Ki_6:38; 1Ki_7:1).
BENSON, "Solomon’s buildings, 2 Chronicles 8:1-6. His workmen and officers, 2
Chronicles 8:7-10. He settles his wife, 2 Chronicles 8:11. Fixes the method of the
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temple-service, 2 Chronicles 8:12-16. His trade, 2 Chronicles 8:17, 2 Chronicles 8:18.
COFFMAN, "The 20th Century Christian, as a general rule, could have little or no
interest in Solomon's building program, which, in the matter of his huge horse
business, to say nothing of anything else, was a violation of God's word!
"And all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem ... Lebanon ...
in all ... his dominion" (2 Chronicles 8:6). Again we have the Chronicler's word that
Solomon recognized no other limitation except his own undisciplined desires. (Read
our comment under 2 Chronicles 7:11, above.) The Chronicler has mercifully
spared us the details concerning these multiple pleasure-houses Solomon built all
over Palestine.
ELLICOTT, " (1) And it came to pass.—The verb is identical with 1 Kings 9:10,
slightly abbreviated.
Wherein.—When. The “twenty years” are reckoned from the fourth year of the
reign (1 Kings 6:6), and include seven years during which the Temple was building,
and thirteen during which the palace was built (1 Kings 6:38; 1 Kings 7:1).
PARKER, "1. And it came to pass at the end of twenty years [the twenty years date
from the commencement of the temple in the fourth year of Solomon"s reign, seven
years having been devoted to the construction of the temple, and thirteen to the
building of the royal palace. (See 1 Kings 6:37-38 : 1 Kings 7:1; and 1 Kings 9:10)],
wherein Solomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house,
GUZIK 1-6, "2 CHRONICLES 8 - ACHIEVEMENTS OF SOLOMON
A. Solomon and the surrounding nations.
1. (2 Chronicles 8:1-6) The dominion of Solomon.
It came to pass at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of
the LORD and his own house, that the cities which Hiram had given to Solomon,
Solomon built them; and he settled the children of Israel there. And Solomon went
to Hamath Zobah and seized it. He also built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the
storage cities which he built in Hamath. He built Upper Beth Horon and Lower
Beth Horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars, 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.
2

a. At the end of twenty years: It took Solomon seven years to build the temple and
13 years to build his palace. At the end of these twenty years his kingdom was
secure, stable, and blessed.
b. He also built . . . He built . . . and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem:
This passage reflects Solomon’s great heart and ambition as a builder. He
energetically settled new cities and built storage cities, fortifications, chariot cities,
and cities of the cavalry.
i. A problem comes in reconciling the mention of the cities that Hiram gave to
Solomon, because 1 Kings 9:11-14 indicates that they were given by Solomon to
Hiram. “While textual disturbance is possible, it seems more probable that they had
been returned to Solomon, either because they were unacceptable (1 Kings 9:12-13)
or because they had been collateral for a loan (1 Kings 9:14).” (Selman)
ii. Sadly, this new emphasis on chariots and cavalry shows that Solomon did not
take God’s word as seriously as he should. In Deuteronomy 17:16, God spoke
specifically to the future kings of Israel: But he shall not multiply horses for himself.
It would be much better of Solomon had the heart reflected in Psalms 20:7 : Some
trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD
our God.
BI 1-6, "That the cities.
Solomon’s military enterprises
Chiefly in acquiring cities rebuilt and taken from the enemy.
I. Cities for stores (1Ki_9:19).
II. Cities for colonisation.
III. Cities for pleasure.
IV. Cities for defence. Lessons:
1. That those who attend to the spiritual will not neglect the temporal interests of a
nation.
2. That amidst the temporal interests of a nation great risks exist. Hence—
(1) Lessons of prudence.
(2) The danger of prosperity. (J. Wolfendale.)
2 Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram[a] had
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given him, and settled Israelites in them.
BARNES, "The cities which Huram had restored to Solomon - These cities
had not been mentioned previously by the writer of Chronicles, who, however, seems to
assume that the fact of their having been given by Hiram to Solomon is known to his
readers. See 1Ki_9:11-13.
CLARKE, "The cities which Huram had restored - See the note on 1Ki_9:11.
GILL, "That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon,.... Which
Solomon first gave to him, but he not liking them, returned them to him, 1Ki_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 2Ch_8:7.
JAMISON, "cities which Huram had restored ... Solomon built them,
etc. — These cities lay in the northwest of Galilee. Though included within the limits of
the promised land, they had never been conquered. The right of occupying them
Solomon granted to Huram, who, after consideration, refused them as unsuitable to the
commercial habits of his subjects (see on 1Ki_9:11). Solomon, having wrested them from
the possession of the Canaanite inhabitants, repaired them and filled them with a colony
of Hebrews.
K&D, "2Ch_8:2-4
2Ch_8:2 must be regarded as the apodosis of 2Ch_8:1, notwithstanding that the
object, the cities which ... precedes. The unusual position of the words is the result of the
aphoristic character of the notice. As to its relation to the statement 1Ki_9:10-13, see the
discussion on that passage. ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ָ‫,בּ‬ 2Ch_8:2, is not to be understood of the fortification of
these cities, but of their completion, for, according to 1Ki_9:10, 1Ki_9:13, they were in
very bad condition. ‫ב‬ֶ‫שׁ‬ ‫ַיּ‬‫ו‬, he caused to dwell there, i.e., transplanted Israelites thither,
cf. 2Ki_17:6. The account of the cities which Solomon built, i.e., fortified, is introduced
(2Ch_8:3) by the important statement, omitted in 1 Kings 9: “Solomon went to Hamath-
zobah, and prevailed against it.” ‫ל‬ַ‫ע‬ ‫ַק‬‫ז‬ ָ‫,ח‬ to be strong upon, that is, prevail against,
conquer; cf. 2Ch_27:5. Hamath-zobah is not the city Hamath in Zobah, but, as we learn
from 2Ch_8:4, the land or kingdom of Hamath. This did not lie, any more than the city
Hamath, in Zobah, but bordered on the kingdom of Zobah: cf. 1Ch_18:3; and as to the
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position of Zobah, see the Commentary on 2Sa_8:3. In David's time Hamath and Zobah
had their own kings; and David conquered them, and made their kingdoms tributary
(1Ch_18:3-10). Because they bordered on each other, Hamath and Zobah are here bound
together as a nomen compos. ָ‫יה‬ֶ‫ל‬ָ‫ע‬ ‫ַק‬‫ז‬ֱ‫ֶח‬‫י‬ signifies at least this, that these tributary
kingdoms had either rebelled against Solomon, or at least had made attempts to do so;
which Solomon suppressed, and in order to establish his dominion over them fortified
Tadmor, i.e., Palmyra, and all the store cities in the land of Hamath (see on 1Ki_9:18.);
for, according to 1Ki_11:23., he had Rezon of Zobah as an enemy during his whole reign;
see on that passage.
BENSON, "2 Chronicles 8:2. The cities which Huram had restored — Which
Solomon gave to Hiram, but which, not being pleased with them, he restored to him
again, 1 Kings 9:12. Solomon built them — That is, rebuilt them, and placed his own
subjects in them.
ELLICOTT, " (2) Which Huram had restored.—Literally, which Huram gave.
Solomon built them.—Rebuilt or restored and fortified (Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings
15:17). The parallel passage (1 Kings 9:11-13) records a contrary transaction; that is
to say, it represents Solomon as giving to Huram twenty cities in Galilee, as a return
for his past services. It is added that these cities did not please Huram, in
consequence of which they got the name of “The Land of Kâbûl” (i.e., “Like-
nought”). The Authorised Version here assumes that the explanation of Josephus
(Antt. viii. 5, § 3) is correct. That writer states that Huram restored the despised
cities to Solomon, who thereupon repaired them, and peopled them with Israelites.
Others assume an exchange of friendly gifts between the two sovereigns; so that
Solomon gave Huram twenty Israelite cities (Kings), and Huram gave Solomon
twenty Phenician cities (Chronicles): this seems highly improbable. The former
explanation appears to be substantially correct. The chronicler, or the authority
which he follows here. has omitted to notice a fact which seems to derogate from the
greatness of Solomon, viz., the previous surrender of the territory in question to the
Tyrian king; and has chosen to speak of Huram’s non-acceptance or return of
Solomon’s present, as a gift. He then goes on to tell of the future fate of the twenty
cities. Solomon repaired or fortified them, and colonised them with Israelites; for
this border-land was chiefly inhabited by Gentiles (Isaiah 9:1, “Galilee of the
Gentiles”). A border-land is naturally more exposed to the ravages of an invader;
and the cities which Solomon ceded to Huram may have been in a half-ruinous
condition. This would account for Huram’s disappointment in them. The statement
of our text, then, is neither an “effacement,” nor a “travesty” (Reuss), nor even a
“remodelling” of that of the older text “in favour of Solomon” (Zöckler). It replaces
the older text by another statement which is equally true, and not incompatible with
it.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:2 That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon,
Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
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Ver. 2. Which Huram had restored.] Out of dislike of them. [1 Kings 9:12] Or,
Which Huram had given to Solomon, that by exchange of courtesies their love might
increase.
PARKER, "2. That the cities which Huram had restored [literally, which Huram
gave] to Solomon [ 1 Kings 9:11-13] Solomon built them [rather, rebuilt or repaired
them. Their bad condition may have been one of the reasons why they were rejected
by Hiram], and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
3 Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and
captured it.
BARNES, "Hamath-zobah - Usually identified with the “great Hamath” Amo_6:2;
the capital of Coele-Syria; but probably a town of Zobah otherwise unknown, which
revolted from Solomon, and was reduced to subjection.
CLARKE, "Hamath-zobah - “Emessa, on the river Orontes.” - Calmet.
GILL, "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.
JAMISON 3-6, "And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah — Hamath was on the
Orontes, in Coele-Syria. Its king, Toi, had been the ally of David; but from the
combination, Hamath and Zobah, it would appear that some revolution had taken place
which led to the union of these two petty kingdoms of Syria into one. For what cause the
resentment of Solomon was provoked against it, we are not informed, but he sent an
armed force which reduced it. He made himself master also of Tadmor, the famous
Palmyra in the same region. Various other cities along the frontiers of his extended
dominions he repaired and fitted up, either to serve as store-places for the furtherance of
his commercial enterprises, or to secure his kingdom from foreign invasion (see on 2Ch_
6

1:14; see on 1Ki_9:15).
K&D, "
ELLICOTT, " (3) And Solomon went.—Marched (2 Samuel 12:29).
Hamath-zobah.—That is, Hamath bordering on Zobah. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:3.)
Solomon’s conquest of the kingdom of Hamath, which had been on terms of amity
with David, is not mentioned in 1 Kings 9; nor indeed anywhere else in the Old
Testament. Thenius (on 2 Kings 14:25) supposes that the text describes not a
conquest of Hamath itself, but only the annexation of part of its territory; viz., a
part of the highly fruitful plain of Cœle-Syria, called by the Arabs Ard-el-Beqâa.
This appears to be correct.
Against it.—Or, over it (a late construction, 2 Chronicles 27:5; Daniel 11:5).
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed
against it.
Ver. 3. And prevailed against it.] King James, when he first entered England at
Berwick, himself gave fire to, and shot off a piece of ordinance, in which cannon he
might seem to have discharged war out of England; so did Solomon out of Israel, by
this one expedition.
4 He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all
the store cities he had built in Hamath.
CLARKE, "Tadmor - Palmyra. See the note on 1Ki_9:18, for an account of this
superb city.
GILL, "And built Tadmor in the wilderness,.... Of which See Gill on 1Ki_9:18.
7

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
writer (a), Solomon in the twenty fourth year of his reign having demolished Antioch,
built seven cities, of which Tadmor was one.
BENSON, "2 Chronicles 8:4. He built Tadmor — For the explanation of this and
the following verses, see notes on 1 Kings 9:17-18, &c.
ELLICOTT, " (4) And he built Tadmor in the wilderness.—That is, Palmyra, in the
wilderness, on the traders’ route between the coast and Thapsacuson the Euphrates.
See 1 Kings 9:18, where Tamar or Tammor of the Heb. text is explained by the
margin to mean Tadmor; and the epithet, “in the wilderness,” seems certainly to
identify the two names. That Solomon was the founder of Palmyra is the tradition of
the country to this day.
And all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.—1 Kings 9:19 mentions these
cities, but not their locality. They were no doubt “places of arms,” and served as
outposts against the hostile neighbouring kingdom of Zobah-Damascus. (See 1
Kings 11:23-25.) So far as they lay on the caravan route, they would serve also as
victualling stations. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 32:28.)
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store
cities, which he built in Hamath.
Ver. 4. And he built Tadmor, &c.] See 1 Kings 9:18-19.
PARKER, "4. And he built Tadmor in the wilderness [that Isaiah , Palmyra, in the
wilderness, on the traders" route between the coast and Thapsacus on the
Euphrates. That Solomon was the founder of Palmyra is the tradition of the country
to this day], and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.
5 He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth
Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates
and bars,
BARNES, "Built - “Rebuilt,” or “repaired” (as in 2Ch_8:2). The two Beth-borons
8

were both ancient cities (see Jos_10:10 note).
GILL, "Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether,.... Only
mention is made of the latter in 1Ki_9:17,
fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; fortified cities in the tribe of Ephraim.
K&D, "2Ch_8:5-6
Besides these, he made Upper and Nether Beth-horon (see on 1Ch_7:24) into fortified
cities, with walls, gates, and bars. ‫ר‬ ‫צ‬ ָ‫מ‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫ע‬ is the second object of ‫ן‬ ֶ‫ב‬ִ‫ַיּ‬‫ו‬, and ‫וגו‬ ‫ת‬ ‫מ‬ ‫ח‬ is
in apposition to that. Further, he fortified Baalah, in the tribe of Dan, to defend the
kingdom against the Philistines, and, according to 1Ki_9:15-17, Hazor, Megiddo, and
Gezer also, - which are omitted here, while in 1Ki_9:17 Upper Beth-horon is omitted, -
and store cities, chariot cities, and cavalry cities; see on 1Ki_9:15-19.
ELLICOTT, " (5) Also.—And. 1 Kings 9:17, “And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-
horon the nether.”
Built—i.e., fortified, as the rest of the verse explains. (See 1 Chronicles 7:24.) He
built them as (or into) fenced cities, viz., walls, doors, and bar (Micah 7:12;
Deuteronomy 3:5). This description is wanting in Kings.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:5 Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the
nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
Ver. 5. Fenced cities.] To prevent and frighten an enemy.
6 as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all
the cities for his chariots and for his horses[b]—
whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in
Lebanon and throughout all the territory he
ruled.
9

CLARKE, "All the store cities - See the note on 1Ki_9:19.
GILL 6-11, "And Baalath,.... See 1Ki_9:18. From hence, to the end of 2Ch_8:11, it is
the same with 1Ki_9:19. See Gill on 1Ki_9:19. 1Ki_9:20. 1Ki_9:21. 1Ki_9:22. 1Ki_9:23.
1Ki_9:24.
HENRY, "III. When Solomon had begun with building the house of God, and made
good work and quick work of that, he prospered in all his undertakings, so that he built
all that he desired to build, 2Ch_8:6. Those who have a genius for building find that one
project draws on another, and the latter must amend and improve the former. Now
observe, 1. How the divine providence gratified even Solomon's humour, and gave him
success, not only in all that he needed to build and that it was for his advantage to build,
but in all that he had a mind to build. So indulgent a Father God is sometimes to the
innocent desires of his children that serve him. Thus he pleased Jacob with that
promise, Joseph shall put his hand on thy eyes. 2. Solomon knew how to set bounds to
his desires. He was not one of those that enlarge them endlessly, and can never be
satisfied, but knew when to draw in; for he finished all he desired, and then he desired
no more. He did not sit down and fret that he had not more cities to build, as Alexander
did that he had not more worlds to conquer, Hab_2:5.
ELLICOTT, " (6) And Baalath.—1 Kings 9:18. Like the two Beth-horons, it lay
west of Jerusalem, and was a bulwark against the Philistines: (Comp. Joshua 19:44,
a Danite town.) The rest of this verse is identical with 1 Kings 9:19, which see.
(Chronicler has twice added all.)
In the above section no mention is made of the fortification of Jerusalem, and the
building of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer, which last city had been taken by Pharaoh,
and given by him to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. (See 1 Kings 9:15-16.) On the
other hand, as we have seen, the chronicler supplies several important details which
are wanting in the parallel account.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had,
and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon
desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his
dominion.
Ver. 6. And in Lebanon.] In the forest of Lebanon, where he had his summer house.
PARKER, "6. And Baalath, and all the store cities [according to 2 Chronicles 32:28,
the store-cities were places for collecting stores of provisions; when they were
situated on the great trade-roads they were no doubt intended to relieve the wants of
travellers and their beasts of burden] that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities,
and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem,
and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
10

[It is worthy of note that in the above section no mention is made of the fortification
of Jerusalem, and the building of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer, which last city had
been taken by Pharaoh, and given by him to his daughter, Solomon"s wife (See 1
Kings 9:15-16)].
7 There were still people left from the Hittites,
Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these
people were not Israelites).
JAMISON, "2Ch_8:7-11. The Canaanites made tributaries.
all the people that were left, etc. — The descendants of the Canaanites who
remained in the country were treated as war prisoners, being obliged to “pay tribute or
to serve as galley slaves” (2Ch_2:18), while the Israelites were employed in no works but
such as were of an honorable character.
K&D 7-8, "On the arrangement of the statute labour, see on 1Ki_9:20-23. - This
note is in Chr. abruptly introduced immediately after the preceding. 2Ch_8:7 is an
absolute clause: “as regards the whole people, those.” ‫ם‬ ֶ‫ֵיה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ן־בּ‬ ִ‫מ‬ (2Ch_8:8) is not
partitive: some of their sons; but is only placed before the ‫ר‬ֶ‫ֲשׁ‬‫א‬: those of their sons (i.e.,
of the descendants of the whole Canaanite people) who had remained in the land, whom
the Israelites had not exterminated; Solomon made a levy of these for statute labourers.
The ‫ן‬ ִ‫מ‬ is wanting in 1 Kings, but is not to be struck out here on that account. Much more
surprising is the ‫ר‬ֶ‫ֲשׁ‬‫א‬ after ‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ ָ‫ר‬ ְ‫שׂ‬ ‫ֵי‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ן־בּ‬ ִ‫,מ‬ 2Ch_8:9, which is likewise not found in 1
Kings, since the following verb ‫ן‬ ַ‫ָת‬‫נ‬ ‫ֹא‬‫ל‬ is not to be taken relatively, but contains the
predicate of the subject contained in the words ‫ישׂ‬ ‫ֵי‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ן־בּ‬ ִ‫.מ‬ This ‫ר‬ֶ‫ֲשׁ‬‫א‬ cannot be otherwise
justified than by supposing that it is placed after ‫ישׂ‬ ‫בני‬ ‫,מן‬ as in Psa_69:27 it is placed
after the subject of the relative clause, and so stands for ‫ישׂ‬ ‫בני‬ ‫בן‬ ‫מן‬ ‫:אשׂר‬ those who
were of the sons of Israel (i.e., Israelites) Solomon did not make ... The preplacing of
‫ם‬ ֶ‫ֵיה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫בּ‬ ‫ן‬ ִ‫מ‬ in 2Ch_8:8 would naturally suggest that ‫ישׂ‬ ‫בני‬ ‫מן‬ should also precede, in order
to bring out sharply the contrast between the sons of the Canaanites and the sons of
Israel.
11

ELLICOTT, "Verses 7-10
(b) THE FORCED LABOUR OF THE CANAANITES
(2 Chronicles 8:7-10).
With this section comp. 1 Kings 9:20-23, and the Notes there. In Kings it stands in
more obvious connection with what precedes; for there the account of Solomon’s
buildings is headed by the words, “And this is the reason of the levy which king
Solomon raised, for to build the house of the Lord,” &c. (1 Kings 9:15).
(7) As for all the people that were left.—The verse agrees with 1 Kings 9:20.
(8) But.—Omit. The of also is wanting in 1 Kings 9:21. So Syriac, but not LXX. and
Vulgate.
Consumed not.—1 Samuel 15:18. Kings, “were not able to exterminate.” The
chronicler’s reading is probably due to the fading of letters in his MS. authority.
Them did Solomon make to pay tribute.—On them did Solomon levy a tribute.
Kings has the fuller expression, mas ‘ôbçd, “tribute of labourers.” “Solomon en fit
de levées pour la corvée” (Reuss).
(9) But of the children of Israel.—See 1 Kings 9:22. The Heb. text has the relative
(‘asher) after “children of Israel.” But some few MSS., and the ancient versions,
omit it. It is, perhaps, an accidental repetition from the beginning of 2 Chronicles
8:8.
According to Diod. Sic. i. 56, Sesostris (Rameses II.), the great Egyptian monarch,
was wont to inscribe over the temples he built, “No native hath laboured hereon.”
After “men of war,” Kings adds, “and his servants,” which is omitted here as
unsuitable, after the preceding statement. It means, however, courtiers and officers.
Chief of his captains.—Heb., captains of his knights; which appears to be incorrect.
Read, “his captains and his knights,” or “aides-de-camp.” as in Kings. LXX., καὶ
ἄρχοντες καὶ δυνατοὶ.
(10) The chief of king Solomon’s officers.—“Captains of the overseers,” or
“prefects,” i.e., chief overseers, or inspectors of works (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:13,
and 2 Chronicles 17:2, for the word n’çîbîm, prefects.) The Heb. margin suggests
niççabîm, the word used in Kings.
King Solomon’s.—Literally, Who were to king Solomon. Kings, who were over the
work for Solomon. Clearly the latter has been corrupted into the form presented by
our text through a confusion of mĕlâkâh, “work,” with mèlek, “king.”
12

Two hundred and fifty.—See 2 Chronicles 2:17, and 1 Kings 9:23. In the latter place
550 is the number. The number here is an error of transcription, ‫,דנ‬ i.e., 550, having
been mistaken for ‫,ונ‬ i.e., 250 (Kennicott).
Bare rule.—They were taskmasters. (Comp. Syriac, “who made the people work
who were working at the works.”)
The people—i.e., the Canaanite remnant (2 Chronicles 8:7). Kings adds, who were
labouring at the work. (See Syriac.)
GUZIK 7-10, "2. (2 Chronicles 8:7-10) Solomon and the conquered peoples of his
dominion.
All the people who were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and
Jebusites, who were not of Israel; 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. 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. And others were chiefs of the officials of King Solomon:
two hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people.
a. From these Solomon raised forced labor: Solomon’s practice of using the people
of neighboring conquered nations as forced labor is also described in 1 Kings
5:15-18.
b. Solomon did not make the children of Israel servants for his work: Israelites were
used for the work of building the temple and Solomon’s palace, but they were not
forced labor (1 Kings 5:13-14). They were often used in the management of the
forced labor (who ruled over the people).
8 Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these
people remaining in the land—whom the
Israelites had not destroyed—to serve as slave
labor, as it is to this day.
COFFMAN, ""Solomon raised a levy of bondservants" (2 Chronicles 8:8). These
descendants of the original Canaanites whom Israel had displaced, were first
13

conscripted and enslaved for building the temple and the king's house, some 153,600
of them (2 Chronicles 2:1-2); but the significance of this mention of them is that,
after the completion of Solomon's building program, they were permanently
enslaved. No doubt these were used as waiters and servants of that vast concourse of
people who attended the feast of the dedication.
It is not hard to understand why the Israelites considered this an ideal arrangement
indeed, and why, even down to the times of Christ, the Jews desired absolutely
nothing, either in heaven or on earth, except the restoration of that godless slave-
state of king Solomon, to which restoration their expected Messiah was vainly
supposed by them to devote his entire resources! The reason they rejected Christ
was their realization that he would never cooperate in such a restoration.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:8 [But] of their children, who were left after them in the
land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay
tribute until this day.
Ver. 8. Them did Solomon make to pay tribute.] Not for a toleration of their
heathenish superstitions - as our William Rufus dealt by the Jews here, nor to use
them as the Pope still doth the Jews in his dominions, to suck from the meanest, and
to be sucked - or rather squeezed as full sponges - by the greatest; but for state
service, and haply to gain them to God.
9 But Solomon did not make slaves of the
Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men,
commanders of his captains, and commanders of
his chariots and charioteers.
CLARKE, "But of the children of Israel - See the note on 1Ki_9:21.
K&D 9-10, "‫יו‬ָ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫ל‬ָ‫שׁ‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ו‬ should be altered into ‫יו‬ָ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫ל‬ָ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫יו‬ ָ‫ר‬ָ‫שׂ‬ as in 1Ki_9:22, for
‫ים‬ ִ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫ל‬ָ‫שׁ‬ are not chariot combatants, but royal adjutants; see on Exo_14:7 and 2Sa_23:8.
Over the statute labourers 250 upper overseers were placed. ‫ים‬ ִ‫יב‬ ִ‫צ‬ְ‫נ‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫,שׂ‬ chief of the
14

superiors, i.e., chief overseer. The Keth. ‫ים‬ ִ‫יב‬ ִ‫צ‬ְ‫,נ‬ praefecti, is the true reading; cf. 1Ch_
18:13; 2Ch_17:2. The Keri has arisen out of 1Ki_9:23. These overseers were Israelites,
while in the number 550 (1Ki_9:23) the Israelite and Canaanite upper overseers are both
included; see on 2Ch_2:17. ‫ם‬ָ‫ע‬ ָ‫בּ‬ refers to ‫ם‬ָ‫ע‬ ָ‫ל־ה‬ָ‫,כּ‬ 2Ch_8:7, and denotes the Canaanite
people who remained.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no
servants for his work; but they [were] men of war, and chief of his captains, and
captains of his chariots and horsemen.
Ver. 9. But of the children of Israel.] See 1 Kings 9:22.
PARKER, "9. But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his
work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains [Heb. captains of his
knights; which appears to be incorrect. Read, "his captains and his knights" or
"aides- Deuteronomy -camp," as in Kings], and captains of his chariots and
horsemen.
10 They were also King Solomon’s chief
officials—two hundred and fifty officials
supervising the men.
BARNES, "On the number compare 1Ki_5:16 note.
JAMISON, "two hundred and fifty that bare rule — (Compare 1Ki_9:23). It is
generally agreed that the text of one of these passages is corrupt.
COKE, ". And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, &c.— But those chief
officers who presided over the works of Solomon, were two hundred and fifty. See 1
Kings 9:23 where they are said to be five hundred and fifty. Other inferior officers
were included perhaps in the former account.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The only warlike expedition that Solomon was engaged in,
15

we have in 2 Chronicles 8:3 reducing to his obedience Hamath-zobah, which seems
to have revolted. His buildings, to which his genius led him, still went forward; and
the old inhabitants of the land, now brought under tribute and proselyted, afforded
him a number of workmen, without employing the nobler freeborn Israelites.
Having built a palace for his wife, the daughter of Pharaoh, he removed her from
the city of David, where she had her residence before; for, though probably a
proselyte herself, many of her Egyptian servants might retain the idols and
iniquities of Egypt; and a place which had been favoured with the ark of God, so
long the seat of worship, and where David prayed and sung before the Lord, ought
not to be profaned by such inhabitants. Note; They who marry into improper
families, will find a burden and a snare from the evil manners of their wife's friends
and relations, with whom they become necessarily connected.
2nd, Solomon had not only built a temple for the honour of God, but took care to
continue waiting upon him there in his instituted ways. Building churches will do a
man no good, if his spirit be not engaged in the service of the sanctuary.
1. The temple work was carried on exactly according to the divine prescription, and
the courses of priests and Levites in waiting according to David's institution. Note;
Regular and stated returns of worship are carefully to be observed.
2. Solomon's trade flourished. He visited his sea-ports in person, and, with the
assistance of Hiram's mariners, made a very successful voyage to Ophir. Note; (1.)
The master's eye is most necessary over his own affairs. (2.) Men brave every danger
of the seas for the gold of Ophir; and shall we be less solicitous to secure the more
enduring treasures of grace and glory?
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:10 And these [were] the chief of king Solomon’s officers,
[even] two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.
Ver. 10. See on 1 Kings 9:23.
11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from
the City of David to the palace he had built for
her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the
palace of David king of Israel, because the places
the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”
16

BARNES, "Of Pharaoh - Here again the writer of Chronicles assumes in his reader
a knowledge of the facts recorded in the marginal references
CLARKE, "The daughter of Pharaoh - “And Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh,
Solomon brought up from the city of David to the palace which he had built for her.” - T.
Because the places are holy - Is not this a proof that he considered his wife to be a
heathen, and not proper to dwell in a place which had been sanctified? Solomon had not
yet departed from the true God.
HENRY, "IV. That one reason why Solomon built a palace on purpose for the queen,
and removed her and her court to it, was because he thought it by no means proper that
she should dwell in the house of David (2Ch_8:11), considering that that had been a
place of great piety, and perhaps her house was a place of great vanity. She was
proselyted, it is likely, to the Jewish religion; but it is a question whether all her servants
were. Perhaps they had among them the idols of Egypt, and a great deal of profaneness
and debauchery. Now, though Solomon had not zeal and courage enough to suppress
and punish what was amiss there, yet he so far consulted the honour of his father's
memory that he would not suffer that place to be thus profaned where the ark of God
had been and where holy David had prayed many a good prayer and sung many a sweet
psalm. Not that all the places where the ark had been were so holy as never to be put to a
common use; for then the houses of Abinadab and Obed-edom must have been so. But
the place where it had been so long, and had been so publicly attended on, was so
venerable that it was not fit to be the place of so much gaiety, not to say iniquity, as was
to be found, I fear, in the court that Pharaoh's daughter kept. Note, Between things
sacred and things common the ancient landmarks ought to be kept up. It was an outer-
court of the temple that was the court of the women.
JAMISON, "Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of
David unto the house that he had built for her — On his marriage with the
Egyptian princess at the beginning of his reign, he assigned her a temporary abode in the
city of David, that is, Jerusalem, until a suitable palace for his wife had been erected.
While that palace was in progress, he himself lodged in the palace of David, but he did
not allow her to occupy it, because he felt that she being a heathen proselyte, and having
brought from her own country an establishment of heathen maid-servants, there would
have been an impropriety in her being domiciled in a mansion which was or had been
hallowed by the reception of the ark. It seems she was received on her arrival into his
mother’s abode (Son_3:4; Son_8:2).
K&D, "The remark that Solomon caused Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had married
(1Ki_3:1), to remove from the city of David into the house which he had built her, i.e.,
17

into that part of his newly-built palace which was appointed for the queen, is introduced
here, as in 1Ki_9:24, because it belongs to the history of Solomon's buildings, although
in the Chronicle it comes in very abruptly, the author not having mentioned Solomon's
marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh (1Ki_3:1). The reason given for this change of
residence on the part of the Egyptian princess is, that Solomon could not allow her, an
Egyptian, to dwell in the palace of King David, which had been sanctified by the
reception of the ark, and consequently assigned to her a dwelling in the city of David
until he should have finished the building of his palace, in which she might dwell along
with him. ‫ה‬ ָ‫מּ‬ ֵ‫ה‬ is, as neuter, used instead of the singular; cf. Ew. §318, b. See also on
1Ki_3:1 and 1Ki_9:24.
BENSON, "2 Chronicles 8:11. Unto the house which he had built — This house he
had built for her, because the ark was now in the house of David, which therefore
ought to be kept pure and free from every danger and appearance of pollution. For
though Pharaoh’s daughter was proselyted to the Jewish religion, and had
renounced idolatry, it is not likely that both she and all her servants had embraced
the whole law of Moses; and therefore they might many ways defile a place made
sacred by that symbol of the divine presence.
COFFMAN, "Solomon had married the daughter of Pharaoh quite early in his
reign (1 Kings 3:1), and the action mentioned here evidently took place at an early
time in Solomon's reign when he still retained some sensitivity to the implications of
the Word of God. "This daughter of Pharaoh was the daughter of Hor-Psibkhannu,
the last Pharaoh of the weak Twenty-First Dynasty. Her idolatries eventually led to
the apostasy of Israel (1 Kings 11:1ff)"[1]
ELLICOTT, " (11) And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh.—See 1
Kings 9:24, which is much briefer than the present notice. The chronicler has not
mentioned this princess before (comp. 1 Kings 3:1; 1 Kings 9:16), and mentions her
here only in connection with Solomon’s buildings. (See Note on 2 Chronicles 12:2.)
Solomon’s Egyptian consort was probably a princess of the XXII. Bnbastite
Dynasty, founded by Shishak, which was of Semitic origin.
For he said.—The motive here assigned is wanting in the other text, and is
characteristic of the chronicler both in thought and language; though it is too much
to say with Thenius that the princess could not have lived anywhere else than in the
old palace of David, until the new one was built. 1 Kings 3:1 says only that Solomon
brought her “into the city of David.”
King of Israel.—In contrast with the Egyptian origin of the princess.
Because the places are holy.—For a holy thing is that unto which, &c. (The plural
pronoun hçmmâh, “they,” is equivalent to a neuter-sing, in the usage of the
chronicler.)
18

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out
of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife
shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because [the places are] holy,
whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.
Ver. 11. For he said, My wife shall not dwell.] Or, He had said so, sc., before he built
a house for her: and while the ark was yet in the city of David.
Because the places are holy.] And she not yet too holy, but retaining some of her
Egyptian profanenesses: vel propter multiplices huius sexus immunditles legales.
Solomon had, against the law of God, married this and other strange wives, for
political ends no doubt, and as hoping that by his wisdom he should reclaim them,
or at least rule them. He did so at first, as we see in this instance. For we may not
think that Solomon did this out of superstition, - as the monks at this day pare and
sweep the rooms of their monasteries wherein women have been, as if they were
unclean creatures, - but out of the reverential fear of God, and a religious respect to
the ark. Howbeit afterwards, overcome by the importunities of his strange wives, he
yielded to them shamefully. Watch, therefore, and beware.
POOLE, " Not because every place where once the ark came was thereby
consecrated to God, and night not after the ark was gone be put to any common use;
for then both the house of Obed-edom and all other places where the ark either
rested or passed were made holy thereby, and unlawful for men to dwell in; but
either,
1. Because she was a woman, and attended by many other women, who besides the
common pollutions of all, are subject to many and frequent ceremonial pollutions
peculiar to their sex, and either she, or at least many of her followers, might be
heathens at this time; and therefore he thought it indecent that such persons should
come as it were in God’s stead, and succeed him in the place where he had dwelt.
Or,
2. He speaks not of the time when the ark was gone, but whilst it was there; and
these words contain a reason not of the more remote words, why he now brought
her up thither, but of the words immediately preceding, why
he built this house
for her; because the ark was now in the house of David, which therefore, ought to be
kept pure and free from the very danger and appearance of pollution.
PARKER, "11. And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of
19

David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell
in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark
of the Lord hath come. [See footnote, post, p229].
GUZIK, "B. Solomon and the daughter of Pharaoh.
1. (2 Chronicles 8:11) Solomon marries an Egyptian princess.
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.”
a. Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house
he had built for her: This marriage to a princess of Egypt was the first of Solomon’s
many unwise marriages (1 Kings 11:1-3). These unwise marriages launched the
spiritual downfall of Solomon.
b. 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: With this, Solomon admitted that his
wife was an unbeliever and unholy – yet he married her just the same. This led
Solomon along a remarkably wicked path (1 Kings 11:4-8).
i. “Is not this a proof that he considered his wife to be a heathen, and not proper to
dwell in a place which had been sanctified? Solomon had not yet departed from the
true God.” (Clarke)
ii. “Solomon had, against the law of God, married this and other strange wives, for
politic ends no doubt, and as hoping that by his wisdom he could reclaim them, or at
least rule them. . . . Howbeit afterwards, overcome by the importunities of his
strange wives, he yielded to them shamefully. Watch, therefore, and beware.”
(Trapp)
iii. “To build a house for Pharaoh’s daughter outside the Holy City is to open its
gates sooner or later to Pharaoh’s gods.” (Morgan)
iv. “The blessedness of the marriage tie depends on whether the twain are one in
spirit, in a common love for Christ, and endeavour for his glory. Nothing is more
terrible than when either admits in the secrecy of the heart, concerning the other,
My husband or my wife cannot accompany me into the holy places where I was
reared, and in which my best life finds its home.” (Meyer)
20

12 On the altar of the Lord that he had built in
front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt
offerings to the Lord,
GILL, "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 2Ch_4:1.
HENRY 12-16, "Here is, I. Solomon's devotion. The building of the temple was in
order to the service of the temple. Whatever cost he was at in rearing the structure, if he
had neglected the worship that was to be performed there, it would all have been to no
purpose. Assisting the devotion of others will not atone for our own neglects. When
Solomon had built the temple, 1. He kept up the holy sacrifices there, according to the
law of Moses, 2Ch_8:12, 2Ch_8:13. In vain had the altar been built, and in vain had fire
come down from heaven, if sacrifices had not been constantly brought as the food of the
altar and the fuel of that fire. There were daily sacrifices, a certain rate every day, as
duly as the day came, weekly sacrifices on the sabbath, double to what was offered on
other days, monthly sacrifices on the new moons, and yearly sacrifices at the three
solemn feasts. Those are spiritual sacrifices that are now required of us, which we are to
bring daily and weekly; and it is good to be in a settled method of devotion. 2. He kept up
the holy songs there, according to the law of David, who is here called the man of God,
as Moses was, because he was both instructed and authorised of God to make these
establishments; and Solomon took care to see them observed as the duty of every day
required, 2Ch_8:14. Solomon, though a wise and great man and the builder of the
temple, did not attempt to amend, alter, or add to what the man of God had, in God's
name, commanded, but closely adhered to that, and used his authority to have that duly
observed; and then none departed from the commandment of the king concerning any
matter, 2Ch_8:15. He observed God's laws, and then all obeyed his orders. When the
service of the temple was put into this good order, then it is said, The house of the Lord
was perfected, 2Ch_8:16. The work was the main matter, not the place; the temple was
unfinished till all this was done.
K&D, "The sacrificial service in the new temple. Cf. 1Ki_9:25, where it is merely
briefly recorded that Solomon offered sacrifices three times a year on the altar built by
him to the Lord. In our verses we have a detailed account of it. ‫ז‬ ָ‫,א‬ at that time, scil. when
the temple building had been finished and the temple dedicated (cf. 2Ch_8:1), Solomon
offered burnt-offerings upon the altar which he had built before the porch of the temple.
21

He no longer now sacrifices upon the altar of the tabernacle at Gibeon, as in the
beginning of his reign (2Ch_1:3.).
COFFMAN, "There are some uncertainties here. There seems to be an implied
disapproval of Solomon's actions in offering all these sacrifices, which certainly
were offered upon an unauthorized altar; and the word even in 2 Chronicles 8:13
most certainly suggests that what Solomon did here was sinful in usurping ritualistic
functions that pertained to the priests. Francisco, however, insists that, "Solomon
was directing the activities and was not personally involved."[2] We accept this
opinion as accurate, because we cannot possibly imagine that this pleasure-mad
monarch would have had the self-discipline required for doing what is stated in
these verses.
Of course, the specific mention of all these sacrifices which are elaborately spelled
out in the Pentateuch is further proof of its Mosaic authorship, and of king
Solomon's thorough acquaintance with it a full half millennium before modern
radical critics would date it if they could.
ELLICOTT, " (c) REGULATION OF THE TEMPLE WORSHIP
(2 Chronicles 8:12-16).
This whole section corresponds to the single verse, 1 Kings 9:25, which the
chronicler has paraphrased in 2 Chronicles 8:12-13, and extended by the addition of
further details in 2 Chronicles 8:14-15.
(12) Then.—After the consecration of the Temple.
Offered.—Not once, but habitually; according to the prescriptions of the Mosaic
Law (2 Chronicles 8:13).
On the altar . . . which he had built.—And apparently no longer at Gibeon (2
Chronicles 1:3).
Before the porch.—Not in Kings.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD
on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch,
Ver. 12. Then Solomon offered.] These sacrifices were their sacraments, visible
words directing them to Christ.
PARKER, "12. Then [after the consecration of the temple] Solomon offered [not
22

once, but habitually; according to the prescriptions of the Mosaic law ( 2 Chronicles
8:13)] burnt offerings unto the Lord on the altar of the Lord, which he had built
before the porch,
GUZIK, "2. (2 Chronicles 8:12-16) The order of Solomon’s administration.
Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD which
he had built before the vestibule, 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. 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. They did
not depart from the command of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any
matter or concerning the treasuries. Now all the work of Solomon was well-ordered
from the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD until it was finished. So
the house of the LORD was completed.
a. Solomon offered burnt offerings: In accordance with the commanded morning
and evening sacrifices (according to the daily rate as mentioned in Numbers 28:1-8)
Solomon administrated the burnt offering for Israel. He also observed the other
sacrifices commanded by the Law of Moses.
b. According to the order of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the
priests for their service: Solomon carried forth the administration for the temple
service as it was originally organized by King David (1 Chronicles 24).
c. Now all the work of Solomon was well-ordered: This was a reflection of his great
wisdom and an answer to his prayer for help in leading the kingdom of Israel (1
Kings 3).
13 according to the daily requirement for
offerings commanded by Moses for the Sabbaths,
the New Moons and the three annual festivals—
the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of
Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.
23

CLARKE, "Three times in the year - These were the three great annual feasts.
GILL, "Even after a certain rate every day, according to the commandment
of Moses,.... The daily sacrifice, morning and evening, Exo_29:38,
on the sabbaths, and on the new moons; when there were additional sacrifices,
Num_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 1Ki_9:25.
K&D, "2Ch_8:13
“Even sacrificing at the daily rate, according to the direction of Moses.” These words
give a supplementary and closer definition of the sacrificing in the form of an
explanatory subordinate clause, which is interpolated in the principal sentence. For the
following words ‫וגו‬ ‫ת‬ ‫ת‬ ָ‫בּ‬ַ‫שּׁ‬ַ‫ל‬ belong to the principal sentence (2Ch_8:12): he offered
sacrifices ... on the sabbaths, the new moons, etc. The ‫ו‬ before ‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫ד‬ ִ‫בּ‬ is explicative, and
that = viz.; and the infin. ‫ת‬ ‫ֲל‬‫ע‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫,ל‬ according to the later usage, instead of infin. absol.;
cf. Ew. §280, d. The preposition ְ‫בּ‬ (before ‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫)דּ‬ is the so-called b essentiae: consisting in
the daily (rate) to sacrifice (this); cf. Ew. §299, b. The daily rate, i.e., that which was
prescribed in the law of Moses for each day, cf. Lev_23:37. ‫ת‬ ‫ֲד‬‫ע‬ ‫מּ‬ַ‫ל‬ is further explained
by the succeeding clause: on the three chief festivals of the year.
ELLICOTT, " (13) Even after a certain rate every day.—Literally, and with a day’s
matter on a day (Leviticus 23:37) they had to offer (infinitive construct, as at 1
Chronicles 13:4; 1 Chronicles 15:2), or, perhaps, he would offer.
The solemn feasts.—Literally, set seasons, viz., the three great festivals whose
designations follow. (The form mô‘adôth for mô‘adîm occurs here only.)
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according
to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, 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.
Ver. 13. Three times in a year.] At the three great feasts following.
24

PARKER, "13. Even after a certain rate [the Hebrew is ambiguous; the meaning
probably is "day after day "] every day, offering according to the commandment of
Moses [see Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:3, et seq.], on the sabbaths, and on the new
moons, 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.
14 In keeping with the ordinance of his father
David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for
their duties, and the Levites to lead the praise and
to assist the priests according to each day’s
requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers
by divisions for the various gates, because this was
what David the man of God had ordered.
BARNES, "The man of God - This phrase, so common in Kings (see the
introduction to Kings, 4th note), is rare in Chronicles, and is applied only to Moses 1Ch_
23:14, David, and one other prophet 2Ch_25:7, 2Ch_25:9.
GILL, "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, 1Ch_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, 1Ch_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, 1Ch_26:1, who in all these affairs
acted as a prophet, under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit of God.
25

HENRY, "He kept up the holy songs there, according to the law of David, who is here
called the man of God, as Moses was, because he was both instructed and authorised of
God to make these establishments; and Solomon took care to see them observed as the
duty of every day required, 2Ch_8:14. Solomon, though a wise and great man and the
builder of the temple, did not attempt to amend, alter, or add to what the man of God
had, in God's name, commanded, but closely adhered to that, and used his authority to
have that duly observed; and then none departed from the commandment of the king
concerning any matter, 2Ch_8:15.
K&D, "2Ch_8:14
He ordered the temple service, also, entirely according to the arrangement introduced
by David as to the service of the priests and Levites. He appointed, according to the
ordinance of David his father, i.e., according to the ordinance established by David, the
classes of the priests (see on 1 Chron 24) to that service, and the Levites to their stations
(‫ת‬ ‫ר‬ ָ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ‫מ‬ as in 2Ch_7:6), to praise (cf. 1 Chron 25), and to serve before the priests (1Ch_
23:28.), according to that which was appointed for every day, and the doorkeepers
according to their courses, etc. (see 1 Chron 27:1-19). With the last words cf. Neh_12:24.
BENSON, "2 Chronicles 8:14. So had David the man of God commanded — David
is here called the man of God, as Moses had been, because he was a prophet divinely
inspired, and was both instructed and authorized of God to make these
establishments. Hence his commands are represented as being the commands of
God. And Solomon, though a wise and great man, and the builder of the temple, did
not attempt to amend, alter, or add to, what the man of God had commanded in
God’s name, but closely adhered to it, and used his authority to have it duly
observed.
COFFMAN, "There are some uncertainties here. There seems to be an implied
disapproval of Solomon's actions in offering all these sacrifices, which certainly
were offered upon an unauthorized altar; and the word even in 2 Chronicles 8:13
most certainly suggests that what Solomon did here was sinful in usurping ritualistic
functions that pertained to the priests. Francisco, however, insists that, "Solomon
was directing the activities and was not personally involved."[2] We accept this
opinion as accurate, because we cannot possibly imagine that this pleasure-mad
monarch would have had the self-discipline required for doing what is stated in
these verses.
Of course, the specific mention of all these sacrifices which are elaborately spelled
out in the Pentateuch is further proof of its Mosaic authorship, and of king
Solomon's thorough acquaintance with it a full half millennium before modern
radical critics would date it if they could.
ELLICOTT, " (14) And he appointed.—Caused to stand. (1 Chronicles 6:16; 1
26

Chronicles 15:16.)
According to the order of David his father.—Order, i.e., ordinance or institution.
The courses of the priests.—See 1 Chronicles 24.
Charges.—Watches, wards, stations.
To praise.—See 1 Chronicles 25:3.
And minister before the priests.—1 Chronicles 23:28.
As the duty of every day required.—For a day’s matter (i.e., prescribed work) on its
day. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 8:13.)
The porters also.—See 1 Chronicles 26:1-19. The construction is, and he appointed,
or stationed, the warders.
For so had David . . .—See margin. A similar phrase occurs in Nehemiah 12:24.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his
father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to
praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters
also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.
Ver. 14. According to the order of David.] See 1 Chronicles 24:1.
PARKER, "14. And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the
courses of the priests [comp1Chronicles24] to their service, and the Levites to their
charges [see 1 Chronicles 25:1-6], to praise and minister before the priests, as the
duty of every day required: the porters [see 1 Chronicles 26:1-19] also by their
courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God [this phrase, so common in
Kings, is rare in Chronicles, and is applied only to Moses ( 1 Chronicles 23:14),
David, and one other prophet ( 2 Chronicles 25:7-9)] commanded.
BI, "As the duty of every day required.
Duty
To some Christians “the sense of duty” and kindred phrases sound unattractive and
suspicious. Yet it is dangerous even to minimise the sense of duty. A man who makes no
terms with conscience, but does what God commands, will find his love grow stronger. A
Christian’s sense of duty is not the same as the sense of duty of one who has no faith.
Natural religion would teach a man to be honest, sober, and industrious, but Christ’s
27

teaching goes far beyond this. Religious duties; purity of heart; forgiveness of others, etc.
But it is in the realm of supernatural help, prayer, and the sacraments that the greatest
divergence is seen. “As the duty of every day required.” Words such as these suggest that
unless we are living a life of prayer, unless we are partaking of the life of Christ in the
means He left for us to use, we are undutiful. What we claim for our religion is this—
1. The personal love of Christ will make us more severe with ourselves in performing
“hard, unwelcome” duties of every day.
2. It will also claim from us earnest prayer, belief in the grace of the Holy Spirit, etc.
(W. R. Hutton, M. A.).
15 They did not deviate from the king’s
commands to the priests or to the Levites in any
matter, including that of the treasuries.
CLARKE, "The commandment of the king - The institutions of David.
GILL, "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 1Ch_26:20, &c.
JAMISON, "2Ch_8:15-18. Solomon’s festival sacrifices.
they departed not from the commandment of the king — that is, David, in any
of his ordinances, which by divine authority he established.
unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the
treasures — either in regulating the courses of the priests and Levites, or in the
destination of his accumulated treasures to the construction and adornment of the
temple.
28

K&D, "2Ch_8:15-16
This arrangement was faithfully observed by the priests and Levites. The verb ‫סוּר‬ is
here construed c. accus. in the signification to transgress a command (cf. Ew. §282, a),
and it is therefore not necessary to alter ‫ַת‬‫ו‬ ְ‫צ‬ ִ‫מ‬ into ‫ַת‬‫ו‬ ְ‫צ‬ ִ‫מּ‬ ִ‫.מ‬ ‫ים‬ִ‫ֲנ‬‫ה‬ֹ‫כּ‬ ַ‫ל־ה‬ַ‫ע‬ depends upon
‫ַת‬‫ו‬ ְ‫צ‬ ִ‫:מ‬ the king's command concerning the priests and the Levites, i.e., that which David
commanded them. ‫וגו‬ ‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫ל־דּ‬ָ‫כ‬ ְ‫,ל‬ in regard to all things, and especially also in regard to
the treasures; cf. 1Ch_26:20-28. - With 2Ch_8:16 the account of what Solomon did for
the public worship is concluded: “Now all the work of Solomon was prepared until the
(this) day, the foundation of the house of Jahve until its completion; the house of Jahve
was finished.” ‫ת‬ ֶ‫אכ‬ֶ‫ל‬ ְ‫מ‬ is explained by ‫ד‬ ַ‫.מוּס‬ ‫ם‬ ‫יּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ is the day on which, after the
consecration of the completed temple, the regular public worship was commenced in it,
which doubtless was done immediately after the dedication of the temple. Only when the
regular worship according to the law of Moses, and with the arrangements as to the
service of the priests and Levites established by David, had been commenced, was
Solomon's work in connection with the temple completed, and the house of God ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ל‬ָ‫,שׁ‬
integer, perfect in all its parts, as it should be. The last clause, ‫בית‬ ‫י‬ ‫ם‬ֵ‫ל‬ָ‫,שׁ‬ is connected
rhetorically with what precedes without the conjunction, and is not to be regarded as a
subscription, “with which the historian concludes the whole narrative commencing with
2Ch_2:1” (Berth.); for ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ל‬ָ‫שׁ‬ does not signify “ended,” or to be at an end, but to be set
thoroughly (perfectly) in order.
BENSON, "2 Chronicles 8:15-16. They departed not from the commandment of the
king — He obeyed God’s commands enjoined by David, in God’s name, and by
inspiration of God’s Spirit, and therefore all obeyed his orders. Now all the work of
Solomon was prepared — All the materials were procured, and in all points fitted
and completed beforehand. So the house of God was perfected — This is now said,
because the service of the temple was now put into this good order. The work was
the main matter, not the place: the temple was unfinished till all this was done.
ELLICOTT, " (15) And they departed not from the commandment of the king.—
From has fallen out of the Heb. text, and must be restored. So three MSS. and the
versions.
The king=David.
Unto.—Concerning; literally, upon.
Concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.—With reference to any matter
and (especially) with reference to the treasures. (See 1 Chronicles 26:20-28.) 2
Chronicles 8:14-15 assure us that the arrangements of David, as described in 1
Chronicles 24-26, were faithfully observed by his successor.
29

16 All Solomon’s work was carried out, from the
day the foundation of the temple of the Lord was
laid until its completion. So the temple of the Lord
was finished.
GILL, "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 1Ki_6:38.
ELLICOTT, " (16) Now.—And, here equivalent to so.
Prepared = completed. (2 Chronicles 29:35; 2 Chronicles 35:10; 2 Chronicles 35:16;
a late use of the word nâkôn.)
Unto the day of the foundation . . . until it was finished.—Solomon’s activity is
apparently divided into two periods, viz., the preparations which he made before
and up to the foundation of the Temple (2 Chronicles 2), and secondly, the
prosecution of the work to its completion (2 Chronicles 3:1 to 2 Chronicles 5:1).
(The Heb. Is, unto that day of the foundation,” i.e., that memorable day, see 2
Chronicles 3:1-3.) All the versions, however, understand from the day of the
foundation unto the completion of the Temple, and perhaps ‘ad ha-yôm is, in the
chronicler’s Hebrew equivalent to lĕmin ha-yôm, expressing the terminus a quo.
So the house of the Lord was perfected.—Omit so, and comp. 1 Kings 9:25, “and he
finished [same root as perfected] the house.” The verse thus closes the entire account
of the building and inauguration of the Temple.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:16 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. [So] the
30

house of the LORD was perfected.
Ver. 16. So the house of God was perfected.] See 1 Kings 9:25.
PARKER, "16. Now all the work of Solomon was prepared [rather, "thus was all
the work of Solomon completed," or "set in order," as the same word is translated
in 2 Chronicles 29:35] unto the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord, and
until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was perfected.
[The Speaker"s Commentary points out that this verse sums up in brief the whole
previous narrative on the subject of the temple, which began with chap2. Solomon"s
word "unto the day of the foundation" was the subject of that chapter; his work
subsequently has been related in chapters3-8.]
17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath
on the coast of Edom.
CLARKE, "Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber - See the notes on 1Ki_9:26-28
(note), for conjectures concerning Ezion-geber and Ophir.
GILL 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 1Ki_9:26; see Gill on 1Ki_9:26, 1Ki_9:27, 1Ki_9:28.
HENRY 17-18, "II. Solomon's merchandise. He did himself in person visit the sea-
port towns of Eloth and Ezion-geber; for those that deal much in the world will find it
their interest, as far as they can, to inspect their affairs themselves and to see with their
own eyes, 2Ch_8:17. Canaan was a rich country, and yet must send to Ophir for gold; the
Israelites were a wise and understanding people, and yet must be beholden to the king of
Tyre for men that had knowledge of the seas, 2Ch_8:18. Yet Canaan was God's peculiar
land, and Israel God's peculiar people. This teaches us that grace, and not gold, is the
best riches, and acquaintance with God and his law, not with arts and sciences, the best
knowledge.
31

JAMISON, "Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth — These two
maritime ports were situated at the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, now called the Gulf of
Akaba. Eloth is seen in the modern Akaba, Ezion-geber in El Gudyan [Robinson].
Solomon, determined to cultivate the arts of peace, was sagacious enough to perceive
that his kingdom could become great and glorious only by encouraging a spirit of
commercial enterprise among his subjects; and, accordingly, with that in mind he made
a contract with Huram for ships and seamen to instruct his people in navigation.
K&D17-18, "Voyage to Ophir. Cf. 1Ki_9:26-28, and the commentary on that passage,
where we have discussed the divergences of our narrative, and have also come to the
conclusion that Ophir is not to be sought in India, but in Southern Arabia. By ‫ז‬ ָ‫א‬ the date
of this voyage is made to fall in the period after the building of the temple and the palace,
i.e., in the second half of Solomon's reign.
COFFMAN, ""Ezion-geber, and Eloth" (2 Chronicles 8:17). "These two places
were near each other at the northern extremity of the Gulf of Aqabah."[3]
"Four hundred and fifty talents of gold" (2 Chronicles 8:18). One can always count
on the nit-pickers to contrast this with the statement in Kings that the amount was
four hundred and twenty talents. Maybe sea-port taxes, sailors' wages, and other
expenses were deducted in the King's account! Such variations are unimportant.
ELLICOTT, " (d) THE VOYAGE TO OPHIR (2 Chronicles 8:17-18).
Comp. 1 Kings 9:26-28.
(17) Then (’âz).—After the completion of the Temple.
Went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth.—Syr., “Ezion-geber, a city which is
over against Eloth.” 1 Kings 9:26 reads, “And a fleet did king Solomon make at
Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth.”
The sea.—Kings, the Red Sea. So Vulg. The words of our text do not necessarily
imply a personal visit on the part of Solomon. He sent his shipwrights to the
Idumean port.
TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 8:17 Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the
sea side in the land of Edom.
Ver. 17. To Eziongeber.] A haven of the Red Sea, called by Josephus Berenice, by
32

Jerome Essia; Eloth is also called Elath, [Deuteronomy 2:8] and at this day Elana,
unde sinus Elaniticus.
Four hundred and fifty talents.] Thirty of them seem to go for the charges of the
voyage. Compare 1 Kings 9:28.
PARKER, "17. Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in
the land of Edom.
18. And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had
knowledge of the sea; and they [the servants, not the ships] went with the servants of
Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty [in Kings "twenty," one
or other of the two texts has suffered from that corruption to which numbers are
liable] talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
GUZIK, "3. (2 Chronicles 8:17-18) Solomon’s sea trading.
Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the seacoast, in the land of Edom.
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.
a. Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the seacoast: This was unusual
for an Israelite king, because the people of Israel were not known for their
accomplishments at sea. Solomon boldly led the people of Israel into new ventures.
i. “ ‘Ezion Geber and Elath’ were ports at the north end of the Gulf of Aqaba that
provided a strategic commercial access southward into the Red Sea and beyond.”
(Payne)
ii. “Solomon probably bore the expenses, and his friend, the Tyrian king, furnished
him with expert sailors; for the Jews, at no period of their history, had any skill in
maritime affairs, their navigation being confined to the lakes of their own country,
from which they could never acquire any nautical skill.” (Clarke)
b. They went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and acquired four hundred
and fifty talents of gold from there: It is hard to say with certainty where the land of
Ophir was. Some suggest it was in southern Arabia or the eastern coast of Africa.
This shows the great enterprise and industriousness of Solomon’s administration.
i. “No man knows certainly, to this day, where this Ophir was situated. There were
two places of this name; one somewhere in India, beyond the Ganges, and another
in Arabia, near the country of the Sabaeans, mentioned by Job 22:24.” (Clarke)
33

18 And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his
own men, sailors who knew the sea. These, with
Solomon’s men, sailed to Ophir and brought back
four hundred and fifty talents[c] of gold, which
they delivered to King Solomon.
BARNES, "It has been supposed that these ships were conveyed from Tyre to Ezion-
geber, either
(1) round the continent of Africa, or
(2) across the isthmus of Suez.
But the writer probably only means that ships were given by Hiram to Solomon at this
time, and in connection with the Ophir enterprise. These vessels may have been
delivered at Joppa, and have been there carefully studied by the Jewish shipwrights, who
then preceeded to Ezion-geber, and, assisted by Phoenicians, constructed ships after
their pattern.
Four hundred and fifty talents - “Four hundred and twenty talents” in Kings 1Ki_
9:28. One or other of the two texts has suffered from that corruption to which numbers
are so especially liable.
CLARKE, "Knowledge of the sea - Skilful sailors. Solomon probably bore the
expenses and his friend, the Tyrian king, furnished him with expert sailors; for the Jews,
at no period of their history, had any skill in maritime affairs, their navigation being
confined to the lakes of their own country, from which they could never acquire any
nautical skill. The Tyrians, on the contrary, lived on and in the sea.
GILL, "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 1Ki_9:26; see Gill on 1Ki_9:26, 1Ki_9:27, 1Ki_9:28.
JAMISON, "Huram sent him ... ships — either sent him ship-men, able seamen,
34

overland; or, taking the word “sent” in a looser sense, supplied him, that is, built him
ships - namely, in docks at Eloth (compare 1Ki_9:26, 1Ki_9:27). This navy of Solomon
was manned by Tyrians, for Solomon had no seamen capable of performing distant
expeditions. The Hebrew fishermen, whose boats plied on the Sea of Tiberias or coasted
the shores of the Mediterranean, were not equal to the conducting of large vessels laden
with valuable cargoes on long voyages and through the wide and unfrequented ocean.
four hundred and fifty talents of gold — (Compare 1Ki_9:28). The text in one of
these passages is corrupt.
ELLICOTT, " (18) And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships.—When
Solomon began to evince an interest in maritime affairs, his Tyrian ally presented
him with a number of vessels and their crews of trained seamen. To what port the
vessels were sent is not expressly stated. Probably they put in at Joppa (2 Chronicles
2:16). Others assume the meaning to be that the ships were sent from Tyre to Ezion-
geber, and then ask whether they were dragged across the desert which divides the
Mediterranean from the gulf of Akaba, or whether they circumnavigated Africa.
The dilemma is only apparent. The Greek historians of later times often speak of the
transport of ships overland; and the galleys of Solomon’s age were probably small.
Even the circumnavigation of Africa was achieved by a Phœnician expedition sent
out by Necho about four centuries later (Herod, iv. 42). But neither alternative
seems necessary. If Huram provided Solomon with skilled mariners, they would
naturally sail from Tyre to Joppa in their own ships. The Tyrian vessels may have
been left at Joppa, while a portion of their crews proceeded, by Solomon’s order, to
Ezion-geber. In short, “ships and servants” means “ships with servants,” or “ships
conveying servants.”
And they went.—Huram’s mariners. Comp. 1 Kings 9:27 : “And Huram sent in the
fleet (which Solomon had built) his servants, men of ships that had knowledge of the
sea.” So the Syr. and Arab. here.
To Ophir.—See 1 Kings 9:28. LXX., Sophira.
Fifty.—Kings, twenty. The difference may be due to a scribe’s error, the letter kaf
being confused with
BI, "
Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord.
Solomon’s burnt offerings
Solomon was great in burnt offerings. Do not men sometimes make up in burnt offerings
what they lack in moral consistency? Is not an ostentatious religion sometimes the best
proof of internal decay? It ought not to be so. The outward and inward should
correspond. The action should be the incarnation of the thought. It is beautiful to look
upon the Church engaged in much church-building and in strenuous endeavours against
public sin; yet we must never forget that all this may possibly coexist with internal loss,
decay, corruption. All action does not spring from life. Sometimes we try to make up by
35

complex mechanism what is wanting in real vitality. It is often easier to offer burnt
offering than to do some deed of moral heroism. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Footnotes:
2 Chronicles 8:2 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram; also in verse 18
2 Chronicles 8:6 Or charioteers
2 Chronicles 8:18 That is, about 17 tons or about 15 metric tons
36

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