2 Chronicles Chapter 8
Achievements of Solomon
A. Solomon and the Surrounding Nations
1. (2 Chronicles 8:1–6) The Dominion of Solomon
“And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house, That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it. And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath. Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 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.”
At the end of twenty years, the great construction projects of Solomon were completed. Seven years were devoted to the building of the house of the Lord, and thirteen years to his own royal palace (1 Kings 6:38; 7:1). These two decades represent the most productive and prosperous era of Solomon’s reign. By this time, his kingdom was secure, his wealth immense, and his fame spread far among the nations. The stability of his throne allowed him to shift from establishing his reign to expanding and fortifying his dominion.
The text mentions that Solomon built the cities which Hiram (Huram) had given him. However, in 1 Kings 9:11–14, the record seems reversed—there it appears that Solomon gave Hiram cities in the land of Galilee. This difference can be explained. Either Hiram rejected the cities as unsuitable and returned them to Solomon, or they served as temporary collateral for the gold and materials Hiram had provided. The Chronicler notes that Solomon rebuilt them and caused the children of Israel to dwell there, establishing administrative control and ensuring loyalty in the border regions near Phoenicia.
Solomon’s dominion expanded to Hamath-zobah, a region on the northern frontier, demonstrating his military and political strength. He subdued this territory and established fortifications to secure his northern border. He also built Tadmor in the wilderness—later known as Palmyra, an important trade city in the Syrian desert that became a key link between Israel and the eastern trade routes. Alongside this, Solomon built store cities, strategic locations used to house grain, provisions, weapons, and chariots.
He also rebuilt Beth-horon the upper and Beth-horon the nether, both heavily fortified with walls, gates, and bars. These twin cities lay on the vital ascent between the coastal plain and the hill country of Benjamin, serving as military strongholds controlling the approach to Jerusalem. He also built Baalath, possibly located in the territory of Dan, another key military outpost. Everywhere throughout his dominion—from Jerusalem to Lebanon—Solomon fortified his realm and constructed cities that reflected both his ambition and administrative genius.
This passage highlights Solomon’s remarkable heart as a builder. His kingdom was filled with architectural beauty and strategic design. However, his growing emphasis on chariot cities and horsemen reveals a troubling departure from God’s instruction. The Lord had warned future kings of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:16, saying, “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses.” Yet Solomon’s military buildup demonstrated his growing reliance on human strength rather than divine protection.
In contrast, Psalm 20:7 declares, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Though Solomon’s building projects reflected order and excellence, his focus on chariots hinted at a subtle drift from faith in the Lord’s sufficiency to confidence in human power. What began as the height of prosperity also marked the beginning of spiritual decline, reminding us that success often tests character more severely than hardship.
2. (2 Chronicles 8:7–10) Solomon and the Conquered Peoples of His Dominion
“As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel, 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. 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. And these were the chief of King Solomon’s officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.”
Solomon inherited a land in which remnants of the Canaanite nations still dwelled. The Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites had not been fully expelled during Joshua’s conquest, and small groups remained within Israel’s borders. From these peoples and their descendants, Solomon conscripted laborers for his massive construction projects. This practice of forced labor is also mentioned in 1 Kings 5:15–18, where tens of thousands of workers were organized under Solomon’s direction to cut timber, quarry stones, and transport materials.
These foreign peoples were subjected to tribute and servitude, fulfilling God’s earlier word in Joshua 16:10, which noted that the Canaanites “dwelt among the Ephraimites unto this day, and served under tribute.” Thus, Solomon continued a long-standing policy of subjugating conquered peoples, transforming them into a labor force for the state. This was not slavery in the cruel sense but a system of taxation and compulsory service under Israel’s control.
However, Solomon did not make the children of Israel servants for his work. The Israelites participated in the work of building the temple and palace, but they did so voluntarily, as free men serving under royal command, not as forced laborers. Their roles were elevated: they served as supervisors, administrators, and military personnel. They were men of war, captains of his officers, captains of his chariots and horsemen, and overseers of the forced labor. Two hundred and fifty officials governed the work and maintained the vast logistical network of Solomon’s kingdom.
This administrative system shows the efficiency of Solomon’s government. Yet, it also foreshadows the growing social tension between the privileged ruling class of Israel and the oppressed laboring class of foreigners. In later years, this heavy taxation and forced service would lead to resentment and revolt, particularly under Solomon’s son Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:4).
Though Solomon’s achievements in organization and infrastructure were unparalleled, this section subtly illustrates the seeds of future division. The kingdom’s strength outwardly masked internal weaknesses—spiritual compromise, growing pride, and the burdens of royal ambition.
From a spiritual perspective, Solomon’s reign reflects a truth seen throughout Scripture: prosperity tests obedience. The Lord had given Solomon wisdom and resources beyond measure, yet the heart of man is easily lifted up when surrounded by abundance. The expansion of Solomon’s dominion should have reflected God’s glory, but his increasing dependence on forced labor, chariots, and human systems marked the slow drift from reliance on the Lord who had established him.
B. Solomon and the Daughter of Pharaoh
1. (2 Chronicles 8:11) Solomon Marries an Egyptian Princess
“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.”
Solomon’s marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter marks a turning point in his life and reign. This alliance, though politically beneficial, was spiritually disastrous. It is the first recorded instance of Solomon’s many foreign marriages and stands as the beginning of his decline from wholehearted devotion to the Lord. According to 1 Kings 11:1–3, Solomon loved many strange women, and his union with this Egyptian princess was the pattern for the compromises that would follow.
By marrying into Egypt’s royal house, Solomon forged an alliance with one of the great powers of his day. From a human perspective, this seemed like wise diplomacy, strengthening his kingdom through international relations. Yet spiritually, it was a clear violation of God’s commands. Deuteronomy 7:3–4 forbade marriage with pagan nations, saying, “Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods.” Though Solomon was the wisest man on earth, he ignored the plain Word of God in favor of worldly reasoning.
Solomon justified moving Pharaoh’s daughter to her own residence, saying, “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.” This reveals that Solomon recognized her as an unbeliever, a woman who could not share in the sanctity of the house associated with God’s ark. His conscience was pricked, but not enough to prevent the marriage itself. Adam Clarke observed, “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.”
This move, though seemingly small, was the seed of future corruption. Thomas Trapp wisely noted, “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.” Indeed, Solomon’s compromise demonstrates that one cannot safely mix light and darkness. To tolerate the presence of idolatry, even under the guise of diplomacy, is to invite eventual ruin.
G. Campbell Morgan captured the gravity of this decision, writing, “To build a house for Pharaoh’s daughter outside the Holy City is to open its gates sooner or later to Pharaoh’s gods.” That prophecy proved true. What began as one foreign marriage ended in hundreds, leading Solomon to build high places for pagan gods such as Chemosh and Molech.
Frederick Brotherton Meyer applied this principle to Christian marriage: “The blessedness of the marriage tie depends on whether the twain are one in spirit, in a common love for Christ, and endeavor 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.’” The warning remains timeless. Spiritual unity is the foundation of a godly home; without it, even love becomes a snare.
2. (2 Chronicles 8:12–16) The Order of Solomon’s Administration
“Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch, 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. 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. And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 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 house of the Lord was perfected.”
Despite Solomon’s personal compromise, his administration of the temple service was orderly and reverent. The text emphasizes that Solomon offered burnt offerings upon the altar before the porch of the temple. These offerings followed the daily sacrifices prescribed in Numbers 28:1–8, morning and evening, as well as the offerings for Sabbaths, new moons, and annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles. These observances reflected faithfulness to the Mosaic Law and the ceremonial system God had ordained for Israel.
Solomon also maintained the administrative structure his father David had established. He appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, as described in 1 Chronicles 24, where twenty-four priestly courses were organized to rotate temple duties. The Levites were also assigned their duties, to praise and minister before the priests, offering music and worship before the Lord as required each day. Gatekeepers were stationed at every entrance to preserve order and reverence. Scripture honors David by calling him “the man of God,” a title emphasizing that David’s reforms were divinely inspired.
The record concludes, “Now all the work of Solomon was prepared… so the house of the Lord was perfected.” This phrase captures the fulfillment of a divine plan spanning generations—from David’s desire to build God’s house, to Solomon’s completion of the work. The temple stood as the visible center of Israel’s worship, reflecting the order, wisdom, and blessing of the kingdom. Solomon’s careful organization was an answer to his own earlier prayer in 1 Kings 3:9, where he asked for wisdom to govern the people. At this point in his life, that prayer was still visibly bearing fruit.
3. (2 Chronicles 8:17–18) Solomon’s Sea Trading
“Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom. And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.”
In this final portion, Solomon is shown to have expanded his dominion into maritime trade—an unusual venture for an Israelite king, for the Hebrew people were not known as sailors. Ezion-geber and Eloth were ports at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, giving Israel access to the Red Sea and trade routes reaching Arabia, Africa, and possibly India.
Hiram of Tyre (Huram) provided the expertise and naval skill necessary for this enterprise. His Phoenician sailors were among the best navigators of the ancient world. As Adam Clarke notes, “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.” This partnership combined Israel’s wealth and ambition with Phoenicia’s seafaring experience, creating one of the earliest joint trade ventures in recorded history.
The expedition sailed to Ophir and returned with four hundred and fifty talents of gold, a staggering amount—over fifteen tons by modern measure. The precise location of Ophir is uncertain. Some identify it with regions along the eastern coast of Africa, such as modern Somalia, while others suggest southern Arabia or India. Regardless of its location, this voyage demonstrates Solomon’s far-reaching vision and the prosperity of his reign. As Clarke observed, “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.”
Through this enterprise, Solomon displayed remarkable initiative, expanding Israel’s economic influence far beyond its borders. Yet even here, there is a subtle warning. His growing wealth, foreign alliances, and luxurious pursuits foreshadowed the materialism and divided heart that would later bring spiritual decay. Prosperity, when not grounded in humility and obedience, becomes a snare.
