Bible Commentaries

Solomon's buildings, conquests, and officers, 2 Chronicles 8:1-10. He brings Pharaoh's daughter to his new-built palace, 2 Chronicles 8:11. His various sacrifices, and arrangement of the priests, Levites, and porters, 2 Chronicles 8:12-16. He sends a fleet to Ophir, 2 Chronicles 8:17, 2 Chronicles 8:18.

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 1 Kings 7:1.

The cities which Huram had restored - See the note on 1 Kings 9:11.

Hamath-zobah - "Emessa, on the river Orontes." - Calmet.

Tadmor - Palmyra. See the note on 1 Kings 9:18, for an account of this superb city.

All the store cities - See the note on 1 Kings 9:19.

But of the children of Israel - See the note on 1 Kings 9:21.

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.

Three times in the year - These were the three great annual feasts.

The commandment of the king - The institutions of David.

Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber - See the notes on 1 Kings 9:26-28; (note), for conjectures concerning Ezion-geber and Ophir.

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.