1 A t the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house,

It took Solomon twenty years to build the house of the Lord and his own house. At the end of that time,

2 T he cities which Huram had given to Solomon rebuilt and fortified, and caused the Israelites to dwell there.

he built again the cities which Huram had given to him. And he had the people of Israel live in them.

3 A nd Solomon took Hamath-zobah.

Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and took it.

4 H e built Tadmor in the wilderness and all his store cities in Hamath.

He built Tadmor in the desert and all his store-cities in Hamath.

5 A lso he built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

He built upper Beth-horon and lower Beth-horon. He made the city strong with walls, gates, and long pieces of iron.

6 A nd Baalath and all the store cities had, and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all his dominion.

Solomon built Baalath and all the store-cities he had. He built all the cities for his war-wagons, and the cities for his horsemen. He built whatever he wanted to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and in all the land under his rule.

7 A ll the people who were left of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of Israel,

There were people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel.

8 B ut descendants of those who were left in the land, whom the Israelites had not destroyed—of them Solomon made a levy for forced labor to this day.

They were the children of those who were left in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. Solomon made all of these people do hard work, as they do to this day.

9 B ut of the Israelites Solomon made no slaves for his work; but they were men of war, chiefs of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.

But he did not make the people of Israel do hard work. They were soldiers, leaders, captains of war-wagons, and his horsemen.

10 T hese were the chiefs of King Solomon’s officers, 250 in authority over the people.

These were the head leaders of King Solomon. There were 250 who ruled over the people.

11 S olomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh out of the City of David into 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 are holy to which the ark of the Lord has come.

Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house he had built for her. For he said, “My wife should not live in the house of David king of Israel. Because the places are holy where the special box of the Lord has come.”

12 T hen Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar which he had built before the porch or vestibule,

Then Solomon gave burnt gifts to the Lord on the Lord’s altar which he had built in front of the porch.

13 A certain number every day, offering as Moses commanded for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the solemn feast days three times in the year—the Feasts of Unleavened Bread, of Weeks, and of Tabernacles.

He gave a certain number of gifts every day, as Moses had said should be given. Gifts were given for the Days of Rest, the new moons, and the three special suppers each year. These special suppers were the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast, the Special Supper of Weeks, and the Special Supper of Tents.

14 A nd he appointed, as ordered by David his father, the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites to their offices to praise and to serve before the priests as the duty of every day required, and the gatekeepers also by their divisions at every gate; for so had David the man of God commanded.

By the law of David his father, Solomon chose the religious leaders for their different duties. He chose the Levites for their duties of praise and helping the religious leaders for each day’s needs. And he chose who should be the gate-keepers at each gate. For David the man of God had said that this must be done.

15 A nd they did not turn from the command of the king to the priests and Levites in any respect or concerning the treasuries.

They did all that the king had said the religious leaders and Levites must do in every duty and with the store-houses.

16 T hus all the work of Solomon was prepared from the day the foundation of the Lord’s house was laid until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was completed.

So all the work of Solomon was done, from the day the house of the Lord was begun until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was built.

17 T hen Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth on the shore of the Sea in the land of Edom.

Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom.

18 A nd Huram sent him by his servants ships and servants familiar with the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir and took from there 450 talents of gold and brought them to King Solomon.

Huram sent his servants to him with ships and servants who knew the sea. They went to Ophir together with Solomon’s servants to get gold. And they brought gold weighing as much as 450 men from there to King Solomon.