Solomon's Accomplishments

 

 

2 Chronicles 8:1-10

 

June 2, 2023

 

Solomon's Accomplishments

At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house, Solomon rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given to him and settled the people of Israel in them.

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and took it.  He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath.  He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars, and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.  All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, ^\ from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed—these Solomon drafted as forced labor, and so they are to this day. But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen. And these were the chief officers of King Solomon, 250, who exercised authority over the people.

One item that I did not have any understanding of was store cities, so I searched and found this in the Holman Bible Dictionary.   

Storehouses were built early in human history to protect harvested crops from vermin and extreme weather. The typical storehouse during the Israelite period was a rectangular building with a double row of columns which divided the building into three narrow aisles. Large, thick walls supported the roof, and small side rooms led off of the main hall. Storerooms at Herod's fortress of Masada had walls eleven feet high constructed of stones weighing over 400 pounds. Community storehouses could also be used as public markets. In large cities, certain sections of the town were designated as storage areas, with several storehouses lining the streets. During the Divided Kingdom period, royal storage facilities were established in regional capitals to collect tax payments made in flour, oil, grain, or wine. Specially marked jars held these royal stores which later could be distributed to the army or royal palaces. The Temple complex included special storage areas, both for the utensils of worship and to serve as a sort of bank where valuables might be placed. The picture of a full storehouse served as an image of God's blessing and was often used by the prophets.   By David Maltsberger                                                                                                                       

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice