Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 8

Verses 1-18

Chapter 8

Now it came to pass at the end of twenty years, that Solomon had built both the house of the LORD, and his own palace ( 2 Chronicles 8:1 ),

He spent seven years building the house of the Lord and thirteen years building his own palace.

That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, he then built them up, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there ( 2 Chronicles 8:2 ).

And it gives you the names of some of the cities where he had his storehouses and he had built fortresses and some of the cities that he had fortified and all. And then in verse 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 palaces are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come ( 2 Chronicles 8:11 ).

So he realized that she wasn't so pure or holy, and so he built another place for her so that she wouldn't dwell in them. Now, he ought to know that that's not the kind of a wife he should have if he has to build a separate place for her because she is not worthy to dwell in the places that were holy.

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 and all. 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 completed. And then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom. And he sent out ships to Ophir to gather gold ( 2 Chronicles 8:12-18 ). "