SOLOMON EXPANDS HIS KINGDOM

PROCLAMATION

“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 … and Baalath … and the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen …” 2 Chronicles 8:2-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The words of First and Second Chronicles were written as one book under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Ezra the scribe and priest and historical Bible scholar according to Jewish tradition.  Chapter eight documents Solomon’s expansion of his kingdom.  King Solomon spent the first twenty years of his reign building the house of The Lord and his own house.  Then he built up the surrounding cities for the children of Israel to dwell there.  He then went to war with Hamath-zobah, prevailed against it, and took the land and developed it as his own as store cities. (2 Chronicles 8:1-4)  Solomon also built the walled cities of upper and lower Beth-horon.  He also built additional store cities, and chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen.  He built up Jerusalem and Lebanon and all the cities throughout his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 8:5-6)  For laborers to complete all of this building, Solomon used the children of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites which the children of Israel had conquered but did not drive out of the land.  But the children of Israel were not servants or workers.  Solomon made them men of war, captains, and chiefs, and officers in his army and over the people. (2 Chronicles 8:7-10)  King Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh and built a house for her so that she would not have to stay in the holy house of David where the ark of The Lord had been. (2 Chronicles 8:11)  Solomon continued to worship The Lord and he made sure that the people worshiped according to the commandments of Moses.  He appointed priests to their service and the Levites to their charges so that there was daily praise and ministry. (2 Chronicles 8:12-16)  Solomon also developed a fleet of ships which brought him jewels, and precious metals, and spices, and wood.  The sailors of his ships were sent to him by Hiram, the king of Tyre. (2 Chronicles 8:17-18)

 

APPLICATION

Sometimes we pray and ask The Lord God to bless us with more.  It is not that we do not have or lack, we just want more.  We pray as Jabez prayed, “… bless me and enlarge my territory …” (1 Chronicles 4:10)  However, we need to be careful regarding what we pray for because God may grant our request, and it may be more than we can handle.  Pray for God’s guidance.