2 Chronicles 8 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built Yahweh's house and his own palace,

Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given to him, and settled Israelites in them.

Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and overpowered it.

He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities he had built in Hamath.

He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

along with Baalath and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities and the cavalry cities — whatever Solomon wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.

As for all the people left over from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites — who were not part of Israel —

their descendants who remained in the land, whom the Israelites had not wiped out — Solomon conscripted them for forced labor, and they remain so to this day.

But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work. Instead, they served as his soldiers, commanders, officers, and chariot and cavalry captains.

These were King Solomon's chief officers — two hundred and fifty of them — who supervised the people.

Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, because he said, "My wife must not live in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the chest of Yahweh has been are set apart."

Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to Yahweh on Yahweh's altar that he had built in front of the entrance hall,

following the daily schedule for offerings according to the command of Moses — for Sabbaths, New Moon festivals, and the three annual festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters.

Following the decree of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their duties of praise and service alongside the priests, according to the daily schedule. He also appointed the gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate, for this is what David, the man of God, had commanded.

They did not deviate from the king's command to the priests and Levites regarding any matter, including the treasuries.

All of Solomon's work was carried out from the day the foundation of Yahweh's house was laid until its completion. Yahweh's house was finished.

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

And Huram sent him ships commanded by his own servants — experienced sailors — along with Solomon's servants. They went to Ophir and brought back fifteen thousand pounds of gold to King Solomon.