6 And Baalath, H1191 and all the store H4543 cities H5892 that Solomon H8010 had, and all the chariot H7393 cities, H5892 and the cities H5892 of the horsemen, H6571 and all that Solomon H8010 desired H2836 H2837 to build H1129 in Jerusalem, H3389 and in Lebanon, H3844 and throughout all the land H776 of his dominion. H4475
He built H1129 also the house H1004 of the forest H3293 of Lebanon; H3844 the length H753 thereof was an hundred H3967 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 thereof fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the height H6967 thereof thirty H7970 cubits, H520 upon four H702 rows H2905 of cedar H730 pillars, H5982 with cedar H730 beams H3773 upon the pillars. H5982
And Baalath, H1191 and Tadmor H8412 in the wilderness, H4057 in the land, H776 And all the cities H5892 of store H4543 that Solomon H8010 had, and cities H5892 for his chariots, H7393 and cities H5892 for his horsemen, H6571 and that H2837 which Solomon H8010 desired H2836 to build H1129 in Jerusalem, H3389 and in Lebanon, H3844 and in all the land H776 of his dominion. H4475
And Solomon H8010 gathered together H622 chariots H7393 and horsemen: H6571 and he had a thousand H505 and four H702 hundred H3967 chariots, H7393 and twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 whom he bestowed H5148 in the cities H5892 for chariots, H7393 and with the king H4428 at Jerusalem. H3389
And Solomon H8010 gathered H622 chariots H7393 and horsemen: H6571 and he had a thousand H505 and four H702 hundred H3967 chariots, H7393 and twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 which he placed H3240 in the chariot H7393 cities, H5892 and with the king H4428 at Jerusalem. H3389
And Jehoshaphat H3092 waxed H1980 great H1432 exceedingly; H4605 and he built H1129 in Judah H3063 castles, H1003 and cities H5892 of store. H4543
I made me great H1431 works; H4639 I builded H1129 me houses; H1004 I planted H5193 me vineyards: H3754
And whatsoever mine eyes H5869 desired H7592 I kept H680 not from them, I withheld H4513 not my heart H3820 from any joy; H8057 for my heart H3820 rejoiced H8056 in all my labour: H5999 and this was my portion H2506 of all my labour. H5999 Then I looked H6437 on all the works H4639 that my hands H3027 had wrought, H6213 and on the labour H5999 that I had laboured H5998 to do: H6213 and, behold, all was vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit, H7307 and there was no profit H3504 under the sun. H8121 And I turned H6437 myself to behold H7200 wisdom, H2451 and madness, H1947 and folly: H5531 for what can the man H120 do that cometh H935 after H310 the king? H4428 even that which hath been already H3528 done. H6213 Then I saw H7200 that H3426 wisdom H2451 excelleth H3504 folly, H5531 as far as light H216 excelleth H3504 darkness. H2822 The wise man's H2450 eyes H5869 are in his head; H7218 but the fool H3684 walketh H1980 in darkness: H2822 and I myself perceived H3045 also that one H259 event H4745 happeneth H7136 to them all. Then H227 said H559 I in my heart, H3820 As it happeneth H4745 to the fool, H3684 so it happeneth H7136 even to me; H1571 and why was I then more H3148 wise? H2449 Then I said H1696 in my heart, H3820 that this also is vanity. H1892 For there is no remembrance H2146 of the wise H2450 more than H5973 of the fool H3684 for ever; H5769 seeing that which now H3528 is in the days H3117 to come H935 shall all be forgotten. H7911 And how dieth H4191 the wise H2450 man? as the fool. H3684 Therefore I hated H8130 life; H2416 because the work H4639 that is wrought H6213 under the sun H8121 is grievous H7451 unto me: for all is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307 Yea, I hated H8130 all my labour H5999 which I had taken H6001 under the sun: H8121 because I should leave H3240 it unto the man H120 that shall be after H310 me. And who knoweth H3045 whether he shall be a wise H2450 man or a fool? H5530 yet shall he have rule H7980 over all my labour H5999 wherein I have laboured, H5998 and wherein I have shewed myself wise H2449 under the sun. H8121 This is also vanity. H1892 Therefore I went about H5437 to cause H2976 my heart H3820 to despair H2976 of all the labour H5999 which I took H5998 under the sun. H8121 For there is H3426 a man H120 whose labour H5999 is in wisdom, H2451 and in knowledge, H1847 and in equity; H3788 yet to a man H120 that hath not laboured H5998 therein shall he leave H5414 it for his portion. H2506 This also is vanity H1892 and a great H7227 evil. H7451 For what hath H1933 man H120 of all his labour, H5999 and of the vexation H7475 of his heart, H3820 wherein H1931 he hath laboured H6001 under the sun? H8121 For all his days H3117 are sorrows, H4341 and his travail H6045 grief; H3708 yea, his heart H3820 taketh not rest H7901 in the night. H3915 This is also vanity. H1892 There is nothing better H2896 for a man, H120 than that he should eat H398 and drink, H8354 and that he should make his soul H5315 enjoy H7200 good H2896 in his labour. H5999 This H2090 also I saw, H7200 that it was from the hand H3027 of God. H430 For who can eat, H398 or who else can hasten H2363 hereunto, more H2351 than I? For God giveth H5414 to a man H120 that is good H2896 in his sight H6440 wisdom, H2451 and knowledge, H1847 and joy: H8057 but to the sinner H2398 he giveth H5414 travail, H6045 to gather H622 and to heap up, H3664 that he may give H5414 to him that is good H2896 before H6440 God. H430 This also is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 8
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 8 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 8
This chapter contains much the same, with a little variation, as what is related in 1 Kings 9:10.
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years,.... See Gill on 1 Kings 9:10.
That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon,.... Which Solomon first gave to him, but he not liking them, returned them to him, 1 Kings 9:12,
Solomon built them; or rebuilt them, being very much out of repair, which might be one reason of Huram's not accepting them:
and caused the children of Israel to dwell there; they being inhabited by others, the remains of the Canaanitcs perhaps; see 2 Chronicles 8:7.
And Solomon went to Hamathzobah,.... In an hostile manner, which is the only instance of any warlike expedition of Solomon's. This was Coelesyria, which though subdued in the times of David, perhaps rebelled, and now Solomon went forth to reduce it:
and prevailed against it; took it.
And built Tadmor in the wilderness,.... Of which See Gill on 1 Kings 9:18.
and all the storehouses which he built in Hamath; a country in Syria, which he made himself master of, and where he laid up store of provision and ammunition to keep it, should any attempt be made to rescue it out of his hands. According to an Arabic writerF1Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. dyn. 3. p. 53. , Solomon in the twenty fourth year of his reign having demolished Antioch, built seven cities, of which Tadmor was one.
Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether,.... Only mention is made of the latter in 1 Kings 9:17,
fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; fortified cities in the tribe of Ephraim.
And Baalath,.... See 1 Kings 9:18. From hence, to the end of 2 Chronicles 8:11, it is the same with 1 Kings 9:19. See Gill on 1 Kings 9:19. 1 Kings 9:20. 1 Kings 9:21. 1 Kings 9:22. 1 Kings 9:23. 1 Kings 9:24.
Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord,.... Meaning not barely at the time he rebuilt the above cities, for it was his constant practice:
on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch; the brasen altar, which was at the entrance into the temple, within the court; of which see 2 Chronicles 4:1.
Even after a certain rate every day, according to the commandment of Moses,.... The daily sacrifice, morning and evening, Exodus 29:38,
on the sabbaths, and on the new moons; when there were additional sacrifices, Numbers 28:9, &c.
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; which serves to explain the three times in 1 Kings 9:25.
And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service,.... The twenty four courses which served weekly in their turns, 1 Chronicles 24:1.
and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as duty of every day required; who also had their courses by lot, to sing the praises of God, when the priests sacrificed, or blew the trumpets, 1 Chronicles 25:1,
the porters also by their courses at every gate; from hence Dr. Lightfoot concludes that these were divided into twenty four classes, as the priests and Levite singers were:
for so had David the man of God commanded, 1 Chronicles 26:1, who in all these affairs acted as a prophet, under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit of God.
And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites,.... The priests and Levites departed not from it, not from the commandment of Solomon, according to the order of David, but in all things obeyed it:
concerning any matter; which related to the office of either of them, sacrificers, singers, or porters:
or concerning the treasures; such of the Levites as had the care of them were faithful to their trust, see 1 Chronicles 26:20, &c.
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,.... The materials were prepared, and the money for the expenses; and even the very stones and timber were made fit for the building, so that there was nothing to retard the completion of it:
so the house of God was perfected; in the space of seven years, in all the parts, and according to the form and pattern of it, see 1 Kings 6:38.
Then went Solomon to Eziongeber,.... Being now at leisure to look after his navy, to carry on merchandise; and of this, and the following verse, and the reconciliation of them with 1 Kings 9:26; see Gill on 1 Kings 9:26, 1 Kings 9:27, 1 Kings 9:28.