In 1 Kings 9, we learn about a variety of things going on during Solomon’s reign. He had made alliances with Hiram, King of Tyre, and also with Pharoah of Egypt. He built a fleet and cities for his armies. He was busy with far more in building up Israel than just building a house for YHWH and a house for himself. He did not just sit around complacent or lazy. He was active. He was intentional. He had a vision for what he was trying to accomplish. We may not rule over people as a king, but in our own personal lives or our businesses, we should also have a vision and plan for what we are trying to accomplish and be busy going about working towards it. We should avoid just reacting to what happens to us one day at a time. We should seek wisdom from our Father.
I suppose it is interesting to consider that he used the remnants of the people who Israel had not been able to destroy when they took the land as forced laborers and did not do so to the sons of Israel. I think most of us living in the context of today’s culture probably struggle a bit with leveraging forced laborers. We have to remember that this was a long time ago in a very different culture and time than today. Personally, I am not sure what to make of the forced laborers. We can likely deduce these were not like slaves we think of today in the history of the USA. 1 Kings 5 shows us that Solomon had some consideration for them and their families as the ones he sent to get the cedar in Lebanon would be sent for one month and then return for two.
Cities Given to Hiram
10It came about at the end of twenty years in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD and the king’s house 11(Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold according to all his desire), then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12So Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they did not please him. 13He said, “What are these cities which you have given me, my brother?” So they were called the land of Cabul to this day. 14And Hiram sent to the king 120 talents of gold.
15Now this is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon levied to build the house of the LORD, his own house, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17So Solomon rebuilt Gezer and the lower Beth-horon 18and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, 19and all the storage cities which Solomon had, even the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and all that it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land under his rule. 20As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were not of the sons of Israel, 21their descendants who were left after them in the land whom the sons of Israel were unable to destroy utterly, from them Solomon levied forced laborers, even to this day. 22But Solomon did not make slaves of the sons of Israel; for they were men of war, his servants, his princes, his captains, his chariot commanders, and his horsemen.
23These were the chief officers who were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people doing the work.
24As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her, then he built the Millo.
25Now three times in a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to the LORD, burning incense with them on the altar which was before the LORD. So he finished the house.
26King Solomon also built a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27And Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, along with the servants of Solomon. 28They went to Ophir and took four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon.
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