Both the chapters we read today cover pretty much the same events and activities. We know it took 20 years to build the Lord’s Temple and Solomon’s royal palace. Since the Temple took him 11 years to build, but his palace took 13 years, we know that at some point work was being done on both at once.
There was an interesting relationship between Solomon and King Hiram of Tyre. They had a deal, and though it didn’t sound as if Hiram was completely happy with the nine towns Solomon had given him, he still paid Solomon 9000 pounds of gold.
Did you notice that Solomon’s forced labor force was made up of those in the land who were not Israelites? He did not conscript any Israelites for this work, but he did appoint 550 of them to supervise the people working on the various projects.
He didn’t consider it right for his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter, to live in King David’s palace because the Ark of the Lord had been there and the palace was, therefore, holy ground. This is why a separate palace had to be built for her.
Solomon also created a navy that was docked in Ezion-geber and Elath, ports along the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. He got the ships and experienced crew from Hiram of Tyre. Using these ships, his men brought back almost seventeen tons of gold from Ophir.
Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 25 - 26.
Until next time…
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