2 Chronicles 8:6

8:1 - 18 Solomon's buildings and trade. - It sometimes requires more wisdom and resolution to govern a family in the fear of God, than to govern a kingdom with reputation. The difficulty is increased, when a man has a hinderance instead of a help meet in the wife of his bosom. Solomon kept up the holy sacrifices, according to the law of Moses. In vain had the altar been built, in vain had fire come down from heaven, if sacrifices had not been constantly brought. Spiritual sacrifices are required of us, which we are to bring daily and weekly; it is good to be in a settled method of devotion. When the service of the temple was put into good order, it is said, The house of the Lord was perfected. The work was the main matter, not the place; the temple was unfinished till all this was done. Canaan was a rich country, and yet must send to Ophir for gold The Israelites were a wise people, but must be beholden to the king of Tyre for men that had knowledge of the seas. Grace, and not gold, is the best riches, and acquaintance with God and his law, the best knowledge. Leaving the children of this world to scramble for the toys of this world, may we, as the children of God, lay up our treasure in heaven, that where our treasure is, our hearts also may be.

Verse 6. - Baalath (parallel 1 Kings 9:18 ). This place belonged to Dan ( Joshua 19:40-45 ). Nothing is known about it; some take it to be one with Baalah of Joshua 15:9, 10 . Store cities... chariot cities... cities of the horsemen (see 2 Chronicles 16:4 ; 2 Chronicles 32:28 ; 1 Kings 4:26 ; 1 Kings 9:19 ). In the parallel some of the names of the places built, or rebuilt, or repaired by Solomon in this connection are given as "Mille and the wall of Jerusalem" (Millo's foundations occupied the hollow at the south-west corner of the hill of the temple), "and Hazer and Megiddo and Gezer" ( 1 Kings 9:15 ). All that Solomen desired to build ; i.e. for purposes of personal enjoyment or ornament. 2 Chronicles 8:6

(6) And Baalath. — 1Kings 9:18 . Like the two Beth-horons, it lay west of Jerusalem, and was a bulwark against the Philistines: (Comp. Joshua 19:44 , a Danite town.) The rest of this verse is identical with 1Kings 9:19 , which see. (Chronicler has twice added all. ) In the above section no mention is made of the fortification of Jerusalem, and the building of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer, which last city had been taken by Pharaoh, and given by him to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. (See 1Kings 9:15-16.) On the other hand, as we have seen, the chronicler supplies several important details which are wanting in the parallel account.

3-6. And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah—Hamath was on the Orontes, in Cœle-Syria. Its king, Toi, had been the ally of David; but from the combination, Hamath and Zobah, it would appear that some revolution had taken place which led to the union of these two petty kingdoms of Syria into one. For what cause the resentment of Solomon was provoked against it, we are not informed, but he sent an armed force which reduced it. He made himself master also of Tadmor, the famous Palmyra in the same region. Various other cities along the frontiers of his extended dominions he repaired and fitted up, either to serve as store-places for the furtherance of his commercial enterprises, or to secure his kingdom from foreign invasion (see on [426]2Ch 1:14; [427]1Ki 9:15).

Besides these, he made Upper and Nether Beth-horon (see on 1 Chronicles 7:24 ) into fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars. מצור ערי is the second object of ויּבן, and וגו חומות is in apposition to that. Further, he fortified Baalah, in the tribe of Dan, to defend the kingdom against the Philistines, and, according to 1 Kings 9:15-17 , Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer also, - which are omitted here, while in 1 Kings 9:17 Upper Beth-horon is omitted, - and store cities, chariot cities, and cavalry cities; see on 1 Kings 9:15-19 .