“Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.” — 2 Chronicles 8:5-6

Have you ever stood at the base of a skyscraper and marveled at its height as you looked up? Perhaps you wondered who designed and engineered such a structure. If the skyscraper is located in the United States, American architect Louis Henry Sullivan (1856-1924) deserves a great deal of the credit, even if the building is a relatively recent addition to the city skyline.

In today’s architectural community, Louis Sullivan is acclaimed as the developer of some of the most significant concepts in modern architecture, including that of the skyscraper. In fact, he is frequently referred to as “the father of skyscrapers.” Another famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, once said of his friend and mentor, “Louis Sullivan gave America the skyscraper as an organic modern work of art. While America’s architects were stumbling at its height, piling one thing on top of another, foolishly denying it, Louis Sullivan seized its height as its characteristic feature and made it sing; a new thing under the sun!”¹

Although Sullivan lived many centuries after King Solomon, the two men no doubt would have had fascinating discussions if they had lived in the same era! They were both creative, intelligent, and ambitious builders. Today’s focus verses list some of Solomon’s accomplishments in the field of construction, noting that he built and settled new fortified cities, storage cities, and cities to house his military equipment and cavalry. In other chapters, we read of him building the ornate Temple in Jerusalem, his personal palace, and the palace in the forest of Lebanon.

We may admire the intelligence and talent of these two men—and countless other brilliant innovators through the ages—but man’s creative instinct is just a pale reflection of God’s creative power. After all, He is the Creator of this amazing universe and all the wonders in it! While we were made in the image of God and thus have a desire and ability to create, the most elaborate marvels made by man do not come close to the wonders of God’s creation. Think of Jesus’ words, recorded in Matthew 6:28-29, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Most of us will never design a building. Our construction efforts may not go much beyond installing shelves in a closet, and our creative endeavors may be limited to knitting a baby blanket or helping our eight-year-old build a birdhouse. However, we can all be energetic, dedicated, and ambitious for the spread of God’s kingdom! God has given each one of us abilities He wants to use. We can put our best efforts into the work of the Lord, with the desire that whatever we do will bring glory to Him.

Although we likely will never receive the worldly acclaim awarded to creative giants like Solomon and Louis Sullivan, God will be pleased when we do our best for Him. And that is what matters most!

^1. Craven, Jackie. “About Louis Sullivan, Architect.” ThoughtCo., https://www.thoughtco.com/louis-sullivan-americas-first-modern-architect-177875 (accessed December 2, 2023).

BACKGROUND

This chapter summarizes Solomon’s achievements as king, primarily noting his building accomplishments (verses 1-11), his establishment of religious protocols when the Temple was completed (verses 12-16), and his sea-trading ventures (verses 17-18). It reveals the great enterprise and productivity of Solomon’s administration. 

The phrase “at the end of twenty years” in verse 1 indicates that it took Solomon seven years to build the Temple and thirteen years to build his palace (see 1 Kings 6:38 and 7:1). At the end of these twenty years, his kingdom was secure, stable, and blessed. 

The word “restored” in verse 2 indicates that King Huram returned some cities (or villages) to Solomon. Perhaps these were among the cities that displeased Huram in his exchange with Solomon (see 1 Kings 9:11-12). The military action against Hamath-zobah, noted in verse 3, was likely a response to the breaking of a peace treaty made earlier by David. The locations of the cities named in verses 4-6 reflected Solomon’s interest in building “throughout all the land of his dominion.” 

Verses 7-10 refer to the descendants of tribal nations conquered by God’s people in earlier years, whom Solomon used as his labor force. Israelites served in positions that were honorable or managerial in nature, as indicated by the phrase “that bare rule over the people.” 

Solomon’s marriage to the Egyptian Pharaoh’s daughter, mentioned in verse 11, was the first of his many unwise marriages (see 1 Kings 11:1-3). While his union with idolatrous women was disobedience to God, the fact that he did not want Pharaoh’s daughter to reside in close proximity to holy places shows some degree of spiritual sensitivity. 

Verses 12-16 reveal that the worship procedures Solomon instituted after the completion of the Temple followed the pattern originally organized by King David (see 1 Chronicles 24). 

Ezion-geber, mentioned in verse 17, was a port city established by Solomon on the northern tip of the Red Sea—a location that would have provided him with strategic access to southern trade. The implication is that Huram supplied ships and skilled mariners for Solomon’s fleets. According to 1 Kings 10:11-12, gold, precious stones, and specialty woods were transported to this port. The exact location of Ophir (verse 18) is uncertain, though it possibly was in southern Arabia or the eastern coast of Africa.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

I. The reign of Solomon
    C. The character of Solomon’s reign
         1. Solomon’s building activities (8:1-11)
             a. The list of accomplishments (8:1-6)
             b. The labor force (8:7-10)
             c. The house for Pharaoh’s daughter (8:11)
         2. Solomon’s religious zeal (8:12-16)
             a. His sacrifices (8:12-13)
             b. His attention to Temple affairs (8:14-15)
             c. His completion of the Temple (8:16)
         3. Solomon’s Ophir expedition (8:17-18)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. Based on verse 1, how many years was Solomon engaged in building the Temple and his own palace?
2. Why do you think Solomon was so careful to establish the Temple worship procedures “according to the order of David his father”? (verse 14)
3. Who has influenced you by setting a godly example in dedicated service to God? What actions can you take to follow in their footsteps?

CONCLUSION

The reward we seek is an eternal one: we want to please God by doing whatever we can for Him, and by performing every act of service to the best of our abilities.