2 Chronicles 8:1-9

1It took Solomon twenty years to build the Lord’s Temple and his own royal palace. At the end of that time,

2Solomon turned his attention to rebuilding the towns that King Hiram had given him, and he settled Israelites in them.

3Solomon also fought against the town of Hamath-zobah and conquered it.

4He rebuilt Tadmor in the wilderness and built towns in the region of Hamath as supply centers.

5He fortified the towns of Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, rebuilding their walls and installing barred gates.

6He also rebuilt Baalath and other supply centers and constructed towns where his chariots and horses could be stationed. He built everything he desired in Jerusalem and Lebanon and throughout his entire realm.

7There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

8These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them for his labor force, and they serve as forced laborers to this day.

9But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for his labor force. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, officers in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.