2 Chronicles 8:4

_AND HE BUILT TADMOR IN THE WILDERNESS, AND ALL THE STORE CITIES, WHICH HE BUILT IN HAMATH._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

Verse 2 Chronicles 8:4. _TADMOR_] _Palmyra_. 1 Kings 9:18, for an account of this superb city....

EXPOSITION This interesting historical chapter may very well be described as by Professor Dr. James G. Murphy, in his 'Bible-Class Handbook,' "The Acts of Solomon," or at any rate, some of the miscellaneous acts, for which time was found now that the "two houses" were out of hand. 2 CHRONICLES 8:1 (parallel, 1 Kings 9:10).—TwEnty YEARS, WHEREIN SOLOMON HAD BUILT THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, AND HIS OWN HOUSE. The description is intended to be, what it is, chronologically exact. Four years of Solomon had passed when he began the Lord's house, seven were spent in building it, thirteen in finishing and furnishing it, and in building, finishing, and furnishing the king's house—in all twenty-four years....

AND BUILT TADMOR IN THE WILDERNESS,.... Of which 1 Kings 9:18 AND ALL THE STOREHOUSES WHICH HE BUILT IN HAMATH; a country in Syria, which he made himself master of, and where he laid up store of provision and ammunition to keep it, should any attempt be made to rescue it out of his hands. According to an Arabic writer a, Solomon in the twenty fourth year of his reign having demolished Antioch, built seven cities, of which Tadmor was one. a Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. dyn. 3. p. 53....

5. SOLOMON'S PROSPERITY AND ACTIVITIES CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The fortifications of cities (2 Chronicles 8:1)_ 2. The subjection of the strangers (2 Chronicles 8:7) 3. The removal of the daughter of Pharaoh (2 Chronicles 8:11) 4. The perfected service (2 Chronicles 8:12) 5. The expedition to Ophir (2 Chronicles 8:17) The activities of the King included the fortification of certain cities. (See...

SOLOMON'S VARIOUS RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR UNDERTAKINGS (see notes on 1 Kings 9:10). A striking difference occurs between 2 and 1 Kings 9:11; here Hiram gives Solomon an unspecified number of cities, whereas in the historical account Solomon gives Hiram twenty cities. The discrepancy is not difficult to account for; in the Chronicler's days when, with the lapse of time, the popular conception had greatly increased the wealth and power of Solomon, it was not thought credible that such a monarch could really have ceded Israelite cities to a heathen in lieu of payment. This is not to say that the Chronicler deliberately falsified history; the sources from which he compiled his record were various, and upon these the influence of tradition is not likely to have been without effect; moreover, the authority of the

_Tadmor in the wilderness_ Palmyra (_Bädeker_, p. 364) is meant, a city on an oasis N.E. of Damascus half way between Damascus and the Euphrates. Apart from this passage of Chron. it first appears in history in b.c. 34, when it was threatened with attack by Mark Antony. This silence of history for a thousand years casts a doubt on the belief that Tadmor (Palmyra) is as old as the time of Solomon, and the doubt is strengthened by a reference to the parallel passage (1 Kings 9:18), for there (1) the text (C'thib) has "Tamar," with "Tadmor" as marginal reading (K'ri), and (2) Tamar (Tadmor) is associated with Gezer, Bethhoron, and Baalath, cities either in Judah or on its borders. Probably therefore the marginal reading Tadmor in 1 Kin. is due to the influence of 2 Chr., and the text of 1 Kin. ("Tamar") is correct. The city built by Solomon was probably a Tamar in the south of Judah....

AND ALL THE STORE-CITIES, &C.— _And also other store-cities, which are in Hamath._ Houbigant....

5. BUILDING, LABORERS AND SHIPS (2 Chronicles 8:1-18) TEXT 2 Chronicles 8:1. And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of Jehovah, and his own house, 2. that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. 3. And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it. 4. And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath. 5. Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6. and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusale

SOLOMON'S BUILDINGS. HIS TRADE WITH OPHIR This chapter reproduces the substance of 1 Kings 9:10; 1 Kings 9:28 but describes some additional buildings....