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One-sentence summary: Solomon builds many cities.
When Solomon finishes building the Lord's house and his own house and "all his desire," the Lord appears to him a second time, saying He has heard His prayer and has consecrated the house for Himself, and that "[His] eyes and heart will be there perpetually." He says if Solomon will walk in "integrity of heart" as David walked and keep His ways and commands, He will establish his throne forever, as He promised David. However, if he or his sons turn from following Him and do not keep His ways or His commands but serve and worship other Gods, He will cut off Israel from the land, and the house will be "cast out of [His] sight." And Israel will be "a proverb and a byword among all peoples," and whoever passes by the house will be astonished and ask why God has done this to the land and the house, and they will be told that it is because they forsook the Lord who brought them up out of Egypt and embraced other gods, so all this calamity has been brought upon them.
After twenty yeras, after the houses are built, King Solomon gives the king of Tyre twenty cities in the land of Galilee. Although they do not please the king and he asks Solomon what kind of cities he has given him, the king gives him much gold. Solomon rebuilds Gizah, which Pharaoh had burned, and some other cities in Judah for storage cities. It says that of all the people that are left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizites, Hivites, and Jebusites- whom Israel did not destroy completely- Solomon raises forced laborers. Pharaoh's daughter comes up from the city of David to the house he built for her. It says three times a year, he makes offerings to the Lord on the altar. He also builds a fleet of ships.
In 2 Chronicles, it says that Solomon has his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, live in her her own house and not in David's because he says the place where the ark has come is holy. It also says that Solomon's work was well-ordered.
Thoughts/discussion questions!
God made Solomon great- as long as he was trusting in Him and walking in His ways. We are nothing apart from Him!