WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.890 Emily: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience. 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:04.540 Day 300 and 39 00:00:04.995 --> 00:00:10.065 It took Solomon 20 years to build the Lord's temple and his own royal palace. 00:00:10.905 --> 00:00:15.015 At the end of that time, Solomon turned his attention to rebuilding the 00:00:15.015 --> 00:00:19.605 towns that King Hiram had given him, and he settled Israelites in them. 00:00:20.535 --> 00:00:25.155 Solomon also fought against the town of Hamoth Zoba and conquered it. 00:00:25.905 --> 00:00:29.595 He rebuilt Tad Moore in the wilderness and built towns in the 00:00:29.595 --> 00:00:31.695 region of Hamoth as supply centers. 00:00:32.820 --> 00:00:37.800 He fortified the towns of Upper Beth Horen and lower Beth Horen rebuilding 00:00:37.800 --> 00:00:40.140 their walls and installing Bard Gates. 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:46.020 He also rebuilt Bay Lath and other supply centers and constructed towns where his 00:00:46.025 --> 00:00:48.180 chariots and horses could be stationed. 00:00:48.780 --> 00:00:52.530 He built everything he desired in Jerusalem and Lebanon, and 00:00:52.530 --> 00:00:57.450 throughout his entire realm there were still some people living in 00:00:57.450 --> 00:00:59.280 the land who were not Israelites. 00:00:59.835 --> 00:01:05.895 Including the Hittites, Amorites, parasites, hives, and cytes. 00:01:06.705 --> 00:01:11.055 These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. 00:01:11.775 --> 00:01:15.915 So Solomon conscripted them for his labor force, and they serve 00:01:15.915 --> 00:01:17.925 as forced laborers to this day. 00:01:18.885 --> 00:01:22.905 But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for his labor force. 00:01:23.385 --> 00:01:26.595 Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:31.410 Officers in his army, commanders of his chariots and chariot tears, 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:36.360 king Solomon appointed 250 of them to supervise the people. 00:01:37.740 --> 00:01:42.180 Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh's daughter from the city of David to 00:01:42.180 --> 00:01:44.010 the new palace he had built for her. 00:01:44.850 --> 00:01:50.790 He said, my wife must not live in King David's palace for the ark of the Lord 00:01:50.790 --> 00:01:53.460 has been there and it is holy ground. 00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:59.490 Then Solomon presented burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar he had built for him 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:01.950 in front of the entry room of the temple. 00:02:02.820 --> 00:02:07.020 He offered the sacrifices for the Sabbaths, the new Moon festivals 00:02:07.290 --> 00:02:12.330 and the three annual festivals, the Passover celebration, the Festival of 00:02:12.330 --> 00:02:14.910 Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. 00:02:15.270 --> 00:02:20.910 As Moses had commanded in assigning the priests to their duties, Solomon 00:02:20.910 --> 00:02:22.860 followed the regulations of his father. 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:23.340 David. 00:02:24.165 --> 00:02:28.485 He also assigned the Levites to lead the people in praise and to assist 00:02:28.485 --> 00:02:30.195 the priests in their daily duties. 00:02:31.035 --> 00:02:35.115 And he assigned the gatekeepers to their gates by their divisions following 00:02:35.115 --> 00:02:37.395 the commands of David, the man of God. 00:02:38.205 --> 00:02:42.615 Solomon did not deviate in any way from David's commands concerning the 00:02:42.615 --> 00:02:44.985 priests and Levites and the treasuries. 00:02:45.615 --> 00:02:49.515 So Solomon made sure that all the work related to building the 00:02:49.515 --> 00:02:51.195 temple of the Lord was carried out. 00:02:51.975 --> 00:02:55.755 From the day its foundation was laid to the day of its completion. 00:02:56.745 --> 00:03:00.885 Later, Solomon went to EA Easy in Giber and El Lath ports 00:03:00.885 --> 00:03:02.595 along the shore of the Red Sea. 00:03:02.595 --> 00:03:08.355 In the land of Edam, Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers and 00:03:08.355 --> 00:03:10.725 manned by experienced crews of sailors. 00:03:11.685 --> 00:03:15.675 These ships sailed to er with Solomon's men and brought back to 00:03:15.675 --> 00:03:18.465 Solomon, almost 17 tons of gold. 00:03:19.890 --> 00:03:24.510 When the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem 00:03:24.510 --> 00:03:26.370 to test him with hard questions. 00:03:27.150 --> 00:03:31.170 She arrived with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of 00:03:31.170 --> 00:03:36.330 camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold and precious jewels. 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:41.520 When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:44.850 Solomon had answers for all her questions. 00:03:45.300 --> 00:03:48.150 Nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:54.000 When the Queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was and when she saw the 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.940 palace he had built, she was overwhelmed. 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:02.940 She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials 00:04:02.940 --> 00:04:08.070 and their splendid clothing, the cup bearers and their robes, and the burnt 00:04:08.070 --> 00:04:13.470 offerings Solomon made At the temple of the Lord, she exclaimed to the king. 00:04:14.415 --> 00:04:19.305 Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true. 00:04:20.175 --> 00:04:25.215 I didn't believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. 00:04:25.755 --> 00:04:29.625 In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom. 00:04:30.255 --> 00:04:35.385 It is far beyond what I was told, how happy your people must be. 00:04:36.075 --> 00:04:39.585 What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after 00:04:39.585 --> 00:04:41.895 day, listening to your wisdom. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:47.220 Praise the Lord your God who delights in you and has placed you on the 00:04:47.220 --> 00:04:49.290 throne as king to rule for him. 00:04:50.220 --> 00:04:55.620 Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has 00:04:55.620 --> 00:05:00.390 made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness. 00:05:01.320 --> 00:05:06.900 Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities 00:05:06.900 --> 00:05:08.910 of spices and precious jewels. 00:05:10.005 --> 00:05:13.815 Never before had there been spices as fine as those the Queen 00:05:13.815 --> 00:05:15.735 of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 00:05:17.145 --> 00:05:21.105 In addition, the cruise of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from 00:05:21.585 --> 00:05:25.545 er, and they also brought red sandalwood and precious jewels. 00:05:26.205 --> 00:05:30.195 The king used the sandalwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and 00:05:30.195 --> 00:05:34.725 the royal palace, and to construct liars and harps for the musicians. 00:05:35.565 --> 00:05:39.075 Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah. 00:05:40.545 --> 00:05:45.645 King Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba whatever she asked for gifts of greater 00:05:45.645 --> 00:05:47.925 value than the gifts she had given him. 00:05:48.975 --> 00:05:55.005 Then she and all her attendance returned to their own land each year. 00:05:55.010 --> 00:05:58.065 Solomon received about 25 tons of gold. 00:05:58.725 --> 00:06:01.725 This did not include the additional revenue he received 00:06:01.725 --> 00:06:03.195 from merchants and traders. 00:06:03.945 --> 00:06:07.785 All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also 00:06:07.785 --> 00:06:09.825 brought gold and silver to Solomon. 00:06:10.755 --> 00:06:15.225 King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold each 00:06:15.230 --> 00:06:17.205 weighing more than 15 pounds. 00:06:17.835 --> 00:06:22.215 He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:24.075 more than seven and a half pounds. 00:06:25.095 --> 00:06:28.785 The king placed these shields in the palace of the forest of Lebanon. 00:06:29.595 --> 00:06:35.205 Then the king made a huge throne decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. 00:06:35.955 --> 00:06:39.255 The throne had six steps with a footstool of gold. 00:06:39.855 --> 00:06:44.055 There were armrests on both sides of the seat and the figure of a lion 00:06:44.055 --> 00:06:45.885 stood on each side of the throne. 00:06:46.815 --> 00:06:51.855 There were also 12 other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. 00:06:52.545 --> 00:06:55.815 No other throne in all the world could be compared with it. 00:06:56.580 --> 00:07:01.800 All of King Solomon's drinking cups were solid gold as were all the utensils in 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:03.750 the palace of the forest of Lebanon. 00:07:04.320 --> 00:07:08.130 They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless. 00:07:08.130 --> 00:07:13.440 In Solomon's day, the king had a fleet of trading ships of ta Tarshish, 00:07:13.500 --> 00:07:15.810 manned by the sailors sent by Hiram. 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:20.580 Once every three years, the ships returned loaded with gold, 00:07:20.640 --> 00:07:23.730 silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 00:07:24.780 --> 00:07:29.700 So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.470 Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear 00:07:34.475 --> 00:07:36.270 the wisdom God had given him. 00:07:36.990 --> 00:07:40.620 Year after year, everyone who visited brought him gifts 00:07:40.625 --> 00:07:45.930 of silver and gold clothing, weapons, spices, horses and mules. 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:53.520 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he had 12,000 horses. 00:07:54.330 --> 00:07:58.920 He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. 00:07:59.580 --> 00:08:03.270 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River in the north 00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:07.320 to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. 00:08:07.980 --> 00:08:13.680 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone and valuable cedar 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:18.300 timber was as common as the Sycamore fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. 00:08:19.230 --> 00:08:23.250 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and many other countries. 00:08:24.795 --> 00:08:29.715 The rest of the events of Solomon's reign from beginning to end are 00:08:29.715 --> 00:08:35.385 recorded in the record of Nathan, the Prophet, and the prophecy of a Hijah 00:08:35.385 --> 00:08:41.565 from Shiloh, and also in the visions of Ido, the Sr concerning Jeroboam. 00:08:41.565 --> 00:08:49.455 Son of Neba, Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for 40 years when he died. 00:08:49.905 --> 00:08:53.355 He was buried in the city of David, named for his father. 00:08:54.285 --> 00:08:57.495 Then his son Rehoboam, became the next king.