Zobah (2 Chronicles 8:4), while access to Jerusalem and irruptions from the north-western plain were barred

by the fortification of Upper and Nether Bethhoron (1 Kings 9:15-19; 2 Chronicles 8:3-6).

Besides these fortresses, the king provided magazine-cities, and others where his chariots and cavalry were

stationed - most of them, probably, towards the north. In all such undertakings Solomon employed the

forced labor of the descendants of the ancient Canaanite inhabitants of Palestine, his Jewish subjects being

chiefly engaged as overseers and officers in various departments (1 Kings 9:20-23). But even thus, the

diversion of so much labor and the taxation which his undertakings must have involved were felt as a

"grievous service" and "heavy yoke" (1 Kings 12:4), all the more that Solomon's love of building and of

Oriental splendor seems to have rapidly grown upon him. Thus, once more by a natural p rocess of

causation, the inner decay marked by luxury led to the weakening of the kingdom of Solomon, and scattered

the seeds of that disaffection which, in the days of his degenerate son, ripened into open rebellion. So true

is it, that in the history of Israel the inner and the outer always keep pace. But as yet Solomon's devotion to

the services of Jehovah had not lessened. For we read that on the great festivals of the year (2 Chronicles

8:12, 13) he was wont to bring numerous special offerings.141

As regards the foreign relations of Solomon, reference has already been made (in ch. 5) to his marriage with

the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Kings 3:1), which took place in the first years of his reign. In all likelihood this

Pharaoh was one of the last rulers of the (21st) Tanite dynasty. We know that their power had of late greatly

declined, and Pharaoh may have been glad to ally himself with the now powerful ruler of the neighboring

country. On the new kingdom, however, such an alliance would shed great luster, especially in the eyes of

the Jews themselves. The frequent references to Pharaoh's daughter show what importance the nation

attached to this union. It may be well here again to note, that the Egyptian princess, who brought to her

husband the dowry of an important border-fortress (Gezer), was not in any way responsible for Solomon's

later idolatry, no Egyptian deities being named among those towards whom he turned (1 Kings 11:5-7).

Solomon's relations to Hiram, king of Tyre, at one time threatened to become less friendly than they had

been at first, and afterwards again became. It appears that, besides furnishing him with wood, Hiram had

also advanced gold to Solomon (1 Kings 9:11), amounting, if we may connect with this the notice in ver. 14,

to 120 talents of gold, variously computed at £1,250,000 (Poole), £720,000 (S. Clarke), and £471,240 (Keil,

whose estimate seems the most probable). We suppose it was in repayment of this sum that Solomon ceded

to Hiram twenty cities in Northern Galilee, adjoining the possessions of Tyre. With these he might the more

readily part, since the district was partially "Gentile" (Isaiah 9:1). But Hiram, who probably covered a strip of

land along the coast, was dissatisfied with his new acquisition, and gave it the contemptuous designation of

"the land of Cabul."  142 The district seems, however, to have been afterwards restored to Solomon143 (2

Chronicles 8:2), no doubt on repayment of the loan and other compensation.

The later relations between Hiram and Solomon consisted chiefly in mercantile alliances. Although most

writers regard the fleet which sailed to Ophir (1 Kings 9:27, 28) as identical with "the navy of Tarshish" (1

Kings 10:22), yet the names, the imports, as well as the regularity in the passages of the latter ("every three

years"), and the express statement that its destiny was Tarshish (2 Chronicles 9:21) seem opposed to this

view. Opinions are also divergent as to the exact location of Ophir, and the share which Hiram had in the

outfit of this expedition, whether h e only furnished sailors (1 Kings 9:27), or also the ships (2 Chronicles

8:28). In all probability the wood for these ships was cut in Lebanon by order of Hiram, and floated to Joppa,

whence it would be transported by land (comp. 2 Chronicles 2:16) to Ezion-Geber and Elath, at the head of

the Gulf of Akabah (the Red Sea), where the vessels would be built under the direction of Phoenician

shipwrights. Upon the whole, it seems most likely that the Ophir whence they fetched gold was Arabia. The

sacred text does not inform us whether these expeditions were periodical, the absence of such notice rather

leading to the supposition that this was not the case, or at least that they were not continued. The total

result of these expeditions was an importation of gold to the amount of 420 talents  144 (according to Keil

about 1 _ million sterling).