1. It took Solomon 20 years to build the Temple of the Lord and his own palace.
2. Then Solomon rebuilt the towns that Hiram had given him. And Solomon sent Israelites to live in them.
3. Then he went to Hamath Zobah and captured it.
4. Solomon also built the town of Tadmor in the desert. He built all the towns in Hamath as towns for storing things.
5. He rebuilt the towns of Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon. He made them protected towns with strong walls, gates and bars in the gates.
6. He also rebuilt the town of Baalath. And he built all the other towns where he stored things. He built all the cities where the chariots and horses were kept. Solomon built all he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon and in all the country he ruled.
7-8. Many people who were not Israelites were left living in the country. These people were the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. They were descendants of the people that the Israelites had not destroyed. Solomon forced all of them to be slave workers. This is still true today.