That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
the cities
1 Kings 9:11-18 (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee…
Hiram had given him
Hiram, the king of Tyre, was a significant ally of Solomon. Their relationship was mutually beneficial, with Hiram providing materials and craftsmen for the Temple's construction (1 Kings 5:1-12). The cities given by Hiram may have been part of a diplomatic exchange or treaty, reflecting the political alliances of the time. This exchange underscores the interconnectedness of ancient Near Eastern politics and the importance of strategic partnerships.
and settled Israelites there
Solomon's decision to settle Israelites in these cities indicates a strategic move to ensure loyalty and integration within the kingdom. By populating these areas with Israelites, Solomon could strengthen his control and influence over the region. This action also reflects the broader theme of the Israelites' settlement in the Promised Land, fulfilling God's covenant promises. It echoes the earlier settlement patterns seen in the conquest narratives of Joshua, where the land was distributed among the tribes of Israel.
“Solomon rebuilt the cities” (2 Chronicles 8:2)
• The Hebrew historian notes that after finishing the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:11), Solomon redirected his God-given wisdom and abundant resources to fortify strategic towns.
• These were literal, physical reconstruction projects—demonstrating the king’s stewardship over the land God entrusted to Israel (cf. Proverbs 24:3-4; 1 Kings 9:17-18).
• Rebuilding aligns with the divine charge in Genesis 1:28 to cultivate and subdue the earth; Solomon’s labor exemplifies covenant obedience producing order and prosperity (Deuteronomy 28:1-9).
• By restoring these cities, Solomon also secured trade routes connecting Israel with Tyre, Egypt, and Arabia (1 Kings 10:27-29), expanding the reach of God’s people and, by extension, God’s glory.
“Hiram” was the friendly Phoenician king of Tyre who supplied cedar, cypress, and skilled workers for the Temple (1 Kings 5:1-10).
• 1 Kings 9:10-14 records Solomon giving Hiram twenty Galilean towns as payment; here, Chronicles emphasizes the reverse arrangement—Hiram giving cities to Solomon.
• The mutual exchange highlights covenant-like friendship that advanced God’s kingdom purposes (Amos 3:3).
• Chronicles likely stresses what benefits Israel: towns now back under Davidic rule, underscoring God’s promise that the house of David would prosper (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
• The fact that Solomon “rebuilt” them suggests Hiram’s earlier dissatisfaction (1 Kings 9:12-13), yet God used even that tension to multiply Israel’s inheritance (Romans 8:28).
“[He] settled Israelites there” shows Solomon populating these cities with covenant people rather than foreigners.
• Filling the land with Israelites fulfilled God’s pledge to give Abraham’s descendants territory (Genesis 15:18-21).
• It safeguarded spiritual purity, avoiding pagan influence that would come from leaving Gentile inhabitants in place (Deuteronomy 7:1-6).
• Establishing citizens—farmers, soldiers, administrators—turned remote towns into vibrant communities, extending worship of the LORD (Psalm 72:17-19).
• This act foreshadows the greater King who will one day “prepare a place” for His people (John 14:2-3) and ultimately populate the New Jerusalem with the redeemed (Revelation 21:1-3).
2 Chronicles 8:2 records a literal historical moment when Solomon, blessed by God, reclaimed and restored towns received from King Hiram, then filled them with Israelites. The verse underlines Solomon’s wise stewardship, God’s faithfulness to expand Israel’s borders, the value of godly alliances, and the priority of placing covenant people in covenant land so that worship and obedience to the LORD might flourish.
(2) Which Huram had restored.--Literally, which Huram gave.Solomon built them.--Rebuilt or restored and fortified (Joshua 6:26; 1Kings 15:17). The parallel passage (1Kings 9:11-13) records a contrary transaction; that is to say, it represents Solomon as giving to Huram twenty cities in Galilee, as a return for his past services. It is added that these cities did not please Huram, in consequence of which they got the name of "The Land of K?b-l" (i.e., "Like-nought"). The Authorised Version here assumes that the explanation of Josephus (Antt. viii. 5, ? 3) is correct. That writer states that Huram restored the despised cities to Solomon, who thereupon repaired them, and peopled them with Israelites. Others assume an exchange of friendly gifts between the two sovereigns; so that Solomon gave Huram twenty Israelite cities (Kings), and Huram gave Solomon twenty Phenician cities (Chronicles): this seems highly improbable. The former explanation appears to be substantially correct. The chronicler, or the authority which he follows here. has omitted to notice a fact which seems to derogate from the greatness of Solomon, viz., the previous surrender of the territory in question to the Tyrian king; and has chosen to speak of Huram's non-acceptance or return of Solomon's present, as a gift. He then goes on to tell of the future fate of the twenty cities. Solomon repaired or fortified them, and colonised them with Israelites; for this border-land was chiefly inhabited by Gentiles (Isaiah 9:1, "Galilee of the Gentiles"). A border-land is naturally more exposed to the ravages of an invader; and the cities which Solomon ceded to Huram may have been in a half-ruinous condition. This would account for Huram's disappointment in them. The statement of our text, then, is neither an "effacement," nor a "travesty" (Reuss), nor even a "remodelling" of that of the older text "in favour of Solomon" (Z”ckler). It replaces the older text by another statement which is equally true, and not incompatible with it.
Verse 2. - The cities which Huram had restored to Solomon. 1 Kings 9:11 explains the force of the word "restored" here, telling how it was Hiram had come by "twenty cities in the land of Galilee" by way of payment, or part payment, for the "cedar," "fir," and "gold" which he had given Solomon. It is evident that these cities were in need of repair; possibly they had not been previously in the occupation of the Israelites; if they had been, the transaction was scarcely legitimate on the part of Solomon (Leviticus 25:12-33), and we may suppose they had become largely deserted when made over to Hiram. It would not, however, be necessary to suppose either that Solomon had given them because they were poor property in his eyes, or that Hiram, whose good will and generous disposition are elsewhere specially notified, had returned them as a thankless gift or as a bad payment, but for the language of vers. 12, 13 (1 Kings 9.), which distinctly tells us that when Hiram inspected them they did "not please him," and that he named them "the land of Oabul" (see Dr. Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' 1. p. 237). The probability is that, as cities on the borderland, they were what had been at present unoccupied by Israelites, were all the likelier in bad repair, and, unvalued by Hiram, were, when put into good repair by Solomon, such that Solomon might justly cause the children of Israel to dwell in them.