Solomon’s Grand Ambitions

1 Kings 9:15, 17-19: “Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s Temple, his own palace, the Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. King Solomon rebuilt Gezer, Lower Beth Horon, Baalath and Tadmor in the desert, within his land, as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horsemen—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout his entire dominion.”

Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer, and Lower Beth Horon were all located on the coastal highway from Egypt to Damascus, allowing control over international trade routes. Archaeological discoveries at the sites of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer reveal identical city wall and gate designs, proving that these three cities were built during the same era. Gezer and Lower Beth Horon controlled the passage between Jerusalem and the coastal plain. Baalath may have been located southwest of Gezer (Joshua 19:44), near the Philistine border. “Tadmor” (original Hebrew, “Tamar”) controlled the trade route from Ezion-Geber to Hebron. “Store cities” were used to store grain, “chariot cities” were for housing chariots, and “cities for his horsemen” were for stabling warhorses.

Solomon was ambitious for greatness, leading to burdensome labor and expense for his people. He not only built the Temple and his palace but also extensive fortifications (2 Chronicles 8:4-6). However, at that time, the surrounding nations of Israel were in the midst of the Bronze Age Collapse (1200-900 BC), and God had already granted him peace on all sides, with no enemies or calamities. Solomon’s massive building projects were neither militarily necessary nor did they promote national unity; in fact, they ultimately led to the division of the kingdom.