The Chronicler highlights Solomon's activities at the northern and southern borders of his kingdom to show the size of his empire. Solomon controlled ports on the Red Sea, which enabled international trade to the south. Hiram was a valuable ally; his people, the Phoenicians of Tyre, had extensive trade networks and were expert sailors, helping Solomon trade with Ophir. Ophir is traditionally believed to be in southwest Arabia (see Genesis 10:28–29).