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2 Chronicles 1

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Solomon Established as King 1–6

1
And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. ​
2
Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers. ​
3
So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. ​
4
But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. ​
5
Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.
6
And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. ​

Solomon’s Request for Wisdom 7–12

7
In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. ​
8
And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9
Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10
Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? ​
11
And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: ​
12
Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. ​

Solomon’s Wealth and Military Might 13–17

13
Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel. ​
14
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. ​
15
And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance. ​
16
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. ​
17
And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 1

Verse 1

the LORD his God was with him — Chazaq, 'strengthened', is the verb of David's charge 'be strong' (1 Chr 28:10). The presence is that promised in 1 Chr 28:20: 'the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee'. 'Magnified' (gadal) repeats 1 Chr 29:25, where the LORD 'magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel'.

Verse 2

the captains of thousands and of hundreds… the chief of the fathers — The company is the one David assembled in 1 Chr 28:1. 'Governor' is nasi, a prince, the head of a tribe or house, as in Num 7:2: 'the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes'.

Verse 3

the high place that was at Gibeon — 'High place' is bamah, a hill sanctuary, and the verse says what set Gibeon's apart: 'there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness'. David had left Zadok and his brethren the priests there (1 Chr 16:39; 21:29).

Verse 4

the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim — The ark had been kept there 'the house of Abinadab in the hill' (1 Sam 7:1–2). David brought it to the tent he had pitched at Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:2, 17). So at this time the ark was at Jerusalem, while the tabernacle and its altar were at Gibeon.

Verse 6

the brasen altar — The altar of burnt offering that 'Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made' (2 Chr 1:5). The thousand burnt offerings are the same ones given in 1 Kings 3:4 at 'the great high place'. That book places Solomon's later offerings before the ark in Jerusalem (1 Kings 3:15).

Verse 7

Ask what I shall give thee — Chronicles says only 'In that night did God appear'. The setting is given in 1 Kings 3:5: 'In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.' 'Ask' is sha'al, the verb Solomon's own request is called in v.11.

Verse 10

wisdom and knowledge — Chokmah and madda. Madda is a rarer word, found again in the KJV only at Eccl 10:20 and Dan 1:4, 17. 'Go out and come in' is the idiom for leading: the leader that 'may go out before them, and which may go in before them' (Num 27:17). In 1 Kings 3:9 the prayer is for 'an understanding heart to judge thy people'.

Verse 11

Because this was in thine heart — The LORD answers what lay in the heart, and lists what was not asked: 'riches, wealth, or honour', the life of enemies, and long life. 'Honour' is kavod, the word for glory. What he did ask was 'wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people'.

Verse 12

Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee — The wisdom 'is granted' and the rest is promised with the same verb, natan, 'give': 'I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour'. The greatness is recorded in 2 Chr 9:22: 'king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.'

Verse 13

from before the tabernacle of the congregation — He left the tabernacle at Gibeon and came to Jerusalem 'and reigned over Israel'. 1 Kings 3:15 adds that in Jerusalem he 'stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings'. The reign is then described as one of peace on every side (1 Kings 4:24–25).

Verse 14

a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen — The same figures stand in 1 Kings 10:26. Rekeb (chariots) and parash (horsemen) were kept 'in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem'. The law for a king said 'he shall not multiply horses to himself' (Deut 17:16).

Verse 15

silver and gold… as plenteous as stones — The phrase is repeated at 2 Chr 9:27 and 1 Kings 10:27. 'Vale' is the shephelah, the lowland where sycomore trees grew in abundance, and cedar is made as common as they. This abundance is the 'riches, and wealth, and honour' promised in v.12.

Verse 16

horses brought out of Egypt — 'The king's merchants' (sachar, travelling traders) received them 'at a price', and 2 Chr 9:28 widens the source to 'out of all lands'. The law of the king named this source: 'nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses' (Deut 17:16). The wording is the same in 1 Kings 10:28.