1 Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Yahweh his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. 2 Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers' (houses). 3 So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the Tent of Meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness. 4 But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. 5 Moreover the bronze altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of Yahweh: and Solomon and the assembly were seeking counsel there. 6 Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh, which was at the Tent of Meeting, and offered one thousand burnt offerings on it. 7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask what I shall give you." 8 Solomon said to God, "You have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to David my father be established; for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this your people, that is so great?" 11 God said to Solomon, "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate you, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king: 12 wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you; neither shall there any after you have the like." 13 So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel. 14 Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 16 The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from Kue; the king's merchants purchased them from Kue. 17 They brought up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred pieces of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
Solomon, and the chiefs of the congregation, go to Gibeon, where was the tabernacle of the Lord, and the brazen altar; and there he offers a thousand sacrifices, 2-Chronicles 1:1-6. The Lord appears to him in a dream, and gives him permission to ask any gift, 2-Chronicles 1:7. He asks wisdom, 2-Chronicles 1:8-10, which is granted; and riches, wealth, and honor besides, 2-Chronicles 1:11, 2-Chronicles 1:12. His kingdom is established, 2-Chronicles 1:13. His chariots, horsemen, and horses, 2-Chronicles 1:14. His abundant riches, 2-Chronicles 1:15. He brings horses, linen yarn, and chariots, at a fixed price, out of Egypt, 2-Chronicles 1:16, 2-Chronicles 1:17.
This chapter relates, how that Solomon being confirmed in his kingdom, went to Gibeon to sacrifice 2-Chronicles 1:1, that the Lord appeared there to him, and what passed between them, 2-Chronicles 1:7 and that when he returned from thence to Jerusalem, he increased in splendour, wealth, and riches, 2-Chronicles 1:13.
Solomon's choice of wisdom, His strength and wealth.
III. History of Solomon's Kingship - 2-Chronicles 1-9
The kingship of Solomon centres in the building of the temple of the Lord, and the account of that begins in 2 Chron 2 with a statement of the preparations which Solomon made for the accomplishment of this great work, so much pressed upon him by his father, and concludes in 2 Chron 7 with the answer which the Lord gave to his consecrating prayer in a vision. In 2 Chron 1, before the history of the temple building, we have an account of the sacrifice at Gibeon by which Solomon inaugurated his reign (2-Chronicles 1:1-13), with some short notices of his power and riches (2-Chronicles 1:14-17); and in 2 Chron 8 and 9, after the temple building, we have summary statements about the palaces and cities which he built (2-Chronicles 8:1-11), the arrangement of the regular religious service (2-Chronicles 8:12-16), the voyage to Ophir (2-Chronicles 8:17, 2-Chronicles 8:18), the visit of the queen of Sheba (2-Chronicles 9:1-12), his riches and his royal magnificence and glory (2 Chron 9:13-28), with the concluding notices of the duration of his reign, and of his death (2-Chronicles 9:29, 2-Chronicles 9:30). If we compare with this the description of Solomon's reign in 1 Kings 1-11, we find that in the Chronicle not only are the narratives of his accession to the throne in consequence of Adonijah's attempted usurpation, and his confirming his kingdom by punishing the revolter (1 Kings 1 and 2), of his marriage to the Egyptian princess (1-Kings 3:1, 1-Kings 3:2), his wise judgment (1-Kings 3:16-28), his public officers, his official men, his royal magnificence and glory (1 Kings 4:1-5:14), omitted, but also the accounts of the building of his palace (1-Kings 7:1-12), of his idolatry, and of the adversaries who rose against him (1 Kings 11:1-40). On the other hand, the description of the building and consecration of the temple is supplemented by various important details which are omitted from the first book of Kings. Hence it is clear that the author of the Chronicle purposed only to portray more exactly the building of the house of God, and has only shortly touched upon all the other undertakings of this wise and fortunate king.
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