2 Chronicles 1

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

1 Now Solomon son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and highly exalted him. ¹

2 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the heads of the families.

3 And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

4 Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

5 But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, was in Gibeon before ^[a] the tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there.

6 Solomon offered sacrifices there before the LORD on the bronze altar at the Tent of Meeting, where he offered a thousand burnt offerings.

7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

8 Solomon replied to God: “You have shown much loving devotion ^[b] to my father David, and You have made me king in his place.

9 Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to my father David be fulfilled. For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

10 Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. ^[c] For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”

11 God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart instead of requesting riches or wealth or honor for yourself or death for your enemies—and since you have not even requested long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over whom I have made you king—

12 therefore wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will also give you riches and wealth and honor unlike anything given to the kings before you or after you.”

13 So Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place in Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Riches

14 Solomon accumulated ^[d] 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, ^[e] which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. ²

15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills. ^[f]

16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; ^[g] the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.

17 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, ^[h] and a horse for a hundred and fifty. ^[i] Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.

2 Chronicles 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

Solomon's choice of wisdom, His strength and wealth.

- SOLOMON began his reign with a pious, public visit to God's altar. Those that pursue present things most eagerly, are likely to be disappointed; while those that refer themselves to the providence of God, if they have not the most, have the most comfort. Those that make this world their end, come short of the other, and are disappointed in this also; but those that make the other world their end, shall not only obtain that, and full satisfaction in it, but shall have as much of this world as is good for them, in their way. Let us then be contented, without those great things which men generally covet, but which commonly prove fatal snares to the soul.

Cross References

• 1. (1 Kings 3:1–15; Psalms 45:1–17; Psalms 72:1–20)
• 2. (1 Kings 10:26–29)

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX, Vulgate, and some Hebrew manuscripts was there before; MT he placed before
• [b]. Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
• [c]. Literally so that I may go out before this people and come in
• [d]. Literally Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had
• [e]. Or horsemen or charioteers
• [f]. Hebrew Shephelah or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea
• [g]. Probably an area in Cilicia, a province in the southeast of Asia Minor
• [h]. 600 shekels is approximately 15.1 pounds or 6.8 kilograms of silver.
• [i]. 150 shekels is approximately 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms of silver.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND CHRONICLES

This, and the preceding, were but one book originally, but divided into two because of the size of it, so that this is only a continuation of the former history; that ends at the death of David; this begins with the reign of Solomon, goes through that, and the reigns of all the kings of the house of David; of the kings of Judah only, after the separation of the ten tribes, quite down to the captivity of Judah in Babylon, and reaches to the deliverance of the Jews from thence by Cyrus, and contains an history of four hundred and seventy nine years. It treats not at all of the kings of Israel, after the separation, only of the kings of Judah, through whom the line of the Messiah was drawn; and though it omits several things recorded of them in the book of Kings, yet it gives abundance of anecdotes not to be met with there, which are of great use and advantage in history to know.

\\INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 1\\

This chapter relates, how that Solomon being confirmed in his kingdom, went to Gibeon to sacrifice 2Ch 1:1-6, that the Lord appeared there to him, and what passed between them, 2Ch 1:7-10 and that when he returned from thence to Jerusalem, he increased in splendour, wealth, and riches, 2Ch 1:13-17.