2 Chronicles 1

Solomon first meets God

1 Solomon, David's son, was securely established over his kingdom because the LORD his God was with him and made him very great.

2 Solomon summoned all Israel, including the officers of the army,^[a] the judges, and every Israelite leader who was the head of a family.

3 Then Solomon, accompanied by the whole assembly, went to the shrine at Gibeon because that is where God's meeting tent was, the tent that the LORD's servant Moses had made in the wilderness.

4 Now David had already brought God's chest from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it because he had pitched a tent for the chest in Jerusalem.

5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel, Uri's son and Hur's grandson, had made was there in front of the LORD's dwelling, so that is where Solomon and the assembly worshipped.

6 Solomon went there to the bronze altar in the LORD's presence at the meeting tent and offered a thousand entirely burned offerings upon it.

7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said, "Ask whatever you wish, and I will give it to you."

8 "You showed so much kindness to my father David," Solomon replied to God,"and you have made me king in his place.

9 Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be fulfilled because you have made me king over a people as numerous as the earth's dust.

10 Give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead this people, because no one can govern this great people of yours without your help."

11 God said to Solomon, "Since this is what you wish, and because you've asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I've made you king—rather than asking for wealth, riches, fame, victory over those who hate you, or even a long life—

12 your request for wisdom and knowledge is granted. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame beyond that of any king before you or after you."

13 Then Solomon went from^[b] the shrine in Gibeon, from the meeting tent to Jerusalem where he ruled over Israel.

Solomon’s wealth

14 Solomon acquired more and more chariots and horses until he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

15 In Jerusalem, the king made silver and gold as common as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees that grow in the foothills.

16 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue, purchased from Kue by the king's agents at the going price.

17 They would import a chariot from Egypt for six hundred pieces of silver and a horse for one hundred fifty, and then export them to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or officers over thousands and hundreds
• [b]. LXX, Vulg; MT to

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.