2 Chronicles 1 Study Notes

1:11-12 God was pleased with Solomon’s request, and added a bonus—riches, wealth, and glory. To this day, the name of Solomon is synonymous with wisdom and wealth.

1:13 Solomon had honored the holy site that he was about to dismantle. The mention of the tent of meeting emphasizes the contrast to the new order he was about to initiate (2:1).

1:14 This is the first of two listings of Solomon’s wealth (9:13-28). A total of 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen was an extremely large resource. Pharaoh, in pursuing the Israelites at the exodus, had 600 chariots (Ex 14:7) and Sisera of Hazor had 900 (Jdg 4:3). The size of Solomon’s army is particularly noteworthy since he was not known as a man of war.

1:15 Solomon’s own wealth devalued some of the most precious resources of the ancient world. This state of affairs did not outlive Solomon’s reign; his wealth apparently did not benefit the common people in the long run.

1:16-17 Solomon invested heavily in horses and chariots as a basis for increasing his own wealth. He bought horses from Egypt and Kue, a region in Turkey, and then sold them to the Hittites and the Arameans. Although these items are mentioned here as representative of Solomon’s material success, they were also a violation of God’s ordinance. The law stated that a future king should not acquire horses from Egypt or accumulate large amounts of silver (Dt 17:16-17).