2 Chronicles 1

1 Solomon, son of David, strengthened his position over the kingdom. The LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.

2 Solomon spoke to all Israel--to the commanders of regiments and battalions, judges, every prince, and the heads of Israel's families.

3 Then Solomon and the entire assembly went to the place of worship in Gibeon because God's tent of meeting was there. Moses, the LORD's servant, had made the tent in the desert.

4 (However, David had [already] brought God's ark from Kiriath Jearim to a place he had prepared for it. He had put up a tent for it in Jerusalem.)

5 The bronze altar that Bezalel, son of Uri and grandson of Hur, had made was in front of the LORD's tent. There Solomon and the assembly worshiped the LORD.

6 In the LORD's presence Solomon went to the bronze altar in front of the tent of meeting and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it.

7 That night God appeared to Solomon. He said, "What can I give you?"

8 Solomon responded to God, "You've shown great love to my father David, and you've made me king in his place.

9 Now, LORD God, you've kept the promise you made to my father David. You've made me king of people who are as numerous as specks of dust on the ground.

10 Give me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?"

11 God replied to Solomon, "I know this request is from your heart. You didn't ask for riches, fortunes, honor, or the death of those who hate you. You didn't even ask for a long life. Instead, you've asked for wisdom and knowledge to judge my people, over whom I made you king.

12 So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you riches, fortunes, and honor like no other king before or after you."

13 Solomon went from the tent of meeting at the place of worship in Gibeon to Jerusalem. And he ruled Israel.

14 Solomon built up [his army] with chariots and war horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 war horses. He stationed [some] in chariot cities and [others] with himself in Jerusalem.

15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as plentiful as fig trees in the foothills.

16 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue. The king's traders bought them from Kue for a fixed price.

17 They imported each chariot from Egypt for 15 pounds of silver and each horse for 6 ounces of silver. For the same price they obtained horses to export 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.

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.