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2 Chronicles Chapter One

 

2 Chronicles 1 Outline of Contents

Solomon Requests Wisdom (v.1~12)

Solomon’s Military and Economic Power (v.13~17)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 1

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.

 

2 Chronicles 1:1  Now Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and exalted him exceedingly.

   YLT  1And strengthen himself doth Solomon son of David over his kingdom, and Jehovah his God [is] with him, and maketh him exceedingly great.

And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom,.... Well settled and established on the throne of his father, after the death of some persons, from whom he might expect trouble, see 1 Kings 2:46.

and the Lord God was with him; directing and instructing him, prospering and succeeding him: the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord was his help:'and magnified him exceedingly; see 1 Chronicles 29:25.

 

2 Chronicles 1:2  2 And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.

   YLT  2And Solomon saith to all Israel, to heads of the thousands, and of the hundreds, and to judges, and to every honourable one of all Israel, heads of the fathers,

Then Solomon spake unto all Israel,.... To their representatives about going to Gibeon to sacrifice, as the next words show: so Jarchi and Kimchi observe:

to the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers; whom he had convened on this occasion; though some think this is the same congregation gathered by his father, by whom he was anointed and made king, and that he spoke of this to them before they broke up, 1 Chronicles 28:1 which seems not so probable, since it was after the death of his father, after he had been king some time, and even after his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter, that what follows was done, see 1 Kings 3:1.

 

2 Chronicles 1:3  3 Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness.

   YLT  3and they go -- Solomon, and all the assembly with him -- to the high place that [is] in Gibeon, for there hath been God's tent of meeting, that Moses, servant of Jehovah, made in the wilderness,

So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon,.... They agreed to his motion, and went with him thither, see 1 Kings 3:4.

for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness: by the Lord's direction; where was also the altar of the Lord, and so most proper to offer sacrifice on, which was what Solomon went thither to do; see 1 Chronicles 21:29.

 

2 Chronicles 1:4  4 But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

   YLT  4but the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath-Jearim, when David prepared for it, for he stretched out for it a tent in Jerusalem;

But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim,.... See 2 Samuel 6:2.

 

2 Chronicles 1:5  5 Now the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put[a] before the tabernacle of the Lord; Solomon and the assembly sought Him there.

   YLT  5and the altar of brass that Bezaleel son of Uri, son of Hur made, he put before the tabernacle of Jehovah; and Solomon and the assembly seek to it.

Moreover, the brasen altar that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made,.... According to the pattern given by Moses, at the direction of God, Exodus 38:1,

he put before the tabernacle of the congregation; either David, or rather Solomon; though it seems best to read the words as in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, "and there it was before the tabernacle"; for it was always there:

and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it; to sacrifice unto it; or rather sought "unto him", the Lord, before whose tabernacle the altar was, so GussetinsF1Comment. Ebr. p. 197. .

 

2 Chronicles 1:6  6 And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

   YLT  6And Solomon goeth up thither, on the altar of brass, before Jehovah, that [is] at the tent of meeting, and causeth to ascend upon it a thousand burnt-offerings.

And Solomon went up thither,.... To the high place at Gibeon:

to the brasen altar before the lord; where he used to be, and accept the sacrifices of his people, though the ark, the symbol of his presence, was not there:

which was at the tabernacle of the congregation; that is, which altar was there; or rather "who", that is, God, was there, as Osiander, hearing the prayers of his people, and accepting their offerings:

and offered a thousand offerings upon it; by the priests, see 1 Kings 3:4.

 

2 Chronicles 1:7  7 On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

   YLT  7In that night hath God appeared to Solomon, and saith to him, `Ask -- what do I give to thee?'

Verses 7-12

In that night did God appear unto Solomon,.... From hence to the end of 2 Chronicles 1:12 it is the same with 1 Kings 3:5. See Gill on 1 Kings 3:5, 1 Kings 3:6, 1 Kings 3:7, 1 Kings 3:8, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 Kings 3:10, 1 Kings 3:11, 1 Kings 3:12, 1 Kings 3:13, 1 Kings 3:14, 1 Kings 3:15

 

2 Chronicles 1:8  8 And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place.

   YLT  8And Solomon saith to God, `Thou hast done with David my father great kindness, and hast caused me to reign in his stead.

 

2 Chronicles 1:9  9 Now, O Lord 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.

   YLT  9Now, O Jehovah God, is Thy word with David my father stedfast, for Thou hast caused me to reign over a people numerous as the dust of the earth;

 

2 Chronicles 1:10  10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

   YLT  10now, wisdom and knowledge give to me, and I go out before this people, and I come in, for who doth judge this Thy great people?'

 

2 Chronicles 1:11  11 Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—

   YLT  11And God saith to Solomon, `Because that this hath been with thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, and honour, and the life of those hating thee, and also many days hast not asked, and dost ask for thyself wisdom and knowledge, so that thou dost judge My people over which I have caused thee to reign –

 

2 Chronicles 1:12  12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”

   YLT  12the wisdom and the knowledge is given to thee, and riches and wealth and honour I give to thee, that there hath not been so to the kings who [are] before thee, and after thee it is not so.'

 

2 Chronicles 1:13  13 So Solomon came to Jerusalem from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tabernacle of meeting, and reigned over Israel.

   YLT  13And Solomon cometh in [from] the high place that [is] in Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tent of meeting, and reigneth over Israel,

Verses 13-17

Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon,.... Or rather without the supplement, the words may be read as in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions:

Solomon came from the high places; having sacrificed there, so Vatablus; ל being put for מ, as R. Jonah observesF2Apud Kimchium. in loc. ; but the Targum agrees with us, he"came to the high place which is in Gibeon, and from thence to Jerusalem;'and to the same purpose Kimchi; having been there, he came to Jerusalem:

from before the tabernacle of the congregation; which was at Gibeon, where he had been sacrificing:

and reigned over Israel in great splendour and prosperity. From hence, to the end of the chapter, the same things are said as in 1 Kings 10:26. See Gill on 1 Kings 10:26, 1 Kings 10:27, 1 Kings 10:28, 1 Kings 10:29.

 

2 Chronicles 1:14  14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

   YLT  14and Solomon gathereth chariots and horsemen, and he hath a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he placeth them in the cities of the chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem.

 

2 Chronicles 1:15  15 Also the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland.

   YLT  15And the king maketh the silver and the gold in Jerusalem as stones, and the cedars he made as sycamores that [are] in the low country, for abundance.

 

2 Chronicles 1:16  16 And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price.

   YLT  16And the source of the horses that [are] to Solomon [is] from Egypt and from Keva; merchants of the king from Keva take at a price,

 

2 Chronicles 1:17  17 They also acquired and imported from Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; thus, through their agents,[b] they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

   YLT  17and they come up, and bring out from Egypt a chariot for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Aram -- by their hand they bring out.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:5 Some authorities read it was there.
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Literally by their hands