The Second Book of the Chronicles
2 Chronicles 1
Chapter I · Vol. II, pp. 846–847
1 The solemn offering of Solomon at Gibeon. 7 Solomon's choice of wisdom is blessed by God. 13 Solomon's forces and opulence.
1 And Solomon the son of David was strengtheneda in his kingdom,1 and the LORD his God was with bhim, and cmagnified him exceedingly.
A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015.
a 1 Ki.2.12,46. 1 Ch.29.24; 11.10.
1 He increased in popularity and influence as his wisdom was developed.—C.
b Ge.21.22. 2 Ki.18.7. 2 Sa.5.10. Ro.8.31. Is.41.10.
c 1 Ch.29.25; 17.8. Ep.1.20-22. Phi.2.9-11. 1 Ti.6.15. Re.5.11. Da.7.14.
2 Then Solomon dspake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel,2 the chief of the fathers.3
d 1 Ch.13.1; 15.3; 28.1; 29.1; xi.xxvii. ch.29.20; 30.2; 34.29,30.
2 Following the example of David, Solomon desired to renew formally and publicly the covenant between the nation and the Lord. Hence he summoned the whole rulers to a great assembly, just as Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and David had done under similar circumstances.—P.
3 One of the most pleasing features in the history of this period is the religious condition of the military and civil authorities. These, in council with the king, seem to have constituted the 'estates general of the kingdom,' convened only upon great and momentous occasions.—C.
3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at eGibeon; for there was the tabernacle fof the congregation of God, which Moses, the servant of the LORD, ghad made in the wilderness.
e 1 Ki.3.4. 1 Ch.16.39; 21.29, with Jos.9.3,17; 18.25; 21.17.
g Ex. xxxvi.-xl., with xxv.-xxxi.
4 Buth the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
h 2 Sa.6.2,17. 1 Ch.13.5,6; 15.28; 16.1. Ps.132.5,6.
5 Moreover, ithe brazen altar that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put4 before the tabernacle of the LORD; and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.5
6 And Solomon went up thither to the brazen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered ka thousand burnt-offerings upon it.
k 1 Ch.29.21. 1 Ki.3.4; 8.63. Le.1.3. ch.7.7.
7 Inl that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
l 1 Ki.3.5-13. Pr.3.5,6. Is.58.9; 65.24. Mat.7.7,11. Jn.16.23; 15.7.
8 And Solomon said unto God, mThou hast showed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me nto reign in his stead.
9 Now, O LORD God, olet thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou phast made me king over a people like the dust6 of the earth in multitude.
o 2 Sa.7.12-16,25-29. 1 Ch.17.11-14,23-27. Ps.132.13,14.
A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015.
p 1 Ki.3.7. Ge.13.16; 22.17. Ps.72.8. Da.7.14. Mat.28.19.
6 Much as the dust.
10 Giveq me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?7
q 1 Ki.3.9. Nu.27.17. Pr.3.13-16; 4.7,8.
7 An humble opinion of his qualifications, and a just perception of the difficulties of public business leading to an earnest pleading for grace and guidance from God, constitute the basis of Solomon's character.—C.
11 And God said to Solomon, Because this rwas in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth,8 or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge is sgranted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as tnone of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
s 1 Ki.3.12,13; 4.21,29-34; x. Ps.65.2. Mat.6.33. 1 Jn.5.15. Ep.3.20.
t 1 Ch.29.25. ch.9.22. Ec.2.9.
13 Then Solomon came from uhis journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned xover Israel.
u ver.3,5,6.
14 Andy Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot-cities,9 and with the king at Jerusalem.
y 1 Ki.4.26; 10.26,28. ch.9.25; ver.16,17, with De.17.16. Ps.33.16,17; 20.7. Pr.21.31.
9 Cities, where the more level nature of the country, the better state of the public ways, or where frontiers were exposed to sudden incursions, or where pasturage and forage were more abundant for the horses, were selected as the permanent stations of the chariots. Those at Jerusalem were, most probably, for state processions.—C.
15 And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones,1 and cedar-trees made he as the zsycamore-trees that are in the vale for abundance.
1 This is no hyperbole—which is but another name for an untruth, never to be ascribed to the Holy Spirit—it is a literal statement, not that gold and silver coins were made of as little value as stones, nor as great in weight as stones, but that they were as plenty as building-stones, a consummation often realized in times of great commercial prosperity.—C.
z 1 Ch.27.28. Is.9.10. Am.7.14.
16 Anda Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
a ver.14. 1 Ki.10.28. ch.9.28.
17 And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt, a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver[≈ 6.8 kg · 15 lb · silver worth ≈ US$12,000], and an horse for an hundred and fifty:2 and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.3
A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015.
2 Some expositors consider the word translated 'linen yarn' to be a price. Bochart thinks it signifies the toll or custom. The sum paid for a chariot-horse, amounting to about £22, 10s., would seem, however, to indicate the price rather than any ad valorem export duty.—C.
3 See note on 1 Ki. 10.29.—P.
Notes
[Ver. 3. Gibeon was one of the royal cities of the Hivites, and was the scene of Joshua's great victory and miracle. It would seem that the tabernacle was brought to Gibeon in the early part of the rule of Samuel, probably because it was central, and close to Mizpeh, one of the national gathering-places. The city stood on a low rocky hill, in the centre of an upland plain, 6 miles north-west of Jerusalem, in the territory of Benjamin. No spot in central Palestine was better adapted for a great national gathering. The removal of the tabernacle from Shiloh, which was in Ephraim, may have tended to increase the discontent that already existed in that powerful tribe. P.]
Ver. 13. [The sense of this passage and the scope of the context, especially ver. 3, appear to require the first clause of this verse to be rendered thus:—'Then Solomon came from the high-place at Gibeon to Jerusalem.' The words 'from his journey' have no equivalent in the Hebrew, and serve to obscure rather than elucidate the meaning. Literally the Hebrew means 'to the high-place;' but this must be inaccurate, for Solomon was there, and came to Jerusalem. Both the Septuagint and Vulgate read from. A mistake in writing a single Hebrew letter would have created all the difference. P.]
Reflections.—The more God does for us, the more we ought to do for him, in order to testify our affection and gratitude. A reign, or an undertaking, begun with the solemn service of God, and with earnest prayer for his direction and assistance, is likely to turn out happily. And great is the influence of a good magistrate's example. It is not outward appearances, but inward desires, that most certainly characterize persons. And if we have faith, we shall count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and for skill to serve him in our station. And as the eminency of our predecessors or stations render remarkable qualifications necessary, so the infinite mercy of our God, and his promise, encourage us to seek such things. God readily gives his people exceedingly above what they ask or think: and the most disinterested prayers turn out most to our advantage: while those who eagerly pursue the things of this world are apt to lose them, or to have them turned into a curse. And he that increaseth horses, chariots, or trade, often spreads snares and temptations for souls.
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.