2 Chronicles 1
1:1 At one point 1 and 2 Chronicles were bound together as one scroll, but here we come to a meaningful breaking point. The Chronicler starts afresh with his story, beginning by reviewing a number of details in the process. If we think of Chronicles as the “Gospel According to Ezra,” then what follows in the reign of Solomon must be seen as an expression of God’s grace because the Lord . . . was with Solomon and highly exalted him. This story is not just about a competent king, but the God who supported him. As a consequence, Solomon strengthened his hold. Solomon, though conscious of the need for military preparation, was not a military man. He united the people in other ways, primarily by fortifying the kingdom and generating a number of building projects, not the least of which was the temple.
1:2 We are not given the text of Solomon’s inauguration address, but the fact that he gave one shows his acumen as a leader. As he set out to celebrate his new reign, he made sure that representatives from the entire kingdom were involved in the celebration.
1:3-5 The Chronicler reminds us of the ambivalent situation regarding the sacred sites in Israel. The tabernacle, the central place of worship, was still in Gibeon. This included the altar made by Bezalel in the time of Moses (Ex 38:1-3). The bronze altar was actually a wooden altar covered with a bronze grate.
1:6 Solomon presented a thousand offerings, following a practice established by David (1Ch 29:21). All of Solomon’s sacrifices were burnt offerings, meaning that all the animals were consumed by fire. In order to carry out all these sacrifices within one day, priests must have offered dozens of animals simultaneously.
1:7-10 In response to an open invitation from God (v. 7), Solomon asked for wisdom, demonstrating that he already had remarkable wisdom. Solomon was only about twenty years old. He had shown himself capable in asserting his leadership in eliminating Adoni-jah, his rival, and in uniting the priesthood in the person of Zadok (1Kg 1-2).
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).
