I. (_a_) The sacrifice at Gibeon, and Solomon’s dream (2 Chronicles 1:1). (_b_) The king’s chariots and horsemen, wealth and commerce (2 Chronicles 1:14). (1) AND SOLOMON THE SON OF DAVID WAS STRENGTHENED IN HIS KINGDOM. — Or, _showed himself strong over his kingdom;_ firmly grasped the reins of po... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SOLOMON SPAKE UNTO ALL ISRAEL. — Or, _commanded all Israel_ (1 Chronicles 21:17; 2 Samuel 16:11; 2 Kings 1:11; Vulg., _prœcepit_). TO THE CAPTAINS OF THOUSANDS... CHIEF OF THE FATHERS. — This is an apposition, explaining what is meant by “all Israel” in the first clause, viz., the national repr... [ Continue Reading ]
(2-6) Solomon and the national assembly repair to the Mosaic tabernacle at Gibeon, and sacrifice upon the great altar of burnt offering. (Comp. 1 Kings 3:4, which the present section supplements and explains.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION OF GOD. — Rather, _God’s tent of meeting;_ viz., with man (Exodus 25:22; Exodus 27:21; Numbers 17:4). Solomon repaired to Gibeon because “that was the great high place” (1 Kings 3:4). We learn from our text why Gibeon stood pre-eminent above the other high places.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT. — Or, _But indeed, but no doubt_ (_’ăbâl_) (2 Chronicles 19:3; 2 Chronicles 33:17). For the transfer of the ark see 1 Chronicles 13, 15; 2 Samuel 6; 2 Samuel 6. TO THE PLACE WHICH DAVID HAD PREPARED. — _Into that David had prepared for it_ (the article as relative: comp. 1 Chronicles 26:28).... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER THE BRASEN ALTAR... HE PUT BEFORE THE TABERNACLE OF THE LORD. — Rather, _And the brasen altar... was there before the dwelling of Jehovah._ In Hebrew, _shâm_ is “there”; and _sâm,_ “he put.” Some MSS., supported by the LXX. and Vulg., read the former; most of the MSS. and the Syr., Arab., a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOLOMON WENT UP THITHER TO THE “BRASEN ALTAR. — So Vulg. incorrectly. Rather, _And Solomon offered there on the brasen altar;_ so LXX. and Syriac. BEFORE THE LORD. — The altar stood before the entry of the Lord’s dwellingplace (Exodus 40:6). (Comp. Judges 20:23; Judges 20:26.) WHICH WAS AT THE... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT NIGHT DID GOD APPEAR UNTO SOLOMON. — Kings, “In Gibeon did Jehovah appear unto Solomon in a dream of the night.” Our text fixes the night as that which followed the sacrifices; the parallel passage explicitly states that it was in a dream that God appeared. ASK WHAT I SHALL GIVE THEE. — Rat... [ Continue Reading ]
(7-13) God’s revelation to Solomon by night. (Comp. 1 Kings 3:5.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST SHEWED GREAT MERCY UNTO DAVID. — Literally, _Thou, thou hast done great kindness with David._ (The regular phrase; comp. Luke 1:72.) From this point the relation here is briefer on the whole than that of Kings. The greater part of the long verse (1 Kings 3:6) is omitted, and the variations... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, O LORD GOD, LET THY PROMISE UNTO DAVID MY FATHER BE ESTABLISHED. — A reminiscence of 1 Chronicles 17:23. OVER A PEOPLE LIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH IN MULTITUDE. — _Over a people numerous as the dust of the earth._ This last clause freely corresponds with 1 Kings 3:8. (Comp. the common title of... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE ME NOW WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. — _Now wisdom and knowledge give thou me;_ a petition co-ordinate with that of 2 Chronicles 1:9 : “Now, O Lord God,” &c. The clause answers to 1 Kings 3:9. The word rendered “knowledge” (_madda’_) is late, and occurs besides only in Daniel 1:4; Daniel 1:17; Ecclesia... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THIS WAS IN THINE HEART. — For this phrase see 1 Chronicles 22:7. WEALTH, OR HONOUR. — Added by chronicler. Wealth (_nĕkâsîm_) is a late word, common in the Targums, and in Syriac (_neksîn_). The phrase “riches, wealth, and honour” occurs in Ecclesiastes 6:2. LONG LIFE. — _Many days._ BUT... [ Continue Reading ]
WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. — _The wisdom and the knowledge,_ viz., which thou hast asked for. IS GRANTED UNTO THEE. — The Hebrew expression is found only here and in Esther 3:11. The parallel passage gives three verses for this one (1 Kings 3:12). AND I WILL GIVE THEE. — Kings, “I have given.” The perf... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SOLOMON CAME FROM HIS JOURNEY TO THE HIGH PLACE THAT WAS AT GIBEON TO JERUSALEM. — Heb., _And Solomon came to the high place that was in Gibeon to Jerusalem._ Clearly we should read, _“from_ the high place,” with the LXX. and Vulgate. The difficulty is as old as the Syriac version, which reads,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOLOMON GATHERED CHARIOTS AND HORSEMEN. — Word for word as in 1 Kings 10:26; see the Notes there. WHICH HE PLACED. — _And he placed,_ or _bestowed them_ (_wayyanhîhem_) (2 Chronicles 9:25). Kings _50100_ reads, “_and he brought them_ into the chariot cities” (_wayyanhem_). The difference turns o... [ Continue Reading ]
(14-17) Solomon’s “riches, and wealth, and honour” illustrated (comp. 1 Kings 10:26). In the parallel passage of Kings, this short section closes the account of Solomon’s wealth and glory. 2 Chronicles 9:25 is very similar; a fact which will not surprise those who bear in mind that the chronicler is... [ Continue Reading ]
SILVER AND GOLD... STONES... CEDAR TREES. — Each of these words has the definite article in the Hebrew. AND GOLD. — Not in 1 Kings 10:27, with which the rest of the verse coincides; nor in 2 Chronicles 9:27. The Syriac omits it here also, but the other versions have it, and the phrase is a natural... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOLOMON HAD HORSES BROUGHT OUT... — Rather, _And the outcome_ (export) _of horses for Solomon was from Egypt, and the company of the king’s merchants_ — _a company_ (of horses) _they would fetch at a price._ The same is read in Kings, only that the word _company_ (_miqwç_) is there spelt in the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY FETCHED UP, AND BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF EGYPT. — Literally, _And they caused to come up and to come out._ Kings has: “And there came up and came out a chariot from Egypt.” The rest of the verse is identical there and here.... [ Continue Reading ]