2 Crônicas 1
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Crônicas 1
NJB (LXX versing) Solomon Worships At Gibeon Solomon Requests Wisdom Solomon Receives Wisdom King Solomon Prays for Wisdom God Confers Wisdom on Solomon 1:1 1:1-12 1:1-6 1:1 1:1-6 1:2-6 1:2-6 1:2-6 1:7-13 1:2-6 1:7-10 Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom 1:8-13 1:8-10 Solomon's Military and Economic Power King Solomon's Power and Wealth Solomon's Wealth 1:13-17 1:13-17 1:13 1:14-17 1:14-17 1:14-17 Etc.
2 Crônicas 1:1
1:1 "Bold" This verse clearly shows the compatible relationship between Solomon's actions (i.e., "established himself securely," BDB 304, KB 301, Hithpael IMPERFECT with waw, cf. 2 Sam. 3:6; 1 Kgs. 20:22; 2 Chr. 12:13; 13:21; 21:4; 23:1; 25:11; 27:6) and YHWH's sovereign control of history (i.e., "God was with him and exalted him greatly"). See Special Topics: SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE SPECIAL TOPIC: PREDESTINATION (CALVINISM) VS. HUMAN FREE WILL (ARMINIANISM) ▣ "the Lord his God" This combines the two most common names for Deity (cf. 2 Chr. 1:9). YHWH (Gen. 2:4) Elohim (Gen. 1:1) See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C and D.
2 Crônicas 1:2-6
1:2 "Solomon spoke to all Israel" This is either (1) hyperbole or (2) an idiom for Israel's leaders. ▣ "thousands" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph). ▣ "the judges" These were probably the same judges appointed by David in 1 Chr. 23:4; 26:29. They would have been Levites. This office is continued in 2 Chr. 19:5-6 under Jehoshaphat. This office goes back to Moses' appointing judge helpers during the wilderness wandering period (cf. Exod. 18:13-27). 1:3 "the high place which was at Gibeon" Later in Israel's history these "high places" (BDB 119; cf. 1 Sam. 9:12-14; 10:5,13; 1 Kgs. 3:3a; 15:14; 22:43; 2 Kgs. 12:3) are condemned because of their connection to fertility worship (cf. Num. 33:52; Deut. 12:2; 1 Kgs. 11:7). See Special Topic: Fertility Worship in the ANE. But here this was a gesture of faith (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:4; 1 Chr. 16:39) of the new king seeking YHWH's help and blessing before the Tabernacle (cf. 1 Chr. 21:29; also called "the tent of meeting'). The ark of the covenant had been taken to Jerusalem by David and placed in a special tent (2 Chr. 1:4; 2 Sam. 6:17; 1 Chr. 16:1). Gibeon was about four miles NW of Jerusalem. ▣ "Moses the servant of the Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT. Apparently the Tabernacle was first set up in Canaan at Gilgal, Josh. 4:15-5:12 then Shiloh, Josh. 18:1; 19:51 last at Gibeon, 1 Chr. 16:39-40; 2 Chr. 1:3-6 finally at Jerusalem Solomon copied all the items of the Tabernacle (and enlarged them), 2 Chronicles 2-5 1:4 "the ark of God" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT. ▣ "Kiriath-jearim" This was the village where the ark of the covenant was kept after it was returned by the Philistines, who captured it from Eli's sons (cf. 1 Samuel 4-7). These events are the historical reason the Tabernacle and Ark had been separated. 1:5 "the bronze altar" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF SACRIFICE. ▣ "which Bezalel. . .had made" See account in Exod. 31:9; 38:1-7. ▣ "Solomon and the assembly sought it" This is a common verb in Chronicles, occurring 41 times (BDB 205, KB 233), denoting to inquire of YHWH to seek YHWH Here, it shows Solomon's first act as king was seeking YHWH at Gibeon. The MT has "him," but the LXX, Peshitta, and Vulgate have "it," referring to the bronze altar. 1:6 "offered a thousand burnt offerings" One wonders how long it would take for a literal thousand animal carcasses to be totally consumed by fire; how much wood; how many priests (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:15). The word "thousand" is always a question. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph).
2 Crônicas 1:7
1:7 YHWH often spoke to people in dreams (i.e., Gen. 28:11-12; 31:11; 40:9; 41:1; Num. 12:6; 1 Sam. 3:3-4; 28:6; 1 Kgs. 3:5,15; 1 Chr. 17:3; 2 Chr. 7:12; Acts 10:10; 2 Corinthians 12). ▣ "Ask" This is a Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 981, KB 1371). Solomon's non-selfish request (cf. 2 Chr. 1:11) set the stage for YHWH's blessing (cf. vv. 14-17); see Josephus, Antiq. 8.2.1).
2 Crônicas 1:8-13
1:8 "great lovingkindness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed). 1:9 "O Lord God" This is the common linking of YHWH and Elohim (i.e., Gen. 2:4), Israel's Deity designated as Savior and Creator. See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C and D. ▣ "Your promise to my father David" See 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17. ▣ "is fulfilled" This VERB (BDB 52, KB 63, Niphal IMPERFECT, is used in a jussive sense. ▣ "the dust of the earth" This is one of three metaphors used to describe Abraham's many descendants. dust ‒ Gen. 13:16; 28:14; here stars ‒ Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 26:4 sand ‒ Gen. 22:17; 32:12; Exod. 32:13 It is this explosive growth of Israel's population that terrified Pharaoh (Exodus) Balak (Numbers) the native tribes of Canaan (Joshua) See SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS. 1:12 "wisdom and knowledge" These two words (BDB 315 and BDB 396) represent practical wisdom (i.e., "how to") cognitive, collective knowledge (i.e., "facts") They are both crucial for an effective reign (i.e., what to do and how to do it). 1:13 The Tabernacle and altar were at Gibeon (cf. 1 Chr. 21:29). ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV "from the high place" "left" "came away from" "from the shrine" "came from Bama" "from his journey" The UBS Text Project, p. 440, offers two options. to the high place from the high place It gives option #1 a "B" rating (i.e., some doubt). The MT has option #1 but the LXX and Vulgate have option #2.
2 Crônicas 1:14-17
1:14-17 For the Josephus parallel, see Antiq. 8.2.4. 1:14 "chariots" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARIOTS. ▣ "chariot cities" Archaeology has shown that Megiddo in the plain of Jezreel was one such city. 1:15 Chronicles is interested in Solomon's wealth and wisdom in connection with the building of the temple (cf. 1 Chr. 22:14). 1:16 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, REB "Egypt and Kue" "Musri and Cilicia" "Cilicia (Musur)" "Muzur and Cilicia" "Egypt and Que" "Egypt" "Egypt and the city of Apelites" The MT has "Egypt" and "Kue" (cf. 1 Kgs. 10:28-29). The TEV footnote says "Musri and Cilicia: two ancient countries in what is now southeast Turkey, which were centers of horse breeding in Solomon's time." The word for chariots (and/or the chariots themselves) would have come from Egypt and many of the horses from Kue and Cilicia (i.e., southeast Turkey). The IVP Bible Background Commentary (OT), p. 422, mentions that large horses, called Nubian horses, came from Egypt but smaller horses came from southeast Anatolia (from both Assyrian and Hittite sources). For "Kue" see note below. ▣ "Kue" This (NKJV, "Keveh") was a region in southeast Asia Minor (Turkey) above the Orontes River on a line parallel to the city of Carchemish, which was farther east. See a good brief discussion in ABD, vol. 4, pp. 102-103. ▣ Solomon not only purchased these military weapons but was an arms dealer to other nations of the ANE (cf. 1 Chr. 1:17). Israel was the only easy land route from Africa to Anatolia. The IVP Bible Background Commentary (OT), p. 422, suggests the price of a chariot listed here is too high which may continue the hyperbolic use of numbers indicate that Solomon was selling royal, decorated chariots, not common war chariots 1:17 "shekels" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES. 2:1 In the MT this is 1:18. The "name of the Lord" was a way of referring to YHWH's personhood. freebiblecommentary.org.