3 So Solomon, H8010 and all the congregation H6951 with him, went H3212 to the high place H1116 that was at Gibeon; H1391 for there was the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 of God, H430 which Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 had made H6213 in the wilderness. H4057
And Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and his brethren H251 the priests, H3548 before H6440 the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD H3068 in the high place H1116 that was at Gibeon, H1391
For the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD, H3068 which Moses H4872 made H6213 in the wilderness, H4057 and the altar H4196 of the burnt offering, H5930 were at that season H6256 in the high place H1116 at Gibeon. H1391
Moreover thou shalt make H6213 the tabernacle H4908 with ten H6235 curtains H3407 of fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 and blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet: H8144 H8438 with cherubims H3742 of cunning H2803 work H4639 shalt thou make H6213 them. The length H753 of one H259 curtain H3407 shall be eight H8083 and twenty H6242 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 of one H259 curtain H3407 four H702 cubits: H520 and every one of the curtains H3407 shall have one H259 measure. H4060 The five H2568 curtains H3407 shall be coupled together H2266 one H802 to another; H269 and other five H2568 curtains H3407 shall be coupled H2266 one H802 to another. H269 And thou shalt make H6213 loops H3924 of blue H8504 upon the edge H8193 of the one H259 curtain H3407 from the selvedge H7098 in the coupling; H2279 and likewise shalt thou make H6213 in the uttermost H7020 edge H8193 of another curtain, H3407 in the coupling H4225 of the second. H8145 Fifty H2572 loops H3924 shalt thou make H6213 in the one H259 curtain, H3407 and fifty H2572 loops H3924 shalt thou make H6213 in the edge H7097 of the curtain H3407 that is in the coupling H4225 of the second; H8145 that the loops H3924 may take hold H6901 one H802 of another. H269 And thou shalt make H6213 fifty H2572 taches H7165 of gold, H2091 and couple H2266 the curtains H3407 together with H802 H269 the taches: H7165 and it shall be one H259 tabernacle. H4908 And thou shalt make H6213 curtains H3407 of goats' H5795 hair to be a covering H168 upon the tabernacle: H4908 eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 shalt thou make. H6213 The length H753 of one H259 curtain H3407 shall be thirty H7970 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 of one H259 curtain H3407 four H702 cubits: H520 and the eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 shall be all of one H259 measure. H4060 And thou shalt couple H2266 five H2568 curtains H3407 by themselves, and six H8337 curtains H3407 by themselves, and shalt double H3717 the sixth H8345 curtain H3407 in the forefront H4136 H6440 of the tabernacle. H168 And thou shalt make H6213 fifty H2572 loops H3924 on the edge H8193 of the one H259 curtain H3407 that is outmost H7020 in the coupling, H2279 and fifty H2572 loops H3924 in the edge H8193 of the curtain H3407 which coupleth H2279 the second. H8145 And thou shalt make H6213 fifty H2572 taches H7165 of brass, H5178 and put H935 the taches H7165 into the loops, H3924 and couple H2266 the tent H168 together, that it may be one. H259 And the remnant H5629 that remaineth H5736 of the curtains H3407 of the tent, H168 the half H2677 curtain H3407 that remaineth, H5736 shall hang H5628 over the backside H268 of the tabernacle. H4908 And a cubit H520 on the one side, H2088 and a cubit H520 on the other side of that which remaineth H5736 in the length H753 of the curtains H3407 of the tent, H168 it shall hang H5628 over the sides H6654 of the tabernacle H4908 on this side and on that side, to cover H3680 it. And thou shalt make H6213 a covering H4372 for the tent H168 of rams' H352 skins H5785 dyed red, H119 and a covering H4372 above H4605 of badgers' H8476 skins. H5785 And thou shalt make H6213 boards H7175 for the tabernacle H4908 of shittim H7848 wood H6086 standing up. H5975 Ten H6235 cubits H520 shall be the length H753 of a board, H7175 and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 shall be the breadth H7341 of one H259 board. H7175 Two H8147 tenons H3027 shall there be in one H259 board, H7175 set in order H7947 one H802 against another: H269 thus shalt thou make H6213 for all the boards H7175 of the tabernacle. H4908 And thou shalt make H6213 the boards H7175 for the tabernacle, H4908 twenty H6242 boards H7175 on the south H5045 side H6285 southward. H8486 And thou shalt make H6213 forty H705 sockets H134 of silver H3701 under the twenty H6242 boards; H7175 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board H7175 for his two H8147 tenons, H3027 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board H7175 for his two H8147 tenons. H3027 And for the second H8145 side H6763 of the tabernacle H4908 on the north H6828 side H6285 there shall be twenty H6242 boards: H7175 And their forty H705 sockets H134 of silver; H3701 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board, H7175 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board. H7175 And for the sides H3411 of the tabernacle H4908 westward H3220 thou shalt make H6213 six H8337 boards. H7175 And two H8147 boards H7175 shalt thou make H6213 for the corners H4742 of the tabernacle H4908 in the two sides. H3411 And they shall be coupled H8382 together beneath, H4295 and they shall be coupled H8382 together H3162 above the head H7218 of it unto one H259 ring: H2885 thus shall it be for them both; H8147 they shall be for the two H8147 corners. H4740 And they shall be eight H8083 boards, H7175 and their sockets H134 of silver, H3701 sixteen H8337 H6240 sockets; H134 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board, H7175 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board. H7175 And thou shalt make H6213 bars H1280 of shittim H7848 wood; H6086 five H2568 for the boards H7175 of the one H259 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 And five H2568 bars H1280 for the boards H7175 of the other H8145 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 and five H2568 bars H1280 for the boards H7175 of the side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 for the two sides H3411 westward. H3220 And the middle H8484 bar H1280 in the midst H8432 of the boards H7175 shall reach H1272 from end H7097 to end. H7097 And thou shalt overlay H6823 the boards H7175 with gold, H2091 and make H6213 their rings H2885 of gold H2091 for places H1004 for the bars: H1280 and thou shalt overlay H6823 the bars H1280 with gold. H2091 And thou shalt rear up H6965 the tabernacle H4908 according to the fashion H4941 thereof which was shewed H7200 thee in the mount. H2022 And thou shalt make H6213 a vail H6532 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine twined H7806 linen H8336 of cunning H2803 work: H4639 with cherubims H3742 shall it be made: H6213 And thou shalt hang H5414 it upon four H702 pillars H5982 of shittim H7848 wood overlaid H6823 with gold: H2091 their hooks H2053 shall be of gold, H2091 upon the four H702 sockets H134 of silver. H3701 And thou shalt hang up H5414 the vail H6532 under the taches, H7165 that thou mayest bring H935 in thither within H1004 the vail H6532 the ark H727 of the testimony: H5715 and the vail H6532 shall divide H914 unto you between the holy H6944 place and the most H6944 holy. H6944 And thou shalt put H5414 the mercy seat H3727 upon the ark H727 of the testimony H5715 in the most H6944 holy H6944 place. And thou shalt set H7760 the table H7979 without H2351 the vail, H6532 and the candlestick H4501 over against H5227 the table H7979 on the side H6763 of the tabernacle H4908 toward the south: H8486 and thou shalt put H5414 the table H7979 on the north H6828 side. H6763 And thou shalt make H6213 an hanging H4539 for the door H6607 of the tent, H168 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8438 H8144 and fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 wrought H4639 with needlework. H7551 And thou shalt make H6213 for the hanging H4539 five H2568 pillars H5982 of shittim H7848 wood, and overlay H6823 them with gold, H2091 and their hooks H2053 shall be of gold: H2091 and thou shalt cast H3332 five H2568 sockets H134 of brass H5178 for them.
And every wise H2450 hearted man H3820 among them that wrought H6213 the work H4399 of the tabernacle H4908 made H6213 ten H6235 curtains H3407 of fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 and blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet: H8144 H8438 with cherubims H3742 of cunning H2803 work H4639 made H6213 he them.
And the LORD H3068 called H7121 unto Moses, H4872 and spake H1696 unto him out of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 saying, H559
So Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 died H4191 there in the land H776 of Moab, H4124 according to the word H6310 of the LORD. H3068
And the king H4428 went H3212 to Gibeon H1391 to sacrifice H2076 there; for that H1931 was the great H1419 high place: H1116 a thousand H505 burnt offerings H5930 did Solomon H8010 offer H5927 upon that altar. H4196 In Gibeon H1391 the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 to Solomon H8010 in a dream H2472 by night: H3915 and God H430 said, H559 Ask H7592 what I shall give H5414 thee. And Solomon H8010 said, H559 Thou hast shewed H6213 unto thy servant H5650 David H1732 my father H1 great H1419 mercy, H2617 according as he walked H1980 before H6440 thee in truth, H571 and in righteousness, H6666 and in uprightness H3483 of heart H3824 with thee; and thou hast kept H8104 for him this great H1419 kindness, H2617 that thou hast given H5414 him a son H1121 to sit H3427 on his throne, H3678 as it is this day. H3117 And now, O LORD H3068 my God, H430 thou hast made thy servant H5650 king H4427 instead of David H1732 my father: H1 and I am but a little H6996 child: H5288 I know H3045 not how to go out H3318 or come in. H935 And thy servant H5650 is in the midst H8432 of thy people H5971 which thou hast chosen, H977 a great H7227 people, H5971 that cannot be numbered H4487 nor counted H5608 for multitude. H7230 Give H5414 therefore thy servant H5650 an understanding H8085 heart H3820 to judge H8199 thy people, H5971 that I may discern H995 between good H2896 and bad: H7451 for who is able H3201 to judge H8199 this thy so great H3515 a people? H5971 And the speech H1697 pleased H3190 H5869 the Lord, H136 that Solomon H8010 had asked H7592 this thing. H1697 And God H430 said H559 unto him, Because thou hast asked H7592 this thing, H1697 and hast not asked H7592 for thyself long H7227 life; H3117 neither hast asked H7592 riches H6239 for thyself, nor hast asked H7592 the life H5315 of thine enemies; H341 but hast asked H7592 for thyself understanding H995 to discern H8085 judgment; H4941 Behold, I have done H6213 according to thy words: H1697 lo, I have given H5414 thee a wise H2450 and an understanding H995 heart; H3820 so that there was none like thee before H6440 thee, neither after H310 thee shall any arise H6965 like unto thee. And I have also given H5414 thee that which thou hast not asked, H7592 both riches, H6239 and honour: H3519 so that there shall not be any H376 among the kings H4428 like unto thee all thy days. H3117 And if thou wilt walk H3212 in my ways, H1870 to keep H8104 my statutes H2706 and my commandments, H4687 as thy father H1 David H1732 did walk, H1980 then I will lengthen H748 thy days. H3117 And Solomon H8010 awoke; H3364 and, behold, it was a dream. H2472 And he came H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 and stood H5975 before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and offered up H5927 burnt offerings, H5930 and offered H6213 peace offerings, H8002 and made H6213 a feast H4960 to all his servants. H5650
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 1
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 1 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
III. History of Solomon's Kingship - 2 Chronicles 1-9
The kingship of Solomon centres in the building of the temple of the Lord, and the account of that begins in 2 Chron 2 with a statement of the preparations which Solomon made for the accomplishment of this great work, so much pressed upon him by his father, and concludes in 2 Chron 7 with the answer which the Lord gave to his consecrating prayer in a vision. In 2 Chron 1, before the history of the temple building, we have an account of the sacrifice at Gibeon by which Solomon inaugurated his reign (2 Chronicles 1:1-13), with some short notices of his power and riches (2 Chronicles 1:14-17); and in 2 Chron 8 and 9, after the temple building, we have summary statements about the palaces and cities which he built (2 Chronicles 8:1-11), the arrangement of the regular religious service (2 Chronicles 8:12-16), the voyage to Ophir (2 Chronicles 8:17, 2 Chronicles 8:18), the visit of the queen of Sheba (2 Chronicles 9:1-12), his riches and his royal magnificence and glory (2 Chron 9:13-28), with the concluding notices of the duration of his reign, and of his death (2 Chronicles 9:29, 2 Chronicles 9:30). If we compare with this the description of Solomon's reign in 1 Kings 1-11, we find that in the Chronicle not only are the narratives of his accession to the throne in consequence of Adonijah's attempted usurpation, and his confirming his kingdom by punishing the revolter (1 Kings 1 and 2), of his marriage to the Egyptian princess (1 Kings 3:1, 1 Kings 3:2), his wise judgment (1 Kings 3:16-28), his public officers, his official men, his royal magnificence and glory (1 Kings 4:1-5:14), omitted, but also the accounts of the building of his palace (1 Kings 7:1-12), of his idolatry, and of the adversaries who rose against him (1 Kings 11:1-40). On the other hand, the description of the building and consecration of the temple is supplemented by various important details which are omitted from the first book of Kings. Hence it is clear that the author of the Chronicle purposed only to portray more exactly the building of the house of God, and has only shortly touched upon all the other undertakings of this wise and fortunate king.
2 Chronicles 1:1-6
The sacrifice at Gibeon, and the theophany. - 2 Chronicles 1:1-6. When Solomon had established himself upon his throne, he went with the princes and representatives of the congregation of Israel to Gibeon, to seek for the divine blessing upon his reign by a solemn sacrifice to be offered there before the tabernacle. 2 Chronicles 1:1 forms, as it were, the superscription of the account of Solomon's reign which follows. In וגו ויּתחזּק = Solomon established himself in his kingdom, i.e., he became strong and mighty in his kingdom, the older commentators saw a reference to the defeat of Adonijah, the pretender to the crown, and his followers (1 Kings 2). But this view of the words is too narrow; we find the same remark made of other kings whose succession to the throne had not been questioned (cf. 2 Chronicles 12:13; 2 Chronicles 13:21; 2 Chronicles 17:1, and 2 Chronicles 21:4), and the remark refers to the whole reign-to all that Solomon undertook in order to establish a firm dominion, not merely to his entry upon it. With this view of the words, the second clause, “his God was with him, and made him very great,” coincides. God gave His blessing to all that Solomon did for this end. With the last words cf. 1 Chronicles 29:25.
We have an account of the sacrifice at Gibeon (2 Chronicles 1:7-13) in 1 Kings 3:4-15 also. The two narratives agree in all the main points, but, in so far as their form is concerned, it is at once discernible that they are two independent descriptions of the same thing, but derived from the same sources. In 1 Kings 3 the theophany-in our text, on the contrary, that aspect of the sacrifice which connected it with the public worship-is more circumstantially narrated. While in 1 Kings 3:4 it is briefly said the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, our historian records that Solomon summoned the princes and representatives of the people to this solemn act, and accompanied by them went to Gibeon. This sacrifice was no mere private sacrifice-it was the religious consecration of the opening of his reign, at which the estates of the kingdom were present as a matter of course. “All Israel” is defined by “the princes over the thousands ..., the judges, and all the honourable;” then לכל־שׂראל is again taken up and explained by the apposition האבות ראשׁי : to all Israel, viz., the heads of the fathers'-houses. ל is to be repeated before ראשׁי . What Solomon said to all Israel through its representatives, is not communicated; but it may be gathered from what succeeds, that he summoned them to accompany him to Gibeon to offer the sacrifice. The reason why he offered his sacrifice at the בּמה , i.e., place of sacrifice, is given in 2 Chronicles 1:3. There the Mosaic tabernacle stood, yet without the ark, which David had caused to be brought up from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 13:1-14 and 15). In לו בּהכין the article in ba represents the relative אשׁר = בּאשׁר or לו הכין אשׁר בּמקום ; cf. Judges 5:27; Ruth 1:16; 1 Kings 21:19; see on 1 Chronicles 26:28. Although the ark was separated from the tabernacle, yet by the latter at Gibeon was the Mosaic altar of burnt-offering, and on that account the sanctuary at Gibeon was Jahve's dwelling, and the legal place of worship for burnt-offerings of national-theocratic import. “As our historian here brings forward emphatically the fact that Solomon offered his burnt-offering at the legal place of worship, so he points out in 1 Chronicles 21:28-30 :1, how David was only brought by extraordinary events, and special signs from God, to sacrifice on the altar of burnt-offering erected by him on the threshing-floor of Ornan, and also states how he was prevented from offering his burnt-offering in Gibeon” (Berth.). As to Bezaleel, the maker of the brazen altar, cf. Exodus 31:2 and Exodus 37:1. Instead of שׂם , which most manuscripts and many editions have before לפני , and which the Targ. and Syr. also express, there is found in most editions of the 16th century, and also in manuscripts, שׁם , which the lxx and Vulgate also read. The reading שׁם is unquestionably better and more correct, and the Masoretic pointing שׂם , posuit , has arisen by an undue assimilation of it to Exodus 40:29. The suffix in ידרשׁהוּ does not refer to the altar, but to the preceding word יהוה ; cf. אלהים דּרשׁ , 1 Chronicles 21:30; 1 Chronicles 15:13, etc.
2 Chronicles 1:7-10
The theophany, cf. 1 Kings 3:5-15. In that night, i.e., on the night succeeding the day of the sacrifice. The appearance of God by night points to a dream, and in 1 Kings 3:5-15 we are expressly informed that He appeared in a vision. Solomon's address to God, 2 Chronicles 1:8-10, is in 1 Kings 3:6-10 given more at length. The mode of expression brings to mind 1 Chronicles 17:23, and recurs in 2 Chronicles 6:17; 1 Kings 8:26. מדּע , with Pathach in the second syllable, elsewhere מדּע (2 Chronicles 1:11, 2 Chronicles 1:12), occurs elsewhere only in Daniel 1:4, Daniel 1:17; Ecclesiastes 10:20.
2 Chronicles 1:11-13
The divine promise. Here עשׁר is strengthened by the addition נכסים , treasures (Joshua 22:8; Ecclesiastes 5:18; Ecclesiastes 6:2). תּשׁפּט אשׁר , ut judicare possis . In general, the mode of expression is briefer than in 1 Kings 3:11-13, and the conditional promise, “long life” (1 Kings 3:14), is omitted, because Solomon did not fulfil the condition, and the promise was not fulfilled. In 2 Chronicles 1:13 לבּמה is unintelligible, and has probably come into our text only by a backward glance at 2 Chronicles 1:3, instead of מהבּמה , which the contents demand, and as the lxx and Vulgate have rightly translated it. The addition, “from before the tabernacle,” which seems superfluous after the preceding “from the Bamah at Gibeon,” is inserted in order again to point to the place of sacrifice at Gibeon, and to the legal validity of the sacrifices offered there (Berth.). According to 1 Kings 3:15, Solomon, on his return to Jerusalem, offered before the ark still other burnt-offerings and thank-offerings, and prepared a meal for his servants. This is omitted by the author of the Chronicle, because these sacrifices had no ultimate import for Solomon's reign, and not, as Then, supposes, because in his view only the sacrifices offered on the ancient brazen altar of burnt-offering belonging to the temple had legal validity. For he narrates at length in 1 Chronicles 21:18, 1 Chronicles 21:26. how God Himself directed David to sacrifice in Jerusalem, and how the sacrifice offered there was graciously accepted by fire from heaven, and the threshing-floor of Araunah thereby consecrated as a place of sacrifice; and it is only with the purpose of explaining to his readers why Solomon offered the solemn burnt-offering in Gibeon, and not, as we should have expected from 1 Chron 21, in Jerusalem, that he is so circumstantial in his statements as to the tabernacle. The last clause of 2 Chronicles 1:13, “and he was king over Israel,” does not belong to the section treating of the sacrifice at Gibeon, but corresponds to the remark in 1 Kings 4:1, and forms the transition to what follows.
Solomon's chariots, horses, and riches . - In order to prove by facts the fulfilment of the divine promise which Solomon received in answer to his prayer at Gibeon, we have in 1 Kings 3:16-28 a narrative of Solomon's wise judgment, then in 2 Chron 4 an account of his public officers; and in 2 Chronicles 5:1-14 the royal magnificence, glory, and wisdom of his reign is further portrayed. In our Chronicle, on the contrary, we have in 2 Chronicles 1:14-17 only a short statement as to his chariots and horses, and the wealth in silver and gold to be found in the land, merely for the purpose of showing how God had given him riches and possessions. This statement recurs verbally in 1 Kings 10:26-29, in the concluding remarks on the riches and splendour of Solomon's reign; while in the parallel passage, 2 Chron 9:13-28, it is repeated in an abridged form, and interwoven with other statements. From this we see in how free and peculiar a manner the author of the Chronicle has made use of his authorities, and how he has arranged the material derived from them according to his own special plan.
(Note: The assertion of Thenius on 1 Kings 10:26., that he found this section in his authorities in two different places and in different connections, copied them mechanically, and only towards the end of the second passage remarked the repetition and then abridged the statement, is at once refuted by observing, that in the supposed repetition the first half (2 Chronicles 9:25-26) does not at all agree with 1 Kings 10:26, but coincides with the statement in 1 Kings 5:6-7.)
For the commentary on this section, see on 1 Kings 10:26-28.
2 Chronicles 1:14-15
2 Chronicles 1:14, 2 Chronicles 1:15, with the exception of one divergence in form and one in matter, correspond word for word to 1 Kings 10:26 and 1 Kings 10:27. Instead of ויּנחם , he led them (Kings), there stands in 2 Chronicles 1:15, as in 2 Chronicles 9:25, the more expressive word ויּנּיהם , “he laid them” in the chariot cities; and in 2 Chronicles 1:15 ואת־הזּהב is added to את־הכּסף , while it is omitted from both 1 Kings 10:27 and also 2 Chronicles 9:27. It is, however, very suitable in this connection, since the comparison “like stones” has reference to quantity, and Solomon had collected not only silver, but also gold, in quantity.
2 Chronicles 1:16-17
2 Chronicles 1:16, 2 Chronicles 1:17 coincide with 1 Kings 10:28-29, except that מקרא is used for hw'q;mi, and ותּצא ותּעלה is altered into ויּוציאוּ ויּעלוּ . For the commentary on these verses, see 1 Kings 10:28.