Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:1-6 Solomon's journey to the Mosaic tabernacle and altar at Gibeon, like David's mission to retrieve the ark (1 Chron. 13:1-16:43), is presented as a public enterprise that involves all Israel (cf. 1 Kings 2:4). Like David, Solomon maintains continuity with the Mosaic covenant as the foundation of his own reign. Sought it out (cf. ESV footnote, "him," i.e., Yahweh) continues the parallel with David (see 1 Chron. 13:3). Solomon begins his reign as David instructed him (1 Chron. 22:19), by worshiping God and seeking guidance. Bezalel is the master craftsman of the tabernacle, assisted by Oholiab (see Ex. 31:1-11). See note on 2 Chron. 2:11-16.

1:7-13 Solomon's faithful seeking leads to a nighttime appearance of God (in a dream, according to 1 Kings 3:5), in which God invites Solomon to ask in prayer for whatever he desires (cf. John 15:7). Solomon's request that God will fulfill his promise to David (see 1 Chron. 17:23) looks forward to the completion of the temple (2 Chron. 6:17), while his request for wisdom and knowledge is focused not on selfish ambition but on the need to govern God's people wisely (see note on 1 Kings 3:11-14). God grants Solomon's request and also promises him riches, possessions, and honor that he did not request. This theme is taken up again at the end of the Solomon narrative (2 Chron. 8:1-9:28). numerous as the dust of the earth. God's covenant promise to Abraham (Gen. 13:16) was being fulfilled in Solomon's day.

1:14-17 From 1 Kings 10:27-29, and repeated with some modifications at 2 Chron. 9:25-28. This section demonstrates the fulfillment of God's promise of wealth (1:12; see note on 1 Kings 10:26-29).

2:1 a temple for the name of the Lord. See Deut. 12:5. God's "name" in association with a place signifies his actual presence there among his people, where God may be met and petitioned. Yet in no sense is God contained or limited by his localized presence: see 2 Chron. 2:6. The Chronicler's temple theology embraces both the actual or real presence of God and his majestic transcendence. It is a forerunner to the doctrine of the incarnation of God in Christ (see John 2:21). royal palace. Linked here with the temple, perhaps to indicate the close connection between the two "houses" of the Davidic covenant (see 1 Chron. 17:14). While the Chronicler mentions Solomon's palace a number of times (2 Chron. 2:12; 7:11; 8:1; 9:3-4, 11), he passes over the account of its construction (1 Kings 7:1-12).

2:2 Solomon used the forced labor of Canaanites living in the land (see vv. 17-18; cf. notes on 8:7-10; 1 Chron. 22:2-5) for the construction work. Subject peoples were often conscripted to such work in the ancient world.

2:3-10 Solomon's letter to Hiram, king of Tyre (who had earlier assisted David; 1 Chron. 14:1), is considerably expanded from 1 Kings 5:3-6 to describe the purpose of the temple for regular and seasonal worship according to the Law of Moses, to express the supremacy and transcendence of Israel's God (2 Chron. 2:5-6), and to request a skilled craftsman (v. 7), along with different kinds of timber (v. 8). The Hebrew for skilled (khakam) also means "wise." Its use here consciously echoes Solomon's request for wisdom (1:10) and the wisdom and knowledge Solomon needs for building the temple (2:5-6). The skills called for here recall Oholiab's work on the tabernacle, under the direction of Bezalel (Ex. 31:1-11).

2:6 heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him. See note on 1 Kings 8:27-30.

2:11-16 Hiram's letter of reply includes a Gentile's acknowledgment of Yahweh as Creator, and of God's gift of wisdom to Solomon (v. 12), which is especially focused on the task of temple building (cf. note on 1 Kings 5:9-12). Huram-abi is likened to Oholiab (the mothers of both men are said to be descended from Dan; see Ex. 31:6; cf. note on 1 Kings 7:13-14), while Solomon the temple builder is implicitly compared to Bezalel, who directed the building of the tabernacle (see 2 Chron. 1:5). The reference in 2:16 to Joppa (not mentioned in 1 Kings 5:9) may reflect Ezra 3:7. Timber from Lebanon for the second temple was floated to that port.