mh_parser/vol_split/14 - 2Chronicles/Chapter 1.xml

<div2 id="iiCh.ii" n="ii" next="iiCh.iii" prev="iiCh.i" progress="79.64%" title="Chapter I">
<h2 id="iiCh.ii-p0.1">S E C O N D   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iiCh.ii-p0.2">CHAP. I.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiCh.ii-p1">In the close of the foregoing book we read how God
magnified Solomon and Israel obeyed him; God and Israel concurred
to honour him. Now here we have an account, I. How he honoured God
by sacrifice (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.1-2Chr.1.6" parsed="|2Chr|1|1|1|6" passage="2Ch 1:1-6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>)
and by prayer, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.7-2Chr.1.12" parsed="|2Chr|1|7|1|12" passage="2Ch 1:7-12">ver. 7-12</scripRef>.
II. How he honoured Israel by increasing their strength, wealth,
and trade, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.13-2Chr.1.17" parsed="|2Chr|1|13|1|17" passage="2Ch 1:13-17">ver.
13-17</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iiCh.ii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1" parsed="|2Chr|1|0|0|0" passage="2Ch 1" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiCh.ii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.1-2Chr.1.12" parsed="|2Chr|1|1|1|12" passage="2Ch 1:1-12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.1.1-2Chr.1.12">
<h4 id="iiCh.ii-p1.6">God's Goodness to Solomon. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.ii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1015.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.ii-p2">1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened
in his kingdom, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.ii-p2.1">Lord</span> his God
<i>was</i> with him, and magnified him exceedingly.   2 Then
Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of
hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel,
the chief of the fathers.   3 So Solomon, and all the
congregation with him, went to the high place that <i>was</i> at
Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God,
which Moses the servant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.ii-p2.2">Lord</span>
had made in the wilderness.   4 But the ark of God had David
brought up from Kirjath-jearim to <i>the place which</i> David had
prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
  5 Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri,
the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.ii-p2.3">Lord</span>: and Solomon and the congregation
sought unto it.   6 And Solomon went up thither to the brasen
altar before the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.ii-p2.4">Lord</span>, which
<i>was</i> at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a
thousand burnt offerings upon it.   7 In that night did God
appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
  8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy
unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
  9 Now, <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.ii-p2.5">O Lord</span> God, let thy
promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me
king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.  
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in
before this people: for who can judge this thy people, <i>that is
so</i> great?   11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was
in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour,
nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life;
but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest
judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:   12 Wisdom
and knowledge <i>is</i> granted unto thee; and I will give thee
riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had
that <i>have been</i> before thee, neither shall there any after
thee have the like.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p3">Here is, I. Solomon's great prosperity,
<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.1" parsed="|2Chr|1|1|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Though he had a
contested title, yet, God being with him, he was <i>strengthened in
his kingdom;</i> his heart and hands were strengthened, and his
interest in the people. God's presence will be our strength.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p4">II. His great piety and devotion. His
father was a prophet, a psalmist, and kept mostly to the ark; but
Solomon, having read much in his Bible concerning the tabernacle
which Moses built and the altars there, paid more respect to them
than, it should seem, David had done. Both did well, and let
neither be censured. If the zeal of one be carried out most to one
instance of religion, and of another to some other instance, let
them not judge nor despise each other.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p5">1. All his great men must thus far be good
men that they must join with him in worshipping God. He spoke to
the captains and judges, the governors and chief of the fathers, to
go with him to Gibeon, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.2-2Chr.1.3" parsed="|2Chr|1|2|1|3" passage="2Ch 1:2,3"><i>v.</i> 2,
3</scripRef>. Authority and interest are well bestowed on those
that will thus use them for the glory of God, and the promoting of
religion. It is our duty to engage all with whom we have influence
in the solemnities of religion, and it is very desirable to have
many join with us in those solemnities—the more the better; it is
the more like heaven. Solomon began his reign with this public
pious visit to God's altar, and it was a very good omen.
Magistrates are then likely to do well for themselves and their
people when they thus take God along with them at their setting
out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p6">2. He offered abundance of sacrifices to
God there (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.6" parsed="|2Chr|1|6|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>):
1000 <i>burnt-offerings,</i> and perhaps a greater number of
peace-offerings, on which he and his company <i>feasted before the
Lord.</i> Where God sows plentifully he expects to reap
accordingly. His father David had left him flocks and herds in
abundance (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.29 Bible:1Chr.27.31" parsed="|1Chr|27|29|0|0;|1Chr|27|31|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:29,31">1 Chron. xxvii. 29,
31</scripRef>), and thus he gave God his dues out of them. The ark
was at Jerusalem (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.4" parsed="|2Chr|1|4|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), but the altar was at Gibeon (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.5" parsed="|2Chr|1|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and thither he brought his
sacrifices; for <i>it is the altar that sanctifieth every
gift.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p7">3. He prayed a good prayer to God: this,
with the answer to it, we had before, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.3.5-1Kgs.3.15" parsed="|1Kgs|3|5|3|15" passage="1Ki 3:5-15">1 Kings iii. 5</scripRef>, &amp;c. (1.) God bade him
ask what he would; not only that he might put him in the right way
of obtaining the favours that were intended him (<i>Ask, and you
shall receive, that your joy may be full</i>), but that he might
try him, how he stood affected, and might discover what was in his
heart. Men's characters appear in their choices and desires. What
wouldst thou <i>have?</i> tries a man as much as, What wouldst thou
<i>do?</i> Thus God tried whether Solomon was one of the
<i>children of this world,</i> that say, <i>Who will show us any
good,</i> or of the children of light, that say, <i>Lord, lift up
the light of thy countenance upon us.</i> As we choose we shall
have, and that is likely to be our portion to which we give the
preference, whether the wealth and pleasure of this world or
spiritual riches or delights. (2.) Like a genuine son of David, he
chose spiritual blessings rather than temporal. His petition here
is, <i>Give me wisdom and knowledge.</i> He owns those to be
desirable gifts, and God to be the giver of them, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.2.6" parsed="|Prov|2|6|0|0" passage="Pr 2:6">Prov. ii. 6</scripRef>. God gave the faculty of
understanding, and to him we must apply for the furniture of it.
Two things are here pleaded which we had not in Kings:—[1.]
<i>Thou hast made me reign in my father's stead,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.8" parsed="|2Chr|1|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. "Lord, thou hast put me
into this place, and therefore I can in faith ask of thee grace to
enable me to do the duty of it." What service we have reason to
believe God calls us to we have reason to hope he will qualify us
for. But that is not all. "Lord, thou hast put me into this place
in the stead of David, the great and good man that filled it up so
well; therefore give me wisdom, that Israel may not suffer damage
by the change. Must I reign in my father's stead? Lord, give me my
father's spirit." Note, The eminency of those that went before us,
and the obligation that lies upon us to keep up and carry on the
good work they were engaged in, should provoke us to a gracious
emulation, and quicken our prayers to God for wisdom and grace,
that we may do the work of God in our day as faithfully and well as
they did in theirs. [2.] <i>Let thy promise to David my father be
established,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.9" parsed="|2Chr|1|9|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. He means the promise of concerning his successor. "In
performance of that promise, <i>Lord, give me wisdom.</i>" We do
not find that wisdom was any of the things promised, but it was
necessary in order to the accomplishment of what was promised,
<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.13-2Sam.7.15" parsed="|2Sam|7|13|7|15" passage="2Sa 7:13-15">2 Sam. vii. 13-15</scripRef>. The
promise was, <i>He shall build a house for my name, I will
establish his throne, he shall be my son,</i> and <i>my mercy shall
not depart from him.</i> "Now, Lord, unless thou give me wisdom,
thy house will not be built, nor my throne established; I shall
behave in a manner unbecoming my relation to thee as a Father,
shall forfeit thy mercy, and fool it away; therefore, <i>Lord, give
me wisdom.</i>" Note, <i>First,</i> God's promises are our best
pleas in prayer. <i>Remember thy word unto thy servant.
Secondly,</i> Children may take the comfort of the promises of that
covenant which their parents, in their baptism, laid claim to, and
took hold of, for them. <i>Thirdly,</i> The best way to obtain the
benefit of the promises and privileges of the covenant is to be
earnest in prayer with God for wisdom and grace to do the duties of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p8">4. He received a gracious answer to this
prayer, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.11-2Chr.1.12" parsed="|2Chr|1|11|1|12" passage="2Ch 1:11,12"><i>v.</i> 11,
12</scripRef>. (1.) God gave him the wisdom that he asked for
because he asked for it. Wisdom is a gift that God gives as freely
and liberally as any gift to those that value it, and wrestle for
it; and will resolve to make use of it; and he upbraids not the
poor petitioners with their folly, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.5" parsed="|Jas|1|5|0|0" passage="Jam 1:5">James i. 5</scripRef>. God's grace shall never be wanting
to those who sincerely desire to know and do their duty. (2.) God
gave him the wealth and honour which he did not ask for because he
asked not for them. Those that pursue present things most earnestly
are most likely to miss of them; while those that refer themselves
to the providence of God, if they have not the most of those
things, have the most comfort in them. Those that make this world
their end come short of the other and are disappointed in this too;
but those that make the other world their end shall not only obtain
that, and full satisfaction in it, but shall enjoy as much as is
convenient of this world in their way.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiCh.ii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.13-2Chr.1.17" parsed="|2Chr|1|13|1|17" passage="2Ch 1:13-17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.1.13-2Chr.1.17">
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.ii-p9">13 Then Solomon came <i>from his journey</i> to
the high place that <i>was</i> at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before
the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel.  
14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a
thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen,
which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at
Jerusalem.   15 And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem
<i>as plenteous</i> as stones, and cedar trees made he as the
sycamore trees that <i>are</i> in the vale for abundance.   16
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the
king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.   17 And
they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six
hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver, and a horse for an hundred and
fifty: and so brought they out <i>horses</i> for all the kings of
the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.ii-p10">Here is, 1. Solomon's entrance upon the
government (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.13" parsed="|2Chr|1|13|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>):
He came <i>from before the tabernacle, and reigned over Israel.</i>
He would not do any acts of government till he had done his acts of
devotion, would not take honour to himself till he had given honour
to God—first the tabernacle, and then the throne. But, when he had
obtained wisdom from God, he did not bury his talent, but as he
received the gift ministered the same, did not give up himself to
ease and pleasure, but minded business: he reigned over Israel. 2.
The magnificence of his court (<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.14" parsed="|2Chr|1|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>He gathered chariots and
horsemen.</i> Shall we praise him for this? We praise him not; for
the king was forbidden to multiply horses, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.16" parsed="|Deut|17|16|0|0" passage="De 17:16">Deut. xvii. 16</scripRef>. I do not remember that ever
we find his good father in a chariot or on horseback; a mule was
the highest he mounted. We should endeavor to excel those that went
before us in goodness rather than in grandeur. 3. The wealth and
trade of his kingdom. He made silver and gold very cheap and
common, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.15" parsed="|2Chr|1|15|0|0" passage="2Ch 1:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. The
increase of gold lowers the value of it; but the increase of grace
advances its price; the more men have of that the more they value
it. <i>How much better</i> therefore <i>is it to get wisdom than
gold!</i> He opened also a trade with Egypt, whence he imported
horses and linen-yarn, which he exported again to the kings of
Syria, with great advantage no doubt, <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.16-2Chr.1.17" parsed="|2Chr|1|16|1|17" passage="2Ch 1:16,17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. This we had before,
<scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.10.28-1Kgs.10.29" parsed="|1Kgs|10|28|10|29" passage="1Ki 10:28,29">1 Kings x. 28, 29</scripRef>. It
is the wisdom of princes to promote industry and encourage trade in
their dominions. Perhaps Solomon took the hint of setting up the
linen-manufacture, bringing linen-yarn out of Egypt, working it
into cloth, and then sending that to other nations, from what his
mother taught when she specified this as one of the characteristics
of the virtuous woman, <i>She maketh fine linen, and selleth it,
and delivereth girdles</i> of it <i>to the merchant,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.ii-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.24" parsed="|Prov|31|24|0|0" passage="Pr 31:24">Prov. xxxi. 24</scripRef>. <i>In all labour
there is profit.</i></p>
</div></div2>