2 Chronicles 1:9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

9 Now, O LORD H3068 God, H430 let thy promise H1697 unto David H1732 my father H1 be established: H539 for thou hast made me king H4427 over a people H5971 like the dust H6083 of the earth H776 in multitude. H7227

Cross Reference

2 Samuel 7:12-16 STRONG

And when thy days H3117 be fulfilled, H4390 and thou shalt sleep H7901 with thy fathers, H1 I will set up H6965 thy seed H2233 after H310 thee, which shall proceed H3318 out of thy bowels, H4578 and I will establish H3559 his kingdom. H4467 He shall build H1129 an house H1004 for my name, H8034 and I will stablish H3559 the throne H3678 of his kingdom H4467 for H5704 ever. H5769 I will be his father, H1 and he shall be my son. H1121 If he commit iniquity, H5753 I will chasten H3198 him with the rod H7626 of men, H582 and with the stripes H5061 of the children H1121 of men: H120 But my mercy H2617 shall not depart away H5493 from him, as I took H5493 it from Saul, H7586 whom I put away H5493 before H6440 thee. And thine house H1004 and thy kingdom H4467 shall be established H539 for H5704 ever H5769 before H6440 thee: thy throne H3678 shall be established H3559 for H5704 ever. H5769

Psalms 89:35-37 STRONG

Once H259 have I sworn H7650 by my holiness H6944 that I will not lie H3576 unto David. H1732 His seed H2233 shall endure for ever, H5769 and his throne H3678 as the sun H8121 before me. It shall be established H3559 for ever H5769 as the moon, H3394 and as a faithful H539 witness H5707 in heaven. H7834 Selah. H5542

Psalms 132:11-12 STRONG

The LORD H3068 hath sworn H7650 in truth H571 unto David; H1732 he will not turn H7725 from it; Of the fruit H6529 of thy body H990 will I set H7896 upon thy throne. H3678 If thy children H1121 will keep H8104 my covenant H1285 and my testimony H5713 that H2090 H2097 I shall teach H3925 them, their children H1121 shall also sit H3427 upon thy throne H3678 for evermore. H5703

2 Samuel 7:25-29 STRONG

And now, O LORD H3068 God, H430 the word H1697 that thou hast spoken H1696 concerning thy servant, H5650 and concerning his house, H1004 establish H6965 it for H5704 ever, H5769 and do H6213 as thou hast said. H1696 And let thy name H8034 be magnified H1431 for H5704 ever, H5769 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is the God H430 over Israel: H3478 and let the house H1004 of thy servant H5650 David H1732 be established H3559 before H6440 thee. For thou, O LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 God H430 of Israel, H3478 hast revealed H1540 H241 to thy servant, H5650 saying, H559 I will build H1129 thee an house: H1004 therefore hath thy servant H5650 found H4672 in his heart H3820 to pray H6419 this prayer H8605 unto thee. And now, O Lord H136 GOD, H3069 thou art that God, H430 and thy words H1697 be true, H571 and thou hast promised H1696 this goodness H2896 unto thy servant: H5650 Therefore now let it please H2974 thee to bless H1288 the house H1004 of thy servant, H5650 that it may continue for ever H5769 before H6440 thee: for thou, O Lord H136 GOD, H3069 hast spoken H1696 it: and with thy blessing H1293 let the house H1004 of thy servant H5650 be blessed H1288 for ever. H5769

1 Kings 3:7-8 STRONG

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

1 Chronicles 17:11-14 STRONG

And it shall come to pass, when thy days H3117 be expired H4390 that thou must go H3212 to be with thy fathers, H1 that I will raise up H6965 thy seed H2233 after H310 thee, which shall be of thy sons; H1121 and I will establish H3559 his kingdom. H4438 He shall build H1129 me an house, H1004 and I will stablish H3559 his throne H3678 for H5704 ever. H5769 I will be his father, H1 and he shall be my son: H1121 and I will not take H5493 my mercy H2617 away H5493 from him, as I took H5493 it from him that was before H6440 thee: But I will settle H5975 him in mine house H1004 and in my kingdom H4438 for ever: H5769 and his throne H3678 shall be established H3559 for H5704 evermore. H5769

1 Chronicles 17:23-27 STRONG

Therefore now, LORD, H3068 let the thing H1697 that thou hast spoken H1696 concerning thy servant H5650 and concerning his house H1004 be established H539 for H5704 ever, H5769 and do H6213 as thou hast said. H1696 Let it even be established, H539 that thy name H8034 may be magnified H1431 for H5704 ever, H5769 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is the God H430 of Israel, H3478 even a God H430 to Israel: H3478 and let the house H1004 of David H1732 thy servant H5650 be established H3559 before H6440 thee. For thou, O my God, H430 hast told H1540 H241 thy servant H5650 that thou wilt build H1129 him an house: H1004 therefore thy servant H5650 hath found H4672 in his heart to pray H6419 before H6440 thee. And now, LORD, H3068 thou art God, H430 and hast promised H1696 this goodness H2896 unto thy servant: H5650 Now therefore let it please H2974 thee to bless H1288 the house H1004 of thy servant, H5650 that it may be before H6440 thee for ever: H5769 for thou blessest, H1288 O LORD, H3068 and it shall be blessed H1288 for ever. H5769

1 Chronicles 28:6-7 STRONG

And he said H559 unto me, Solomon H8010 thy son, H1121 he shall build H1129 my house H1004 and my courts: H2691 for I have chosen H977 him to be my son, H1121 and I will be his father. H1 Moreover I will establish H3559 his kingdom H4438 for ever, H5769 if he be constant H2388 to do H6213 my commandments H4687 and my judgments, H4941 as at this day. H3117

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 1

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 1 Matthew Henry Commentary


An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of

The Second Book of Chronicles

Chapter 1

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 (v. 1-6) and by prayer (v. 7-12).
  • II. How he honoured Israel by increasing their strength, wealth, and trade (v. 13-17).

2Ch 1:1-12

Here is,

  • I. Solomon's great prosperity, v. 1. Though he had a contested title, yet, God being with him, he was strengthened in his kingdom; his heart and hands were strengthened, and his interest in the people. God's presence will be our strength.
  • 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.
    • 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, v. 2, 3. 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.
    • 2. He offered abundance of sacrifices to God there (v. 6): 1000 burnt-offerings, and perhaps a greater number of peace-offerings, on which he and his company feasted before the Lord. Where God sows plentifully he expects to reap accordingly. His father David had left him flocks and herds in abundance (1 Chr. 27:29, 31), and thus he gave God his dues out of them. The ark was at Jerusalem (v. 4), but the altar was at Gibeon (v. 5), and thither he brought his sacrifices; for it is the altar that sanctifieth every gift.
    • 3. He prayed a good prayer to God: this, with the answer to it, we had before, 1 Ki. 3:5, etc.
      • (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 (Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full), 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 have? tries a man as much as, What wouldst thou do? Thus God tried whether Solomon was one of the children of this world, that say, Who will show us any good, or of the children of light, that say, Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. 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, Give me wisdom and knowledge. He owns those to be desirable gifts, and God to be the giver of them, Prov. 2:6. 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.] Thou hast made me reign in my father's stead, v. 8. "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.] Let thy promise to David my father be established, v. 9. He means the promise of concerning his successor. "In performance of that promise, Lord, give me wisdom.' 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, 2 Sa. 7:13-15. The promise was, He shall build a house for my name, I will establish his throne, he shall be my son, and my mercy shall not depart from him. "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, Lord, give me wisdom.' Note,
          • First, God's promises are our best pleas in prayer. Remember thy word unto thy servant.
          • Secondly, 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.
          • Thirdly, 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.
    • 4. He received a gracious answer to this prayer, v. 11, 12.
      • (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, James 1:5. 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.

2Ch 1:13-17

Here is,

  • 1. Solomon's entrance upon the government (v. 13): He came from before the tabernacle, and reigned over Israel. 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 (v. 14): He gathered chariots and horsemen. Shall we praise him for this? We praise him not; for the king was forbidden to multiply horses, Deu. 17:16. 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, v. 15. 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. How much better therefore is it to get wisdom than gold! 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, v. 16, 17. This we had before, 1 Ki. 10:28, 29. 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, She maketh fine linen, and selleth it, and delivereth girdles of it to the merchant, Prov. 31:24. In all labour there is profit.