Commentary - 2 Chronicles 1:7-13

Bird's-eye view

This passage is foundational for understanding the reign of Solomon. It is a glorious beginning. God appears to the newly established king and offers him what amounts to a blank check. Solomon's response reveals a heart rightly oriented toward his calling. He doesn't ask for personal gain, but for the necessary equipment to govern God's people well. This pleases God immensely, who not only grants the request for wisdom but lavishes upon Solomon all the things he did not ask for. This event establishes the character of Solomon's early reign and serves as a powerful illustration of the principle taught by our Lord Jesus: seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you. It is a high point in the history of Israel, a glimpse of the glory of the Davidic covenant, and a type of the greater Son of David, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Outline

Context In 2 Chronicles

This event occurs at the very beginning of Solomon's reign. His father David is dead, and the kingdom has been consolidated under his rule. He has just offered a thousand burnt offerings at Gibeon, demonstrating a public piety and a desire to honor God. This divine visitation is God's response to that worship. It is the moment that defines the nature and character of his kingship. The wisdom granted here will be demonstrated in the subsequent chapters, and the wealth and glory promised will become the hallmark of his era. This is the anointing of Solomon, not with oil, but with the very wisdom of God, equipping him for the monumental task of building the Temple and governing Israel at its zenith.

Key Issues

Verse-by-Verse Commentary

7 In that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I should give to you.”

The scene is set at night, a common time for divine revelation. God takes the initiative. He appears to Solomon, not the other way around. And the offer is staggering in its scope. "Ask what I should give to you." This is not a multiple choice question; it is a fill-in-the-blank. God is placing His infinite resources at Solomon's disposal. This is, of course, a test. What a man desires when he can have anything reveals everything about that man. What is in his heart? What are his ultimate priorities? This is the kind of test God puts before all of us, though usually not so dramatically. Our prayers, our ambitions, our daydreams, they all answer the question of what we would ask for if we could have anything.

8 Then Solomon said to God, “You have shown great lovingkindness to my father David, and have made me king in his place.

Solomon's response begins not with himself, but with God and with his father. He starts with gratitude and humility. He acknowledges God's hesed, His covenant loyalty and lovingkindness, to David. This is crucial. Solomon sees his own position not as something he achieved, but as an extension of God's faithfulness to the previous generation. "You...have made me king." He knows where the authority comes from. He is not a self-made man, but a God-made king. This is the proper posture for anyone in a position of authority. All authority is delegated authority, derived from God. To begin with this recognition is the first step of wisdom.

9 Now, O Yahweh God, let Your promise to my father David endure, for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

Solomon now turns from the past to the future, but he grounds his request in the same soil: God's covenant promise. He is not asking for a new favor out of the blue. He is asking God to be true to His own word, specifically the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7). This is how mature saints pray. They take God's promises and pray them back to Him. "Lord, you promised this, so now do it for your own name's sake." He then states the reason for his need, the sheer magnitude of the task. The people are "as numerous as the dust of the earth," an echo of the Abrahamic promise. The task is impossibly large, and Solomon knows it. This is not false modesty; it is stark realism. Acknowledging the weight of the calling is the prerequisite for receiving the strength to carry it.

10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can do justice for this great people of Yours?”

Here is the request. Not for power, not for wealth, but for wisdom and knowledge. And notice the purpose: "that I may go out and come in before this people." This is the language of leadership, of military command and civil governance. It is practical, administrative wisdom. He wants to know how to lead, how to judge, how to make the thousand daily decisions a king must make. And why? For the sake of "this great people of Yours." He sees the people of Israel not as his people, but as God's people. He is a steward, a shepherd under the Great Shepherd. The question "who can do justice for this great people of Yours?" is rhetorical. The answer is, "No mere man can." It is an admission of utter dependency on God. This is the heart of a true king.

11 And God said to Solomon, “Because you had this in your heart, and did not ask for riches, wealth, or glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may do justice for My people over whom I have made you king,

God's response is a commendation before it is a confirmation. God opens up Solomon's heart and shows him what was in it, and what was not. He did not ask for the typical things that pagan kings, and frankly most men, lust after. Riches and wealth are for personal indulgence. Glory is for personal pride. The death of enemies is for personal security and vengeance. Long life is for personal preservation. All of these are self-centered requests. Solomon's request was God-centered and other-centered. He wanted to be equipped to serve God's people. God was pleased because Solomon's heart was aligned with God's heart. God cares about His people, and He is pleased when their leaders do as well.

12 wisdom and knowledge have been given to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and glory, such as none of the kings who were before you had nor those who will come after you.”

The request is granted, stated in the past tense: "have been given to you." It is a done deal. But then comes the glorious "and." This is the principle of divine addition. God is no man's debtor. When you seek first the things of God, He throws in everything else besides. Solomon asked for the one thing necessary for his calling, and God gave him that plus all the things he had the good sense not to ask for. And the degree is superlative. The riches, wealth, and glory would be unparalleled in history. God does not just meet needs; He blesses extravagantly. He gives generously, "good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over." Solomon's wise request unlocked the storehouses of heaven.

13 So Solomon went from the high place which was at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

The scene concludes with Solomon's return to the capital. The transaction is complete. He went up to Gibeon to worship, he received his commission and his anointing of wisdom, and now he returns to Jerusalem to get to work. He reigned. The blessing was not an abstract concept; it was immediately put into practice. The wisdom was for ruling, and so he ruled. The glory was for the kingdom, and so the kingdom began to shine. This is the pattern for us. We meet with God, we receive grace and wisdom, and then we are to go back to our Jerusalem, our homes, our jobs, our communities, and reign in our appointed spheres.

Application

The story of Solomon's choice is not just an interesting piece of ancient history; it is a lesson for every believer. God is constantly asking us, through the opportunities and challenges He places before us, "What do you want?" Our prayers and priorities are our answer.

First, we must learn to ask rightly. James tells us we have not because we ask not, or because we ask amiss, to spend it on our passions (James 4:2-3). Solomon did not ask amiss. He asked for what he needed to fulfill his God-given vocation. What do you need to be a better husband, a more faithful mother, a more diligent employee, a wiser elder? Ask for that. Ask for the wisdom, knowledge, and character necessary to serve God's people in your station. Your primary request should be for spiritual equipment, not for worldly comforts.

Second, we must trust in God's "and also" blessings. Jesus taught this explicitly in the Sermon on the Mount. "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). Solomon is the great Old Testament object lesson for this truth. He sought the kingdom, and the riches were added. We are often tempted to reverse the equation, seeking the riches and hoping the kingdom gets thrown in. It does not work that way. When we make God's glory and the good of His people our central aim, God takes care of the rest. He knows what we need, and He is a generous Father.

Finally, we see in Solomon a type of Christ. Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God's people. But a greater than Solomon is here (Matt. 12:42). Jesus Christ did not need to ask for wisdom; He is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24). In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). Solomon's reign, for all its glory, was temporary and ultimately flawed. Christ's reign is eternal and perfect. To receive true wisdom is to bow the knee to King Jesus. He is the one who truly judges God's people with righteousness, and through faith in Him, we become co-heirs of a kingdom with riches and glory that make Solomon's look like pocket change.