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| 1 Kings 1-12 History of Solomon. | 2 Chronicles 1-9 The Reign of Solomon |
| The Solomonic Era (1:1;12:24) | |
| A. Solomon’s Succession to the Throne (1:1-2:12) | |
| B. Solomon’s Throne Established (2:13-46) | |
| C. Solomon’s Wisdom (ch. 3) |
A. The Gift of Wisdom (ch. 1) |
| D. Solomon’s Reign Characterized (ch. 4) |
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| E. Solomon’s Building Projects (5:1-9:9) |
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| 1. Preparation for building the temple (ch. 5) |
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| 2. Building the temple (ch. 6) |
B. Building the Temple (2:1-5:1) |
| 3. Building the palace (7:1-12) |
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| 4. The temple furnishings (7:13-51) |
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| 5. Dedication of the temple (ch. 8) |
C. Dedication of the Temple (5:2-7:22) |
| 6. The Lord’s response and warning (9:1-9) |
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| F. Solomon’s Reign Characterized (9:10-10:29) |
D. Solomon’s Other Activities (ch. 8) |
| G. Solomon’s Folly (11:1-13) |
E. Solomon’s Wisdom, Splendor and Death (ch. 9) |
| H. Solomon’s Throne Threatened (11:14-43) |
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| I. Rehoboam’s Succession to the Throne (12:1-24) |
Solomon’s prayer. (22-53): Parallel in 2 Chro. 6:12 – 42
After the ark of the covenant has arrive in the Temple of God (1-13), Solomon addressed the congregation of Israel explaining the need for this event (14-21). Now, he is turning towards God and prayed.
Solomon prayer contains 7-fold petitions unto God.
In each, he prays that God should HEAR FROM HEAVEN (vs. 32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49).
1. If a man sins against his neighbor (Vs.. 31&32)…. According to Numbers 5:11-31, if a case or an accusation doesn’t have witnesses or evidence and became hard to judge in a normal legal system, God is invoked as judge through a priestly ritual by making the person to take an oath before the altar of God.
2. When Your people Israel is defeated (Vs. 33,34)….When the sin of Israel brought defeat in the battle and subsequent exile into a foreign land, and if the people a) turn back to God, b.) acknowledge His Name, and c.) pray and plead in the Temple, Solomon is pleading God that He would forgive their sins and bring them to the land.
3. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain (Vs. 35, 36)….If this is by the sins of Israel, and if the people a) turn back to God, b.) acknowledge His Name, and c.) pray and plead in the Temple, Solomon is pleading God that He would teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain.
4. (Vs. 37-40)…Famine,…pestilence…mildew or locust or caterpillar, or enemy besieges….If their sin is the cause, and when they repent, Solomon is pleading God that He would teach them the good way in which they should walk, and the trouble is removed.
5. When a foreigner,…when he comes and prays towards this house,(41-43)…Now, Solomon is turning towards the foreigners who prays in the Temple. God talked through Moses about foreigners who live in their midst in Deuteronomy 4:34 & 5:15. Solomon plead to God that He would answer their prayers so that all the peoples of the earth may know His Name and fear Him.
6. If Your people go out in battle,…and they pray to the LORD towards the city that You have chosen… (44- 45)…This is similar to petition number 2, but this time it is not the sin, but acknowledging God by praying in the temple. So it is about the VICTORY IN GOD.
7. If they sin against You… and You are angry,….,(46-51)…Solomon is going back to defeat because of sin and have been taken into captivity. If they repent and pray toward the land, city, and temple (Dan. 6:10), Solomon pleads to God to hear their prayers and bring them back into the land. So, Solomon expects repeated exiles due to their sin. Here Solomon gives God a reason to forgive them and bring them back into the land. The reason is that they are God’s heritage, the people brought out of Egypt (v. 51 cf. Deut. 4:20).
2 Chronicles 6 adds a short song in 2 Chronicles 6:41 & 42.
The Chronicler follows source in 1 Kings 8:12–50a quite closely in his presentation of Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple. Yet whereas the earlier version finishes with an appeal to the exodus under Moses as the basis of God’s relationship with Israel (1 Kings 8:50b–53), the Chronicler focuses instead on the Davidic covenant (2 Chron. 6:41–42, from Ps. 132:8–10). For the Chronicler’s own postexilic generation, the temple signified God’s promise to David of an enduring kingdom, however restricted Israel’s present circumstances might seem. ESV-SB
1 Kings 8:50b talks and appeals to God’s grace and Mercy that was shown in the Exodus event, whereas Chronicles quotes Ps. 132:8-10. As we know, the audience of Chronicles are post-exilic (Ezra, & Nehemiah) period. Also, we should note that the book of Chronicles was authored probably by Ezra, the priest returned from Babylon to reinstate the worship in Jerusalem Temple.
So this quote functions as a prayer requesting God to once again come with power, grace and the glory for the post-exilic Temple. God promised HIS presence in the Temple that Solomon was built and He kept His promise by filling the temple with HIS glory. So, 2 Chronicles 6:42 is a prayer insertion of post-exilic people.
His blessing and exhortation. (54-61):
Solomon is referring to the promises God gave through Moses about entering into Canaan for rest, and the establishment of the congregation of Israel.
1. The ultimate call for Israelites is to walk in God’s ways,
2. The purpose is that all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other (Deut. 4:35).
3. Israel’s role in the world (41-43) as we read om Genesis 12:1-3, and also in Exodus 19:6 which refers Israel to be a “Kingdom of Priests,” mediating from God to the world. Read 1 Peter 2:9, Rev. 1:6, Rev. 5:10, Rev. 20:6.
Solomon’s peace-offerings. (62-66):Solomon offered a great sacrifice. He kept the feast of tabernacles, as it seems, after the feast of dedication. Thus should we go home, rejoicing, from holy ordinances, thankful for God’s Goodness.