HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 754
2 C H RO N I C L ES 1
page 384
promote godly character and standards of living among God’s people. The surest way to
destroy God’s house is to ignore the lack of godliness or even to encourage ungodliness.
So it was with ancient kings, and so it is today.
As you read 2 Chronicles, note the signs that led to Judah’s demise. Then commit yourself to being the person God wants you to be. God has placed many of us in positions of
leadership—in our homes, businesses, small groups, even our circle of friends. Second
Chronicles offers powerful lessons about how we can influence others to be followers of
God rather than be influenced to fall away from him.
Key verses in 2 Chronicles
2:5 “This must be a magnificent
Temple because our God is greater
than all other gods.”
6:14 He prayed, “O Lord, God of
Israel, there is no God like you in
all of heaven and earth. You keep
your covenant and show unfailing
love to all who walk before you in
wholehearted devotion.”
13:10 “But as for us, the Lord
is our God, and we have not
abandoned him.”
14:11 “O Lord, no one but you
can help the powerless against the
mighty! Help us, O Lord our God,
for we trust in you alone.”
19:6-7 “Always think carefully
before pronouncing judgment.
Remember that you do not judge
to please people but to please the
Lord. He will be with you when
you render the verdict in each
case. Fear the Lord and judge
with integrity, for the Lord our
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
Solomon son of David took firm control of
his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with
him and made him very powerful.
2 Solomon called together all the leaders of
Israel—the generals and captains of the army,*
the judges, and all the political and clan leaders. 3 Then he led the entire assembly to the
place of worship in Gibeon, for God’s Tabernacle* was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had made
in the wilderness.)
4 David had already moved the Ark of God
from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared
for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar made
by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was
there* at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the
Lord. So Solomon and the people gathered in
front of it to consult the Lord.* 6 There in front of
the Tabernacle, Solomon went up to the bronze
altar in the Lord’s presence and sacrificed
1,000 burnt offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and
said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give
it to you!”
8 Solomon replied to God, “You showed great
and faithful love to David, my father, and now
you have made me king in his place. 9 O Lord
God, please continue to keep your promise to
David my father, for you have made me king
over a people as numerous as the dust of the
1
God does not tolerate perverted
justice, partiality, or the taking
of bribes.”
30:9 “For the Lord your God is
gracious and merciful. If you return
to him, he will not continue to turn
his face from you.”
34:2 He did what was pleasing in
the Lord’s sight and followed the
example of his ancestor David. He
did not turn away from doing what
was right.
earth! 10 Give me the wisdom and knowledge
to lead them properly,* for who could possibly
govern this great people of yours?”
11 God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not
ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death
of your enemies or a long life, but rather you
asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly
govern my people—12 I will certainly give you
the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I
will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such
as no other king has had before you or will ever
have in the future!”
13 Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from
the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.
14 Solomon built up a huge force of chariots
and horses.* He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000
horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. 15 The
king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was
as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow
in the foothills of Judah.* 16 Solomon’s horses
were imported from Egypt* and from Cilicia*;
1:2 Hebrew the commanders of thousands and of hundreds.
1:3 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 1:6, 13. 1:5a As in Greek
version and Latin Vulgate, and some Hebrew manuscripts;
Masoretic Text reads he placed. 1:5b Hebrew to consult him.
1:10 Hebrew to go out and come in before this people. 1:14 Or
charioteers; also in 1:14b. 1:15 Hebrew the Shephelah.
1:16a Possibly Muzur, a district near Cilicia; also in 1:17.
1:16b Hebrew Kue, probably another name for Cilicia.