The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon. Solomon s Splendor. Solomon s Death. 2 Chronicles 9:1-31

Transcription

1 1 The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon Solomon s Splendor Solomon s Death 2 Chronicles 9:1-31

2 2 The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon Solomon s Splendor Solomon s Death 2 Chronicles 9:1-31 Text: 2 Chronicles 9:1-31, 1. When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 2. Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. 3. When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, 4. the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord s temple, she was amazed. 5. She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! 6. I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn t hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me.

3 3 7. Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! 8. May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions. 9. She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. 10. (Huram s servants, aided by Solomon s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as fine timber and precious gems. 11. With the timber the king made steps for the Lord s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.) 12. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. 13. Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year, 14. besides what he collected from the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of hammered gold were used for each shield. 16. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 300 measures of gold were used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.

4 4 17. The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18. There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. 19. There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom. 20. All of King Solomon s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon s time. 21. The king had a fleet of large merchant ships manned by Huram s men that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 22. King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. 23. All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. 24. Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules. 25. Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 26. He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. 27. The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands.

5 5 28. Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands. 29. The rest of the events of Solomon s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 30. Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years. 31. Then Solomon passed away and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king. (NET) Introduction: I. This chapter, the last dealing in 2 Chronicles exclusively with Solomon, deals with three (3) principal topics; viz.,... A. The queen of Sheba s visit. B. Solomon s Splendor. C. Solomon s death. Commentary: The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon 2 Chronicles 9:1, When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited

6 6 Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. (NET) I. When the queen of Sheba (Saba) heard of Solomon s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. A. Parallel reference: 1. 1 Kings 10:1-13, When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants, their robes, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he presented in the Lord s temple, she was amazed. She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn t hear even half the story! Your wisdom and wealth surpass what was reported to me. Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel!

7 7 Because of the Lord s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions. She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. (Hiram s fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a very large quantity of fine timber and precious gems. With the timber the king made supports for the Lord s temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.) King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. (NET) B. Sheba (Targum, Zemargad (Clarke)) is thought to be the present country of Ethiopia or the region of modern Yemen on the Arabian coast some 1,400 miles from Jerusalem. (Coffman and Hicks) 1. Sheba, Hicks wrote quoting Selman, was wellknown in ancient times for its wealth, based on trade in frankincense and myrrh. a. Ezekiel 27:22-23, The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants

8 8 from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients. (NET) 2. Saba/Seba is thought to have been the ancient capital of Sheba. C. The queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions Chronicles 9:3, 5-7, When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn t hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! (NET) 2. 2 Chronicles 1:12, you are granted wisdom and discernment. Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you. (NET) D. Sheba is mentioned a number of times in scripture; for example, Job 6:19, The caravans of Tema looked intently for these streams; the traveling merchants of Sheba hoped for them. (NET)

9 9 2. Psalm 72:10, 15, The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute. May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba! May they continually pray for him! May they pronounce blessings on him all day long! (NET) 3. Isaiah 60:6, Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the Lord. (NET) 4. Jeremiah 6:20, I take no delight when they offer up to me frankincense that comes from Sheba or sweet-smelling cane imported from a faraway land. I cannot accept the burnt offerings they bring me. I get no pleasure from the sacrifices they offer to me. (NET) 5. Ezekiel 27:22, 23, The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. 23 Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients. (NET) II. Arriving with a very great caravan with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.

10 10 A. The queen was impressed with Solomon s wealth, but was very wealthy in her own right as this passage makes clear. (See Hicks.) B. Spices were a major export of Arabia, Syria and Persia. 1. Spices were used for domestic, ecclesiastical and funeral purposes, according to The Pulpit commentary. a. 2 Chronicles 16:14, He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David. They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him. (NET) C. Number of precious stones are named in the Old Testament. 1. The Pulpit Commentary states that the precious stones brought to Solomon by the queen of Sheba probably included pearls from the Persian Gulf. a. 1 Chronicles 29:2, So I have made every effort to provide what is needed for the temple of my God, including the gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, as well as a large amount of onyx, settings of antimony and other stones, all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster. (NET) b. Ezekiel 27:16, Edom was your trade partner because of the abundance of your

11 11 goods; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your products. (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:2, Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. (NET) I. Solomon answered all her questions;... A. Judges 14:2, When he got home, he told his father and mother, A Philistine girl in Timnah has caught my eye. Now get her for my wife. (NET) B. 1 Kings 4:29-32, God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt. He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations. He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. (NET) II. nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. A. Solomon answered well all of the queen of Sheba s questions to her complete satisfaction. B. There was no question Solomon could not answer which the queen of Sheba asked of him.

12 12 2 Chronicles 9:3, When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, (NET) I. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built,... 2 Chronicles 9:4, the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord s temple, she was amazed. (NET) I. the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord,... A. 1 Kings 4:22, 23, Each day Solomon s royal court consumed thirty cors of finely milled flour, sixty cors of cereal, ten calves fattened in the stall, twenty calves from the pasture, and a hundred sheep, not to mention rams, gazelles, deer, and well-fed birds. (NET) B. 1 Kings 10:21, All of King Solomon s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon s time. (NET) C. Solomon s banquets and retinue were, in all respects, without equal in the ancient world. 1. the queen of Sheba was awe struck!

13 13 D. The religious pageantry also impressed the queen. II. she was overwhelmed, awe struck. 2 Chronicles 9:5, She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! (NET) I. She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 2 Chronicles 9:6, I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn t hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. (NET) I. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. II. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me;... A. The queen of Sheba could not believe the reports she had heard of Solomon s achievements and wisdom, but when she came and saw for herself she was convinced that the half had not been told. 1. Solomon s greatness was confirmed and was more than twice as great as previously reported. III. you have far exceeded the report I heard.

14 14 2 Chronicles 9:7, Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! (NET) I. How happy your men must be! II. How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 2 Chronicles 9:8, May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions. (NET) I. Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. A. The queen of Sheba gave God credit for elevating Solomon to this illustrious state of glory and success. (See Hicks.) 1. 1 Kings 10:6-9, She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn t hear even half the story! Your wisdom and wealth surpass what was reported to me. Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing

15 15 you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions. (NET) 2. 2 Chronicles 9:5-8, She said to the king, The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn t hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions. (NET) B. Hicks wrote,... Solomon s kingdom is the kingdom of God, that his throne is God s throne, and that he rules as God s representative. Thus, the glory of Solomon is really the glory of God. C. The queen of Sheba here speaks of the Lord your God without any indication that she had any interest in making the Lord her God too. (The Pulpit Commentary) 1. Compare Hiram s statement with that of the queen of Sheba s.

16 16 a. 2 Chronicles 2:12, Huram also said, Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. (NET) II. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness. A. Solomon was to rule God s people with justice and righteousness, but he all too often failed to live and rule according to God s instructions. (See Hicks.) B. God desired to uphold Israel forever, but their departure from God caused God to depart from Israel. C. Jesus Christ and the spiritual Israel shall exist forever. 1. John 1:14-18, Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John testified about him and shouted out, This one was the one about whom I said, He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me. For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in

17 17 closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. (NET) 2. John 3:16, For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (NET) 3. Matthew 12:42, The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and now, something greater than Solomon is here! (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:9, She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. (NET) I. Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. A. Hicks calculated the 120 talents of gold weighed 3.9 tons! II. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. A. Sheba was famous for its spices. 2 Chronicles 9:10, (Huram s servants, aided by Solomon s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as fine timber and precious gems. (NET)

18 18 I. The men of Hiram and the men of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. A. Parallel reference: 1. 1 Kings 10:11, 12, (Hiram s fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a very large quantity of fine timber and precious gems. With the timber the king made supports for the Lord s temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.) (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:11, With the timber the king made steps for the Lord s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.) (NET) I. The kings used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. A. These gifts were evidently used to construct Solomon s throne which was so elaborate that it really impressed the queen of Sheba. B. The effect of the magnificent throne on the queen of Sheba may be the reason verses 10, 11 are found here. 1. Otherwise, these verses would appear to be out of place, unconnected with the context

19 19 C. The algum/almug trees are mentioned only six times in scripture; viz., 1. 2 Chronicles 2:8, Send me cedars, evergreens, and algum trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adept at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants (NET) 2. 2 Chronicles 9:10, 11, (Huram s servants, aided by Solomon s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as fine timber and precious gems. With the timber the king made steps for the Lord s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.) (NET) 3. 1 Kings 10:11, 12, (Hiram s fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a very large quantity of fine timber and precious gems. 12 With the timber the king made supports for the Lord s temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.) (NET) 4. Exactly what this valuable wood was is not known with certainty. (See The Pulpit Commentary.) D. This valuable wood was used to make harps and lyres/psalteries.

20 20 1. These musical instruments were unique, special in Judah. 2. Harps and lyres were similar instruments, harps being the bigger of the two, psaltery being used interchangeably as a synonym for these two words. (Youngblood) II. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah. A. Judah had reached the apex of its worldly glory and standing among the nations. 2 Chronicles 9:12, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. (NET) I. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for;... A. Tradition holds that Solomon sired a son by the queen of Sheba whose descendants have been subsequent rulers of Ethiopia. (Coffman and Hicks) B. 1 Kings 10:13, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. (NET) II. he gave her more than she had brought to him.

21 21 A. Solomon s gifts to the queen of Sheba were greater than her gifts to him. B. Many of the gifts were exchanges as to value, but Solomon s gifts to the queen were more extensive than her gifts to him. III. then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. Solomon s Splendor 2 Chronicles 9:13, Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year, (NET) I. Parallel reference: A. 1 Kings 10:14-22, Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year, besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest. The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at

22 22 each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom. (NET) II. The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,... A. Solomon squandered all this immense wealth on ostentatious, wasteful self aggrandizement! (See Coffman.) B. What happened to Solomon s immense wealth? 1. Hicks stated that the best answer is that it was taken during Pharaoh Shishak s invasion. a. 2 Chronicles 12:2, Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in King Rehoboam s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:14, besides what he collected from the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. (NET) I. not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. II. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. A. Coffman regarded these gifts as involuntary and the results of extortion by Solomon of neighboring rulers.

23 23 1. Coffman also regards this as disobedience to God. a. Deuteronomy 17:16-17, Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way. Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold. (NET) b. Solomon violated all provisions of this passage! B. Coffman took the position that the governors of this verse were Israelite rulers. 1. Solomon evidently taxed his people grievously which, upon his death, led in part to the division of the kingdom. 2. Governors are also designated variously as captains and deputies. (Pulpit Commentary) 2 Chronicles 9:15, King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of hammered gold were used for each shield. (NET) I. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred bekas of hammered gold went into each shield. A. Golden shields were useless for military purposes, Hicks wrote.

24 24 1. These golden shields were purely decorative. B. A beka/bekah was a half-shekel. 1. Exodus 30:13, 15, Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered is to pay this: a half shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering to the Lord. The rich are not to increase it, and the poor are not to pay less than the half shekel when giving the offering of the Lord, to make atonement for your lives. (NET) 2. Exodus 38:26, one beka per person, that is, a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, for everyone who crossed over to those numbered, from twenty years old or older, 603,550 in all. (NET) 3. Genesis 24:22, After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave them to her. (NET) 4. A shekel was the most common weight in the Hebrew system and weighed 11.4 grams, or less than half an ounce. (Youngblood) 2 Chronicles 9:16, He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 300 measures of gold were

25 25 used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest. (NET) I. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with 300 bekas of gold in each shield. II. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. A. This palace/house was evidently an armory. (The Pulpit Commentary) 1. 1 Kings 7:2-5, He named it The Palace of the Lebanon Forest ; it was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar pillars and cedar beams above the pillars. The roof above the beams supported by the pillars was also made of cedar; there were forty-five beams, fifteen per row. There were three rows of windows arranged in sets of three. All of the entrances were rectangular in shape and they were arranged in sets of three. (NET) 2. 2 Samuel 8:7, David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. (NET) 3. Isaiah 22:8, They removed the defenses of Judah. At that time you looked for the weapons in the House of the Forest. (NET) B. Shishak took these shields when he conquered Jerusalem. (The Pulpit Commentary)

26 Kings 14:26, He took away the treasures of the Lord s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including all the golden shields that Solomon had made. (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:17, The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. (NET) I. Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. A. This was one expensive chair! 2 Chronicles 9:18, There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. (NET) I. The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. II. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 2 Chronicles 9:19, There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom. (NET) I. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step.

27 27 A. The lions were, Coffman believed, a violation of Exodus 20: Exodus 20:4-6, You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (NET) II. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 2 Chronicles 9:20, All of King Solomon s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon s time. (NET) I. All King Solomon s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. A. These drinking vessels indicate that the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon was either used for social and state occasions or was located near Solomon s palace or both of these.

28 28 II. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon s day. 2 Chronicles 9:21, The king had a fleet of large merchant ships manned by Huram s men that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. (NET) I. The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram s men. II. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes (monkeys) and baboons. A. The Targum reads that the ships went to Africa. B. 1 Kings 10:22, The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him, Go, fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the king of Syria will attack you. (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:22, King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. (NET) I. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. A. Solomon had asked the Lord for wisdom that he might rule Israel well. 1. In this, Solomon was a failure! a. Psalm 111:10, To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all

29 29 who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. He will receive praise forever. (NET) b. One thing is certain; namely, that Solomon neither feared God nor honored his commandments. (Coffman) 2. The worldly wisdom here mentioned led to Solomon s self glorification. B. Solomon s international status is due to his riches and wisdom, Hicks wrote Kings 4:20-21, The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy. Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon s subjects throughout his lifetime. (NET) 2. Genesis 15:18, That day the Lord made a covenant with Abram: To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River (NET) 3. Exodus 23:31, I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. (NET)

30 30 4. Joshua 1:4, Your territory will extend from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all of Syria) and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. (NET) 2 Chronicles 9:23, All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. (NET) I. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. A. These gifts were presented year after year indicating that these gifts were taxes or tribute. (Coffman) B. These tributes were paid partly in money and partly in kind, The Pulpit Commentary concluded. C. Solomon s visitors were accomplished flatterers who sought to make a favorable impression on the conceited Solomon whom they unwillingly served as his vassals. (Coffman) 2 Chronicles 9:25, Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. (NET)

31 31 I. Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. A. 2 Chronicles 1:14-17, Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king s traders purchased them from Que. They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria. (NET) B. 1 Kings 4:26, Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. (NET) C. 1 Kings 10:26b-27, He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. (NET) D. For more on Solomon s chariot cities, see: 1. 1 Kings 9:19, all the storage cities that belonged to him, and the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom. (NET)

32 Chronicles 1:14, Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. (NET) 3. These chariot cities were located at strategic locations through out the land to provide for Israel s maximum defense. (See Pulpit Commentary) 2 Chronicles 9:26, He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. (NET) I. He ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 2 Chronicles 9:27, The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. (NET) I. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. A. 1 Chronicles 27:28, Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the lowlands; Joash was in charge of the storehouses of olive oil. (NET) B. 2 Chronicles 1:15, The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. (NET)

33 33 2 Chronicles 9:28, Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands. (NET) I. Solomon s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries. Note: In splendor, wealth and respect among its neighbors, Israel/Judah stood as more than an equal. Israel/Judah stood as a respected country among other great nations of the ancient middle east. Solomon s Death 2 Chronicles 9:29, The rest of the events of Solomon s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. (NET) I. As for the other events of Solomon s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet,... A. The writer, probably Ezra, of 1 and 2 Chronicles relied on solid records including 1 and 2 Kings while being guided in his work by the Holy Spirit. B. These references are all lost to history. C. Nathan was an influential and prominent prophet during the reigns of David and Solomon. (Youngblood)

34 Chronicles 17:1-15, palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, Look, I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of the Lord s covenant is under a tent. Nathan said to David, You should do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you. That night God told Nathan the prophet, Go, tell my servant David: This is what the Lord says: You must not build me a house in which to live. For I have not lived in a house from the time I brought Israel up from Egypt to the present day. I have lived in a tent that has been in various places. Wherever I moved throughout Israel, I did not say to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, Why have you not built me a house made from cedar? So now, say this to my servant David: This is what the Lord who commands armies says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel. I was with you wherever you went and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed anymore. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies. I declare to you that the Lord will build a dynastic house for you! When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will

35 35 establish his kingdom. He will build me a house, and I will make his dynasty permanent. I will become his father and he will become my son. I will never withhold my loyal love from him, as I withheld it from the one who ruled before you. I will put him in permanent charge of my house and my kingdom; his dynasty will be permanent. Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him. (NET) 2. 2 Samuel 12:1-15, 25, When he came to David, Nathan said, There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him. When a traveler arrived at the rich man s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him. Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over! Nathan said to David, You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master s house, and put your

36 36 master s wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! Why have you shown contempt for the word of the Lord by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own! This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight! Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight. Then David exclaimed to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord! Nathan replied to David, Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die. Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die. Then Nathan went to his home. The Lord struck the child that Uriah s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the Lord s sake. (NET)

37 Chronicles 29:25, King Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord s temple with cymbals and stringed instruments, just as David, Gad the king s prophet, and Nathan the prophet had ordered. (The Lord had actually given these orders through his prophets.) (NET) 4. 1 Kings 1:8-45, But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David s elite warriors did not ally themselves with Adonijah. Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king s sons, as well as all the men of Judah, the king s servants. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon. Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon s mother, Has it been reported to you that Haggith s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David s back? Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon s life. Visit King David and say to him, My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise your servant, Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne? So why has Adonijah become king? While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report. So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king. The king said, What do you want? She

38 38 replied to him, My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God, Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne. But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, my master the king, are not even aware of it! He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. Now, my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals. Just then, while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. The king was told, Nathan the prophet is here. Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. Nathan said, My master, O king, did you announce, Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne? For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment they are having a feast in his presence, and they have declared, Long live King Adonijah! But he did not invite me your servant or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants who should succeed my master the king on his throne?

39 39 King David responded, Summon Bathsheba! She came and stood before the king. The king swore an oath: As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me from every danger), I will keep today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne. Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor and said, May my master, King David, live forever! King David said, Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada. They came before the king, and he told them, Take your master s servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, Long live King Solomon! Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah. Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded to the king: So be it! May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it! As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David! So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, put Solomon on King David s mule, and led him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil from the tent and poured it on Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people

40 40 declared, Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake. Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city? As he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, Come in, for an important man like you must be bringing good news. Jonathan replied to Adonijah: No! Our master King David has made Solomon king. The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king s mule. Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. (NET) 5. 1 Chronicles 29:29, King David s accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Samuel the prophet, the Annals of Nathan the prophet, and the Annals of Gad the prophet. (NET) II. in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and... A. This Ahijah, one of nine (9) Old Testament people of this name, was from Shiloh and prophesied of the coming division of Israel and Judah. (Youngblood)

41 Kings 11:29-39, At that time, when Jeroboam had left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road; the two of them were alone in the open country. Ahijah was wearing a brand new robe, and he grabbed the robe and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he told Jeroboam, Take ten pieces, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: Look, I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon s hand and I will give ten tribes to you. He will retain one tribe, for my servant David s sake and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. I am taking the kingdom from him because they have abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon s father David did. I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand. I will allow him to be ruler for the rest of his life for the sake of my chosen servant David who kept my commandments and rules. I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give ten tribes to you. I will leave his son one tribe so my servant David s dynasty may continue to serve me in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as my home. I will select you; you will rule over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel. You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and

42 42 establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; I will give you Israel. I will humiliate David s descendants because of this, but not forever. (NET) 2. 1 Kings 14:1-18, At that time Jeroboam s son Abijah became sick. Jeroboam told his wife, Disguise yourself so that people cannot recognize you are Jeroboam s wife. Then go to Shiloh; Ahijah the prophet, who told me I would rule over this nation, lives there. Take ten loaves of bread, some small cakes, and a container of honey and visit him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy. Jeroboam s wife did as she was told. She went to Shiloh and visited Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; he had lost his eyesight in his old age. But the Lord had told Ahijah, Look, Jeroboam s wife is coming to find out from you what will happen to her son, for he is sick. Tell her so-and-so. When she comes, she will be in a disguise. When Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, Come on in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else? I have been commissioned to give you bad news. Go, tell Jeroboam, This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel. I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve. You have sinned more than all