Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 9

Introduction

The contents of these chapters, which conclude our author’s history of Solomon, are substantially identical with 1 Kings 9:10 to 1 Kings 10:28, and 1 Kings 1:41-43. The passage in 2 Chronicles 9:12, “besides that which she had brought unto the king,” which has been so often held up as a blunder of the chronicler, is probably to be explained as a defective text, a few words having in some way fallen out. As compared with 1 Kings 10:13, the sense is equivalent to, besides that which he gave her in return for what she had brought unto the king. He did not return to her the gifts which she brought him, but responded to her gifts by presents worthy of his royal state.

The chronicler omits all mention of Solomon’s sins and fall, and of the adversaries that disturbed his peace; but he informs us that Solomon fortified, and peopled with Israelites, the cities which Hiram restored; that he warred successfully against Hamath-zobah, (on which see Joshua 13:5; 1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:3, notes;) and that he rebuilt Beth-heron the Upper.

The author of Kings refers to “the book of the acts of Solomon” as the source of his information, (1 Kings 11:41,) while the chronicler cites “the book of Nathan the prophet,” “the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite,” and “the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” 2 Chronicles 9:29. These works, like the authorities for David’s reign, (2 Chronicles 29:29, note,) are now lost, and their exact extent and character are unknown.