Daily Devotional: First Things First (2 Chronicles 1)
Opening scene Solomon’s reign opens not with a parade, but with worship. The Chronicler tells us that Solomon gathered “all Israel” and went to Gibeon, where the bronze altar from the wilderness still stood (2 Chronicles 1:1–6). There, before the tent of meeting made by Moses, he offered a thousand burnt offerings. That night, God appeared and invited him to ask for anything. Solomon asked for wisdom to shepherd the people, and the Lord granted wisdom—and more.
The setting and the story’s shape - Two sanctuaries, one kingdom: The Ark was in Jerusalem (brought up by David), but the ancient tabernacle and Bezalel’s bronze altar were at Gibeon. Archaeology has identified Gibeon with el‑Jib, famous for its wine installations and inscribed jar handles. This split cultic setting can feel odd to a modern reader, but before the temple was built, Israel’s worship still leaned on its older, nomadic symbols. The Chronicler highlights that Solomon honors the God of Sinai even as he prepares for Zion’s temple. - The order matters: worship, then wisdom, then wealth. The narrative moves from sacrifice to revelation to royal flourishing—a pattern teaching that discernment for leadership flows from adoration, not ambition.
Seeking before speaking Solomon “went to the high place at Gibeon” (Hebrew: bamah), a term often associated with idolatry in later periods. Here, however, it is legitimate because the tabernacle stands there. The Chronicler’s favorite verb, “seek” (darash), hovers over the chapter’s logic. While the word does not appear explicitly in this verse, the theme saturates Chronicles: those who seek the Lord find Him (see 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 15:2). God’s self-disclosure “by night” (cf. 1 Kings 3:5) follows Solomon’s intentional turn toward the Lord’s appointed place.
A prayer shaped by vocation When God says, “Ask,” Solomon’s request is not for length of days, wealth, or victory, but for “wisdom and knowledge” to govern (2 Chronicles 1:10, New International Version). Two important Hebrew words are used: - Chokmah: skillful wisdom, the ability to bring God’s order into complex realities (cf. Exodus 31:3). - Binah: understanding, the discerning insight that penetrates to the heart of a matter.
The Chronicler adds “knowledge” alongside “wisdom,” intensifying the thought found in 1 Kings 3. This pairing echoes the biblical portrait of wisdom as both practical craft and moral discernment (Proverbs 2:1–11). Augustine called wisdom the “ordered love” that places God first, enabling right governance of all else. Calvin noted that Solomon asks for wisdom “not for himself alone, but for the public good,” a model of vocation shaped by service rather than self.
Worship that leads to revelation The text says Solomon “stood before the bronze altar” (1:6). The posture evokes priestly attentiveness. The number “a thousand burnt offerings” signals fullness and royal largesse; in the Old Testament, large numbers at turning points often symbolize total devotion. The New Testament echo is not a number but a principle: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1, English Standard Version). In both Testaments, God meets those who give Him the first and best—first in time, best in intention.
Wealth: gift and warning God grants Solomon wisdom—and also wealth, honor, chariots, and horses (1:12–17). The Chronicler exults: silver became “as common in Jerusalem as stones” (1:15, New International Version). Yet the discerning reader hears a Deuteronomic rumble. Deuteronomy 17:16–17 warned kings against multiplying horses, wives, and gold. The Chronicler does not condemn Solomon here, but he allows the tension to stand. Wisdom without obedience can drift into excess. Later chapters will show that untended abundance becomes its own snare. Gregory the Great once cautioned that gifts unmoored from humility become “weights rather than wings.”
History in the details - Chariot cities and trade: The chapter’s mention of horses from Egypt and Kue (Cilicia) reflects known ancient trade routes. Megiddo, Hazor, and Gezer are associated (though debated) with large horse installations in the Iron Age. The Chronicler’s brief note (1:16–17) places Solomon’s court in a real economy, where royal procurement and international networks fed military and civic life. - Bezalel’s altar: Naming the artisan from Exodus (1:5; cf. Exodus 31, 38) ties temple worship to Sinai’s craftsmanship. Chronicles loves continuity: the God who met Moses in the wilderness meets Solomon in the night.
Christ the wisdom of God Solomon’s wisdom points forward. Jesus declared, “One greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42, New International Version). Paul calls Christ “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). Solomon asks for wisdom to govern God’s people; Christ is Wisdom incarnate who shepherds, not by chariots, but by a cross. Solomon builds a temple; Christ becomes the true Temple in whom God dwells among us.
For today - Begin with adoration. Let worship precede decision. Make space at your own “Gibeon”—a place shaped by Scripture and prayer—before you ask. - Ask for wisdom tied to calling. James 1:5 invites us to ask, but the target is service shaped by love. What is the task God has put into your hands? Ask for chokmah and binah for that work. - Hold abundance loosely. Receive gifts as tools for service, not marks of self. Pray for the grace to obey Deuteronomy’s wisdom even in success.
Suggested cross-references - 1 Kings 3:1–15 (parallel account) - Deuteronomy 17:14–20 (the king’s charter) - Proverbs 2:1–11; 8:1–11 (the way of wisdom) - James 1:5 (ask for wisdom) - Matthew 12:42; 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30 (Christ as wisdom) - Psalm 72 (a prayer for the king’s just rule)
Notes on language and literature - “God appeared” (nira’, 1:7) underscores divine initiative; Chronicles stresses God’s nearness to those who seek Him. - The movement from sacrifice to theophany is a narrative pattern: worship begets hearing. The chapter’s framing—God exalting Solomon (1:1) and the resulting prosperity (1:14–17)—forms a literary arc that ties wisdom to faithfulness and fruit.
Hymn suggestion - Be Thou My Vision (an ancient prayer for ordered love and wise sight)
A prayer Lord of Moses and Solomon, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, teach us to begin with You. Grant us wisdom and understanding for the work You have given us, hearts that love Your people, and hands that serve without grasping. Keep us from the pride of plenty; let every gift become a grace for others. Appear to us in the quiet hours and guide us by Your Word, until Christ—our Wisdom—rules every thought and deed. Amen.
Narrated version of this devotional on 2 Chronicles Chapter 1