Study notes

2 Chronicles 3

Introducing 2 ChroniclesWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

1:1–9:31 Section

2 Chronicles continues the story of Israel recorded in 1 Chronicles.

Solomon became king after David.

In 2 Chronicles the stories about Solomon tell only of his faithfulness to God. They don’t describe the times when he was unfaithful and worshipped false gods. Those stories are recorded in 2 Kings.

2 Chronicles shows how Solomon followed David’s example. He followed David’s instructions about the work of the priests and Levites. And he followed David’s instructions about building the temple on Mount Moriah.

Solomon recognised that the temple was nothing more than a building. It was a place where the Israelites could offer sacrifices to God. God is so great that no place on earth or heaven can hold him. Yet the temple was the place where God chose to put his name. God had talked about a special place for his name in Deuteronomy chapters 12 to 14. God putting his name somewhere was a sign. It was a sign that people could be aware of his presence in a special way.

Solomon gave the Israelites an example of how to pray (prayer) to God. He used his body and his words as he prayed. Solomon was on his knees and lifted his hands toward heaven. This was how he showed that he was humble and that he worshipped God. It showed that he needed God’s help and that he trusted God to answer him. Solomon understood that God knew what was in his heart. God answered by sending fire from heaven to the altar. This showed that God paid attention to Solomon’s prayer. God promised that his name, his eyes and his heart would always be at the temple. This meant that he would always listen to his people and help them. He would do this if they were humble and prayed. God would do this if they turned away from doing evil and depended on him.

When the people saw the fire, they worshipped God and thanked him. They understood that the fire was a sign of his faithful love for them. Even an outsider like the queen of Sheba recognised that God loved Israel. God wanted to take good care of his people (God’s people). He planned to do this through wise kings from David’s family line. That was part of God’s covenant with David. The kings were to worship God faithfully and do what was fair and right.

3:1

Kings focuses on when the temple was built, while Chronicles highlights the importance of its location. The temple stood in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David. David chose this sacred site, where a plague ended at Araunah the Jebusite's threshing floor. In the land of Moriah, Abraham bound Isaac (Genesis 22:2), and tradition links the Temple Mount to where the Lord provided for Abraham (Genesis 22:14).

3:1–4

In Chronicles, the temple is the main focus of Solomon's reign. However, it provides less detail about its architecture and furnishings than the book of Kings does (for example, 1 Kings 6:2–10).

3:2

The book of Kings dates the start of the temple construction by linking it to the exodus from Egypt (1 Kings 6:1). Chronicles often leaves out mentions of the exodus. This may highlight the ongoing and lasting connection between the people, the land, and God.

3:6

The gold from Parvaim was of the highest quality. By the time of the earliest translators, the exact location of Parvaim was unknown. The Chronicler might not have known it either.

3:8

A special area called the most holy place was built deep inside the hall. It could have been a sacred throne space within the long hall or a separate room inside the main hall. The most holy place measured 9.1 meters (twenty cubits) in every direction. It might have been on a raised platform, similar to shrines in other temples, and there might have been space between the room and the roof. The most holy place was designed to hold the ark, which contained the covenant terms.

3:10–13

The figures shaped like cherubim were made of expensive wild olive wood and covered with gold. Similar carvings have been found in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Canaan. These figures were a key feature of ancient thrones. Cherubim were creatures that combined the symbolism for royalty (lion) with strength (bull), speed (eagle), and wisdom (human). Ancient temples in Phoenicia show the deity's throne supported by two animals. The sides of ancient Canaanite thrones were often shaped like cherubs. The cherubs in Solomon’s temple were unique because they were not meant to serve as a human throne. They were attached to the ark, which was the footstool of God’s throne. Their wings touched in the middle and extended to the walls of the throne room. There was no actual seat on the throne because none was needed.

3:17

Jakin, meaning "he establishes," might refer to God's promise about the kingdom (see 1 Chronicles 17:7–14). Boaz, meaning "in him is strength," might have been a statement of trust in God. The gilded reliefs of cherubs, palms, and flowers on the temple's doors and walls suggest that the pillars were connected to the tree of life (Genesis 2:9).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources