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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Jehovah his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. |
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| 2 And Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses. |
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| 3 So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Jehovah had made in the wilderness. |
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| 4 But the ark of God had David brought up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. |
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| 5 Moreover the copper altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of Jehovah: and Solomon and the assembly sought unto it. |
The brasen altar – Type of the ransom sacrifice. T22
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| 6 And Solomon went up thither to the copper altar before Jehovah, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon it. |
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| 7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. |
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| 8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast showed great lovingkindness unto David my father, and hast made me king in his stead. |
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| 9 Now, O Jehovah God, let thy promise unto David my father be established; for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. |
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| 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? |
This thy people – A lesson to those who speak of God's people as "My people, "My flock," "My church." R3278:2
That is so great? – Estimated at about 6,000,000. R3278:3
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| 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the soul of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: |
But hast asked – The same Hebrew word as "borrowed," where we read that the Israelites "borrowed of the Egyptians..." (Exod. 12:35). R2911:5
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| 12 wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee; neither shall there any after thee have the like. |
Will give thee riches – It was just like our Heavenly Father to give Solomon the riches and honors which he had not asked as a reward for his appreciation of wisdom. R3278:5
Wealth, and honour – The true Church receives spiritual riches and honors for seeking heavenly wisdom. R3278:6
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| 13 So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, unto Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel. |
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| 14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. |
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| 15 And the king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore-trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. |
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| 16 And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. |
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| 17 And they fetched up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred fifty shekels: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means. |
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