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World English Bible: 2 Chronicles

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This is a passage from the Hebrew Bible — specifically 2 Chronicles chapters 1–5, a historical-theological narrative in the Deuteronomistic tradition recounting the early reign of King Solomon. The text opens with Solomon's pivotal encounter with God at Gibeon, where he famously requests wisdom over wealth or power, and God grants him both wisdom and extraordinary prosperity as a reward for the selfless request. The bulk of the passage then documents Solomon's preparation and construction of the Jerusalem Temple: his diplomatic negotiations with King Huram of Tyre for skilled labor and cedar timber, the mobilization of a massive workforce including foreign laborers, and exhaustive architectural and decorative specifications for the Temple's dimensions, gold overlay, cherubim, pillars, and sacred furnishings. A distinctive feature of Chronicles compared to parallel accounts in 1 Kings is its emphasis on religious legitimacy and continuity — repeatedly grounding Solomon's actions in Mosaic precedent (the Tent of Meeting, Bezalel's bronze altar) and Davidic preparation. The passage presents Solomon less as a political ruler than as the divinely appointed executor of a sacred building project, with his wealth and alliances serving as evidence of divine favor rather than worldly ambition.

World English Bible: 2 Chronicles

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