The writer(s) of 2 Chronicles offer a bit rosier picture of the history of Israel, this book favoring the history of Judah over the northern kingdom.
- 7:7 - "Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat." Why? Were there too many animals being sacrificed to keep up?
- Still looking for clues to see if a Passover had been held. 7:8-10 mentions a 7 day feast, but it was held in the seventh month (feast of trumpets followed by tabernacles?). Passover is in the first month. Not mentioned in 8:13 either. Does Passover go by any other name?
- 7:14 - "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
- 8:11 "Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, 'My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.' " Was she not holy? She was likely an idol worshipper - did Solomon acknowledge her uncleanliness?
Notice how in the passage today it fails to mention that Solomon becomes an idol worshipper. In fact, the book of 2 Chronicles seems to shed a better light on the history than I & II Kings, more so for the nation of Judah.
- Chapter 9 - Queen of Sheba visits Solomon. I read somewhere that the Queen and Solomon had a child together. Neither of the accounts that we've read so far come out an say that, and don't really imply it either. However, in 9:12 it says "Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired" - Did she desire a child with him. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, it wasn't as if this would have been out of the realm of possibility.
- 9:21 - why do they import monkeys? And why is it important to list that they import monkeys?
- Sounds like Solomon has created a fee for being in his presence (9:24)
- 11:13-15 - did I miss this detail before? The Levites abandon the northern kingdom when the division occurs and move to the Southern kingdom.
- Civil war between Judah and Israel leaves 500,000 dead.
- 14:9 - a 1,000,000 man army comes out of Ethopia against Judah. They are defeated by God's intervening hand.
- 15:2b: "The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you."
- Approximately only 35 -45 years after Solomon did so much sacrificing that an additional altar had to be consecrated, the altar had fallen into disuse and disrepair (15:8)
- Chapter 16 - because Judah relied on alliances with foreign countries instead of God, they will be plagued with wars for their foolishness
- Chapter 17 - 1,000,000 troops or more are available in Judah
- Chapter 18 - Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) / Ahab (king of Israel) alliance - how in the world did Jehoshaphat end up marrying a daughter of Ahab, the enemy king?
- Only one prophet of God in all Israel.
- 20:3 - a fast is called for.
- God likes the sincere attention and works a great victory as a reward for their seeking Him. Judah didn't fight, just collected the loot.
- Again - Jehoshaphat allies with Ahab's evil successor? Why? The result was the jointly built sea fleet was destroyed.
- Chapter 21 - Jehoram was a lousy king which caused a plague of intestinal distress to come upon his people, as well as attacks by the Philistines and Arabians.
- 21:20 - Jehoram, "to no one's sorrow, departed."
- The Lord allows the lineage of Christ to flow through Judah in spite of themselves. He has to arrange to have a boy hidden for years from his murderous mother to do so.
- 23:15 - mention of the Horse Gate in Jerusalem; 23:20 mention of the Upper Gate.
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