Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/235

Rh people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life 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: wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. So Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, unto Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as

judge] Although every village by its headmen dispensed its own justice to its inhabitants, yet enough cases too hard for local decision remained over to make the king's judicial functions of very great importance; cp. 2 Sam. xiv. 4 ff., xv. 2—4.

12. wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee] The incident illustrates the truth that To him that hath shall be given; Solomon had wisdom enough to offer a wise prayer; increase of wisdom followed as the answer to the prayer.

13. from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon] This clause yields no sense in the Hebrew and is probably a misplaced gloss. Read simply, Then Solomon came to Jerusalem (cp. 1 Kin. iii. 15), or, as mg. following LXX., came from the high place.

14—17 (= 1 Kin. x. 26—29).&emsp;

14. a thousand and four hundred chariots] See note on ix. 25.

the chariot cities] The greater part of Palestine is unsuitable for the evolutions of chariots, but flat country is found along the coast of the Mediterranean, in the plain of Esdraelon, and east of Jordan, and in these three districts the chariot cities were probably situated. Cp. G. A. Smith, ''Hist. Geography'', p. 667, Appendix.

15. to be in Jerusalem as stones] In Kings this is asserted of silver only. Jerusalem is one of the stoniest places in the world. See Kelman, Holy Land, pp. 9—11.