2nd Chronicles Chapter 1 verse 13 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 13. - Solomon's return after sacrifice from Gibeon to Jerusalem, and from "before the tabernacle of the congregation" to "before the ark of the covenant of the Lord" in Mount Zion. (1 Kings 3:15) This verse not merely bears the trace of a slightly corrupt text in the presence of the Hebrew preposition: before בָּמָה, where there can be no doubt the preposition ְ should stand, but also suggests (keeping in view our ver. 3, and comparing 1 Kings 3:15) the condensed and cut-down method of Chronicles, and its strong preferences for selecting out of the various material at its command. The tabernacle of the congregation. This styling of the "tabernacle" is of very frequent occurrence. It is found above thirty times in Exodus, and fully as often in Leviticus and Numbers. Afterwards it is sprinkled more rarely in the historical books. The reason of its being styled "the tabernacle of the congregation" (מועֵר) is doubtful - perhaps because of the gatherings of the people in front of it, or possibly because of its being the place where God would meet with Moses. The other name, the tabernacle of "witness" or "testimony" or covenant" (עֵדוּת; Numbers 9:15, etc.), is not unfrequent. Hence the LXX. σκηνὴ τοῦ μαρτυρίου; the Vulgate, tabernaculum testimonii; and Luther's Stifisuitten. This verse very much stints the information contained in the parallel, to the effect that Solomon forthwith took his place before the ark of the covenant in Mount Zion, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and gave a feast to all his servants (2 Samuel 6:17-19; 1 Chronicles 16:1-3; Deuteronomy 14:26-29). And he reigned over Israel. These words seem nugatory both in themselves and as placed here. They probably stand for 1 Kings 4:1.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem.--Heb., And Solomon came to the high place that was in Gibeon to Jerusalem. Clearly we should read, "from the high place," with the LXX. and Vulgate. The difficulty is as old as the Syriac version, which reads, "And Solomon came to the great high place [reading b-msa--i.e., ?????--with Dr. Payne Smith] that is in Gibeon the city, which is on the east of Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle."From before the tabernacle of the congregation.--See 2Chronicles 1:3; 2Chronicles 1:6. Perhaps "to (or at) the high place that was at G-ibeon," was originally a marginal gloss upon this expression. (Comp. 2Chronicles 1:3.) The reading, "And Solomon came to Jerusalem from before the tent of tryst," would be quite intelligible without this addition.And reigned over Israel.--Syr., over all Israel. (Comp. 1Kings 4:1.) But the remark, "and he reigned over Israel," is by no means "superfluous" (Bertheau), inasmuch as it naturally introduces the following sketch of the reign, which carries us on from God's promise to its fulfilment.The chronicler does not notice the sacrifices which, on his return, Solomon offered before the ark at Jerusalem (1Kings 3:15), nor the story of the king's wise judgment which there follows (1Kings 3:16-28). It is unreasonable to seek any other ground of such omissions than the free and legitimate exercise of the compiler's discretion in the choice of his own materials. That he did not depreciate the sanctuary on Mount Zion as a place of sacrifice, is evident from 1Chronicles 21:18 to 1Chronicles 22:1. . . .