DAY 138 Read 2 Chronicles 1; 1 Kings 3 and 4.
Today's reading: We return to the story of Solomon, Israel's most glorious king. His reign had an auspicious beginning.
Memory gem: "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad" (1 Kings 3:9).
Thought for today:
Solomon as the great king of Israel, noted for his wisdom, his glory, and his riches. We are told that when he went to offer sacrifice to God at the great altar in Gibeon, the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night and said, "Ask what I shall give thee." And Solomon requested wisdom to rule justly and righteously.
In this dream the Lord told Solomon that He was pleased that he had made this request rather than asking for long life or riches or the lives of his enemies, and that his request would be granted. But, when Solomon awoke, it was only a dream. Yet it was a dream given him by God. It was not a dream caused by worry, nervous tension, or the wrong diet. It was a divine intervention in the affairs of men. Solomon had dreamed about God because God wanted to bring him a message.
NOTE: The "high place" referred to in 1 Kings 3:2, 4 and 2 Chronicles 1:3 is simply a place of worship. This should not be confused with other uses of the term to indicate places of idolatrous worship. At this time Solomon still "loved the Lord." The sacrifices offered in "high places" were apparently often done by legitimate priests in good faith (see Judges 6:25, 26, and other references).
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Difficult or obscure words:
1 Kings 4:6. "Tribute"--better; levy, the conscription of forced laborers for public works.
1 Kings 4:19. "The only officer"--meaning unclear. The Septuagint has "one officer in the land of Judah."
1 Kings 4:26. "Forty thousand stalls"--given as "four thousand" in 2 Chronicles 9:25. Possibly a copyist's error, since the Hebrew words for "four" and "forty" are very similar. In either case it indicates a large military force, in violation of Deuteronomy 17:16.
Today's reading: We return to the story of Solomon, Israel's most glorious king. His reign had an auspicious beginning.
Memory gem: "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad" (1 Kings 3:9).
Thought for today:
Solomon as the great king of Israel, noted for his wisdom, his glory, and his riches. We are told that when he went to offer sacrifice to God at the great altar in Gibeon, the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night and said, "Ask what I shall give thee." And Solomon requested wisdom to rule justly and righteously.
In this dream the Lord told Solomon that He was pleased that he had made this request rather than asking for long life or riches or the lives of his enemies, and that his request would be granted. But, when Solomon awoke, it was only a dream. Yet it was a dream given him by God. It was not a dream caused by worry, nervous tension, or the wrong diet. It was a divine intervention in the affairs of men. Solomon had dreamed about God because God wanted to bring him a message.
NOTE: The "high place" referred to in 1 Kings 3:2, 4 and 2 Chronicles 1:3 is simply a place of worship. This should not be confused with other uses of the term to indicate places of idolatrous worship. At this time Solomon still "loved the Lord." The sacrifices offered in "high places" were apparently often done by legitimate priests in good faith (see Judges 6:25, 26, and other references).
----------------
Difficult or obscure words:
1 Kings 4:6. "Tribute"--better; levy, the conscription of forced laborers for public works.
1 Kings 4:19. "The only officer"--meaning unclear. The Septuagint has "one officer in the land of Judah."
1 Kings 4:26. "Forty thousand stalls"--given as "four thousand" in 2 Chronicles 9:25. Possibly a copyist's error, since the Hebrew words for "four" and "forty" are very similar. In either case it indicates a large military force, in violation of Deuteronomy 17:16.
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