The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stonesThis phrase highlights the immense wealth and prosperity during King Solomon's reign. Solomon's wisdom and God's blessing led to unprecedented economic growth. The abundance of silver and gold signifies the fulfillment of God's promise to bless Israel if they followed His commandments. This prosperity is a direct result of Solomon's request for wisdom over wealth, as seen in
1 Kings 3:10-13. The comparison to stones emphasizes the extraordinary nature of this wealth, as stones were plentiful and of little value. This abundance also foreshadows the wealth of the New Jerusalem described in
Revelation 21:18-21, where precious materials are used as common building materials, symbolizing divine blessing and glory.
and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills
Cedar wood, particularly from Lebanon, was highly prized in the ancient Near East for its quality and durability. Solomon's use of cedar in the construction of the temple and his palace (1 Kings 5:6) underscores its value. The abundance of cedar during Solomon's reign indicates successful trade relations, particularly with Hiram, king of Tyre, who supplied cedar in exchange for wheat and oil (1 Kings 5:10-11). Sycamore trees, common in the lowlands of Israel, were used for less prestigious purposes, such as building and furniture. The comparison suggests that what was once rare and valuable (cedar) became as plentiful as the more common sycamore, illustrating the extraordinary prosperity and resources available during Solomon's rule. This abundance can be seen as a type of the spiritual richness found in Christ, who provides abundantly for His people (John 10:10).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
King SolomonThe son of King David and Bathsheba, Solomon is known for his wisdom, wealth, and building projects, including the Temple in Jerusalem. His reign is marked by prosperity and peace.
2.
JerusalemThe capital city of Israel, Jerusalem is the political and spiritual center of the nation. Under Solomon's rule, it becomes a symbol of wealth and divine blessing.
3.
Silver and GoldThese precious metals symbolize wealth and prosperity. Solomon's ability to make them as common as stones indicates the extraordinary economic success during his reign.
4.
CedarA valuable wood used in construction, especially for the Temple and royal palaces. Its abundance signifies the extensive trade networks and resources available to Solomon.
5.
Sycamore in the FoothillsSycamore trees were common and less valuable, highlighting the contrast with the abundance of cedar, a more precious resource.
Teaching Points
Divine Blessing and ResponsibilitySolomon's wealth is a sign of God's blessing, but it also comes with the responsibility to use resources wisely and justly.
The Danger of MaterialismWhile wealth can be a blessing, it can also lead to complacency and a focus on material rather than spiritual riches.
Stewardship of ResourcesBelievers are called to be good stewards of the resources God provides, using them to further His kingdom and help others.
Contentment in God's ProvisionTrue contentment comes from trusting in God's provision, not in the accumulation of wealth.
The Temporal Nature of Earthly WealthEarthly wealth is temporary and should not be the ultimate goal; instead, focus on eternal treasures.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 1:15?
2.How does 2 Chronicles 1:15 reflect God's blessing on Solomon's reign?
3.What does the abundance of silver and gold signify in Solomon's kingdom?
4.How can we prioritize spiritual wealth over material wealth in our lives?
5.What lessons from Solomon's prosperity can we apply to our stewardship today?
6.How does 2 Chronicles 1:15 connect with God's promises to Israel in Deuteronomy?
7.How does 2 Chronicles 1:15 reflect Solomon's wealth and its impact on Israel's economy?
8.What does 2 Chronicles 1:15 reveal about God's blessings on Solomon's reign?
9.How does the abundance in 2 Chronicles 1:15 compare to modern materialism?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Chronicles 1?
11.In 1 Chronicles 15:29, Michal criticizes David's dance--does this episode conflict with the portrayal of Michal in 2 Samuel, creating an inconsistency in her character and motives?
12.How can 2 Chronicles 16:1 claim Baasha attacked Judah in Asa's thirty-sixth year if 1 Kings 15:33 indicates Baasha died years earlier?
13.In 1 Chronicles 15:2, where David insists only the Levites may carry the Ark, how do we reconcile this claim with any instances where non-Levites handled it or transported it in other texts?
14.1 Chronicles 20:2: Is it historically plausible for a crown weighing a talent of gold (around 75 pounds) to be worn or taken in battle?What Does 2 Chronicles 1:15 Mean
The king made•2 Chronicles 1 introduces Solomon’s reign by underscoring that “God bestowed on Solomon such great wisdom and understanding, and such greatness, that all the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon” (2 Chron 1:12).
• The phrase “the king made” highlights Solomon’s active leadership. He didn’t merely receive wealth; he organized, administered, and directed it (1 Kings 4:20-21; 1 Chron 29:25).
• Solomon’s ability flows from the Lord’s promise to David that his son would build and furnish the temple (2 Samuel 7:12-13), so the abundance described here is a literal fulfillment of covenant blessing (Deuteronomy 28:1-12).
Silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones• Jerusalem’s landscape is rocky; stones lie everywhere. By saying silver and gold were as common as those stones, Scripture draws a vivid, literal comparison of unprecedented prosperity (1 Kings 10:27).
• God had told Solomon, “I will give you riches and wealth and honor beyond all the kings of your day” (2 Chron 1:12), and here we see the tangible outworking of that promise.
• This wealth streamed in through trade alliances (1 Kings 10:22-25), tribute from surrounding nations (2 Chron 9:14), and the king’s own administrative skill.
• The abundance fulfilled earlier promises that obedience would bring material blessing (Proverbs 3:9-10;Malachi 3:10).
Cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills• Cedar, prized for strength and fragrance, normally came from distant Lebanon (1 Kings 5:6-10). Yet under Solomon it became as plentiful as the ordinary sycamore-fig trees that dotted Judah’s lowlands.
• This detail underscores not only material luxury but also the supply needed for temple construction (2 Chron 2:8-9) and other royal projects (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6).
• The picture matches the Messianic hope of future flourishing, where “the righteous will flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12).
summary2 Chronicles 1:15 gives a straightforward, literal snapshot of Solomon’s God-given prosperity. He governed so effectively—and the Lord blessed so abundantly—that precious metals piled up like common rocks and costly cedar logs stacked up like everyday sycamores. The verse testifies to God’s faithfulness: when He promises wisdom, honor, and provision to those who seek Him first, He delivers in ways that exceed human expectation.
(15)
Silver and gold . . . stones . . . cedar trees.--Each of these words has the definite article in the Hebrew.
And gold.--Not in1Kings 10:27, with which the rest of the verse coincides; nor in2Chronicles 9:27. The Syriac omits it here also, but the other versions have it, and the phrase is a natural heightening of the hyperbole.
The sycomore trees that are in thevale.--(Comp.1Chronicles 27:28.) The Syriac reads instead. "As the sand which is on the seashore."
Verse 15. -
And gold. The omission of these words in the parallel (
1 Kings 10:27) is remarkable in the light of what we read in
2 Chronicles 9:20. We find the contents of this verse again in
2 Chronicles 9:27; as also in the parallel (
1 Kings 10:27), just quoted with the exception already named.
Cedar trees. The meaning is felled trunks of cedar (
1 Chronicles 22:4) (
אֲרָזִים). Whether the wood intended is the cedar of Lebanon (
Pinus cedrus, or
Cedrus conifera), "tall" (
Isaiah 2:13;
Isaiah 37:24;
Amos 2:9), "widespreading" (
Ezekiel 31:3), odoriferous, with very few knots, and wonderfully resisting decay, is considered by authorities on such subjects still uncertain. Gesenius, in his 'Lexicon,'
sub voc., may be consulted, and the various Bible dictionaries, especially Dr. Smith's, under "Cedar;" and Dr. Kitto's 'Cyclopaedia,' under "Eres." The writer in Dr. Smith's 'Dictionary' suggests that under the one word "cedar," the
Pinus cedrus, Pinus deodara, Yew, Taxus baccata, and
Pinus sylvestris (Scotch pine) were referred to popularly, and were employed when building purposes are in question. That the said variety was employed is likely enough, but that we are intended to understand this when the word "cedar" is used seems unlikely (see for further indication of this unlikeliness, the instancing of "firs" occasionally with "cedars,"
1 Kings 5:10;
1 Kings 9:11;
2 Chronicles 2:8).
Sycomore trees (
שִׁקְמִים). This word is found always in its present masc. plur. form except once,
Psalm 78:47, where the plur. fem. form is found. The Greek equivalent in the Septuagint is always
συκάμινος; but in the New Testament, and in the same treatise,
i.e. the Gospel according to St. Luke, we find both
συκάμινος and
συκομωρέα (
Luke 17:6 and Luke 19:4 respectively). Now, the former of these trees is the well. known mulberry tree. But the latter is what is called the
fig-mulberry, or the
sycamore-fig; and this is the tree of the Old Testament. Its fruit resembles the fig, grows on sprigs shooting out of the thick stems themselves of the tree, and each fruit needs to be
punctured a few days before gathering, if it is to be acceptable eating (
Amos 7:14;
Isaiah 9:10).
In the vale;
i.e. in the lowland country, called the Shefelah. This is the middle one of the three divisions in which Judaea is sometimes described - mountain, lowland, and valley. This lowland was really the lowhills, between mountains and plain, near Lydda and Daroma (the "dry," 1.q. Negeb, Deuteronomy 34:13), while the valley was the valley of Jordan, from Jericho to Engedi (Conder's 'Handbook to the Bible,' pp. 302, 309, 2nd edit.).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
The kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְ(ham·me·leḵ)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428:A kingmadeוַיִּתֵּ֨ן(way·yit·tên)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414:To give, put, setsilverהַכֶּ֧סֶף(hak·ke·sep̄)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701:Silver, moneyand goldהַזָּהָ֛ב(haz·zā·hāḇ)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2091:Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear skyas common in Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם(bî·rū·šā·lim)Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389:Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israelas stones,כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים(kā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68:A stoneandוְאֵ֣ת(wə·’êṯ)Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative casecedarהָאֲרָזִ֗ים(hā·’ă·rā·zîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 730:A cedar treeas abundantלָרֹֽב׃(lā·rōḇ)Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7230:Multitude, abundance, greatnessas sycamoreכַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים(kaš·šiq·mîm)Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8256:Sycamore treein the foothills.בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה(baš·šə·p̄ê·lāh)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8219:Lowland
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OT History: 2 Chronicles 1:15 The king made silver and gold (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr) 
