THE CHRONICLER' S SOLOMON

RAYMOND B. DILLARD
A
ny effort to elucidate the purpose and theology of the Chron-
icler must take into account the author's distinctive handling
of David and Solomon ; an extensive scholarly literature has ad-
dressed this subject.
1
The reigns of these two kings contrast
sharply with the earlier record in Samuel/Kings ; both accounts
are set in a theological framework largely motivated by the needs
of their respective audiences.
This study will survey the Chronicler's distinctive handling
of Solomon. The contours of his treatment appear in clear relief
by examining both ( 1 ) his deletion of material from the Samuel
/Kings account and (2) his use of models around which to shape
his version of Solomon.
1
The following are noteworthy but do not exhaust the contributions :
Ackroyd, Peter R. "History and Theology in the Writings of the
Chronicler," Concordia Theological Monthly, 38 (1967), 501-15.
Braun, Roddy L. "The Message of Chronicles: Rally Round the Tem-
ple," Concordia Theological Monthly, 42 (1971), 502-14.
. "Solomon, the Chosen Temple Builder: the Significance of 1
Chronicles 22, 28 and 29 for the Theology of Chronicles," Journal of
Biblical Literature, 95 (1976), 581-90.
. "Solomonic Apologetic in Chronicles," Journal of Biblical
Literature, 92 (1973), 503-16.
Brunei, A. M. "La thologie du Chroniste: Thocratie et messianisme,"
Sacra Pagina, 1 (1959), 384-97.
Caquot, A. "Peut-on parler de messianisme dans l'oeuvre du Chroniste?"
Revue de thologie et de philosophie, 16 (1966), 110-120.
Freedman, D. N. "The Chronicler's Purpose," Catholic Biblical Quar-
terly, 23 (1961), 436-42.
Stinespring, W. F. "Eschatology in Chronicles," Journal of Biblical
Literature, 80 (1961), 209-19.
Williamson, H. G. M. "The Accession of Solomon in the Books of
Chronicles," Vetus Testamentum, 26 (1976), 351-61.
. "Eschatology in Chronicles," Tyndale Bulletin, 28 (1977),
115-154.
289
290 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
I. The Chronicler's Omissions.
The deuteronomic
2
historian had divided the reign of Solo-
mon into two distinct periods, a time of blessing and obedience
(1 Kgs 1-10) followed by apostasy and judgment in the form
of the schism (1 Kgs 11-12). The concern with centralization of
worship (Deut 12), particularly with the frequenting of the high
places in Judah (1 Kgs3: 2- 4; 12:31-33; 13:2,32-33; 14:22-23;
22:43; 2 Kgs 12:3; 14:4; 15:4,35; 16:4; 17:11,29-41; 18:4,22;
21:3 ; 23:5-20), becomes the canon also for condemning the ac-
tions of Solomon (1 Kgs 11:1-13). The era of blessing ends
with attacks from adversaries (11:14-25) and rebellion from
within (11:26-40) ; the schism itself is attributed to judgment
for the sins of Solomon (11:1-6, 31-33). Solomon's corve
labor and his numerous wives make him the negation of the ideal
king (Deut 17:17; 1 Sam 8:11-18; 1 Kgs 11:1-6; 4:6-7,22-28;
5:13-18; 9:15-23; 12:3-19).
3
For the deuteronomic historian
the record of the sins of Solomon, as well as those of David, is
one more ingredient in the answer for the exilic community to
the "why" for the destruction of Jerusalem ; though David and
Solomon were Israel's glorious kings, they too had their part in
the failure to live according to God's covenant with his people,
a failure which ultimately issued in judgment.
In contrast the Solomon of the Chronicler is scarcely recog-
nizable. Any fault or transgression which might tarnish the
image of David and Solomon has been removed.
4
Instead the
2
My use of the term "deuteronomic" should not prejudice the question
of the date of that book. I do not consider Deuteronomy to have developed
in the seventh century, but rather to have attained its essential present
form at a time in the latter portion of the second millennium.
3
It is striking that the deuteronomic historian did not use other attri-
butes of the ideal king (Deut 17:14-20) as condemnatory of Solomon;
though he records the large number of horses from Egypt and the large
amounts of silver and gold, both the deuteronomist and the Chronicler
treat these as signs of divine blessing (1 Kgs 10:14-29; 2 Chr 1:14-17).
4
This is with the exception of the narrative of David's census (1 Chr
21 ; 2 Sam 24). Although the text in the two histories is quite similar,
the Chronicler's major addition to the text shows that he is putting the
account to quite a different purpose than the earlier history (1 Chr
21:28-22:1): the Chronicler's concern with the legitimacy of the cult,
in particular the legitimacy of the temple site, required the use of the
census narrative, even at the expense of tarnishing David. A similar con-
THE CHRONICLER'S SOLOMON 291
Chronicler portrays glorious, obedient, all-conquering figures
who enjoy not only divine blessing but the total support of the
people as well ; he presents us not only the David and Solomon
of history, but also the David and Solomon of his messianic
expectation.
5
With reference to Solomon in particular, the ac-
count of the accession is striking. Instead of the bed-ridden,
aging David who only saves the kingdom for his son Solomon
at the last moment due to the promptings of Bathsheba and
Nathan ( 1 Kgs 1 ), the Chronicler shows a smooth transition of
power without a ripple of dissent: David himself publicly an-
nounces Solomon's appointment and is present for his annoint-
ing ; Solomon's designation as successor is greeted with enthusi-
astic and total support on the part of the people, including the
other sons of David, the officers and mighty men in the army
(1 Chr 28:1-29:25) who had presumably participated in Ado-
nijah's attempted coup (1 Chr 29:24; 1 Kgs 1:7-10). The
Chronicler also deletes the record of Solomon's compliance with
David's request that he take vengeance on David's enemies after
his death (1 Kgs 2). Gone too are the sins for which the deuter-
onomic historian had condemned Solomon (1 Kgs 11) ; even
the blame for the schism is shifted from Solomon to Jeroboam
(2 Chr 13:6-7).
While the Chronicler's idealization of Solomon is effected by
his deletion of any blemish found in the Kings account, these
are not the only omissions he makes in line with his own central
concerns ; not just Solomon's sins are missing, but also accounts
which would have enhanced his portrayal of the king. The Chron-
icler's account of Solomon's reign is given almost exclusively to
cern with the cult even at the expense of idealizing David can be seen in
the account of the movement of the ark (1 Chr 13, 15-16).
5
The nature of the Chronicler's eschatological expectation is highly de-
bated. Scholarly opinion is divided between two extremes and a host of
mediating positions: on the one hand, many find the author's messianic/
eschatological expectations central to these books, while others view the
Chronicler as espousing the view that the purposes of God were so re-
alized in the restoration community as to leave little if any place for es-
chatological expectation. This same tension appears also to have char-
acterized the restoration community itself. For a survey of the scholarly
positions and bibliography, see Braun, "Apologetic," pp. 506-7; a recent
and quite balanced study of the issue is found in Williamson, "Escha-
tology."
292 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
his concern with the cult (2 Chr 2-7) ; narratives not showing
any involvement with the cult are often omitted. Even the en-
duement with wisdom is not wisdom in the abstract (1 Kgs
3:16-4:34), but is specifically wisdom to build the temple (see
below, II C, "Solomon and Huram-abi as the new Bezalel and
Oholiab," and III, "Literary Structure").
II. The Chronicler's Models.
It is not sufficient to look at what the Chronicler omits alone ;
it is also necessary to assess his positive contributions. In the
case of his account of Solomon the author appears to have used
three distinct models to shape the record.
A. Solomon as a second David.
Braun has developed these parallels at some length.
6
Solomon,
like David, is king by divine choice; in ways not paralleled in
the deuteronomic history, the Chronicler has twice introduced
Solomon's name into divine pronouncements regarding David's
successor (1 Chr 22:7-10; 28:6). The only occurrences of the
term 2 in reference to the divine choice of any king after
David in the Old Testament are found in 1 Chr 28:5-6,10 ; 29:1
in reference to Solomon.
7
As king by divine election Solomon,
like David, also enjoys the complete and immediate support of
all the people; the Chronicler had elaborated at length on the
support of "all Israel" for David at his accession (1 Chr 11-12),
and the same is true for Solomon (1 Chr 29:22-25). Both kings
are shown as having extensive concern with the cult and the
temple and its personnel. In some respects Solomon is even more
idealized than David in Chronicles: no blame whatsoever at-
taches to Solomon as it had to David (1 Chr 21) ; Solomon en-
joys the privilege of building the temple that had been forbidden
to his father. While the earlier history could say that "Solomon
did evil . . . and did not follow the Lord completely, as David
his father had done" (1 Kgs 11:6), the Chronicler can praise
Rehoboam's early years as a time when they walked "in the
ways of David and Solomon" (2 Chr 11:17).
Braun, "Apologetic," pp. 506-514.
7
See Braun, "Solomon, the Chosen," pp. 588-590.
THE CHRONICLER'S SOLOMON 293
B. The succession of Moses and Joshua as a paradigm for that
of David and Solomon.
Williamson develops the argument that the transition of lead-
ership from Moses to Joshua provided the model used by the
Chronicler to portray the transfer of leadership from David and
Solomon.
8
He notes the following ingredients of the Chronicler's
account:
1. The disqualification of Moses and David from achieving
their chief goals, the one to enter the land, the other to build the
temple, is intimately related to the appointment of their respec-
tive successors (Deut 1:37-38 ; 31:2-8 ; 1 Chr 22:5-13 ; 28:2-8),
under whom these goals are realized.
2. The installation of Joshua had been the object of earlier
form critical studies; Williamson
9
and Braun
10
both note the
presence of the same elements for this Gattung in the appoint-
ment of Solomon. Not only are the various elements of the
genre present, but there are also numerous phrases directly
parallel in the two accounts:
11
KN1 pm: Deut 31:7, 23; Josh 1:6,7,9; 1 Chr 22:13;
28:20 (cf. Deut 31:6 and 1 Chr 28:10) ;
5K1 ) to and equivalents: Deut 31:8; Josh 1:9;
1 Chr 22:13; 28:20 (cf. Deut 31:6) ;
5 mm *p>V and equivalents: Deut 31:6,8,23; Josh
1:5,9; 1 Chr 22:11,16; 28:20; 2 Chr 1:1;
^ 1BT ? and equivalents: Deut 31:6,8; Josh
1:5; 1 Chr 28:20;
stress on prospering through observance of the law: Deut
31:5; Josh 1:7-8; 1 Chr 22:12-13; 28:7-9.
3. Both Moses and David make double announcements re-
garding the appointment of their successors, once in a private
meeting (Deut 31:23; 1 Chr 22:6) and also publicly (Deut
31:2; 1 Chr 28:8).
4. Both Joshua and Solomon enjoy the immediate and
8
Williamson, "Accession," pp. 351-356.
*Ibid.
io Braun, "Solomon, the Chosen," pp. 586-588.
1 1
Williamson, "Accession," pp. 353-354.
294 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
wholehearted support of the people (Deut 34:9; Josh 1:16-20;
1 Chr 29:23-24).
5. It is twice reported of both Joshua and Solomon that
God "magnified" each (Josh 3:7; 4:14; 1 Chr 29:25; 2 Chr
1:1).
A sixth point could be added to Williamson's five: both Joshua
and Solomon lead the Israelites into "rest" (Josh 11:23; 21:44;
1 Chr 22:8-9) ,
12
Other parallels between Joshua and Solomon are not unique
to Chronicles but should be mentioned. ( 1 ) The conscription of
alien labor for construction and further service in the tabernacle
and temple: Joshua impresses the Gibeonites into service at the
place of worship (Josh 9:26-27), just as Solomon would also
conscript alien labor
13
(2 Chr 2:17-18; 8:7-10). The tTJhnj
12
See the discussion of the Chronicler's use of the "rest" concept in
Braun, "Solomon, the Chosen," pp. 582-586.
13 See the parallel texts at 1 Kgs 5:13-18 (MT 5:27-32) ; 9:20-23. The
question of whether Solomon imposed corve labor on Israelites has caused
considerable discussion. Both the Chronicler and the deuteronomic his-
torian insist that such labor was exacted from resident aliens alone (2 Chr
2:17-18; 8:7-10; 1 Kgs 9:15,20-22). Israel imposed compulsory labor on
subservient peoples, just as it had been imposed on them (Gen 49:15;
Exod 1:11; Deut 20:10-11; Josh 9:21-27; 16:10; Judg 1:28,33; Isa 31:8).
Rainey notes {Israel Exploration Journal, 20 (1970), 199) that part of
the purpose of the census under both David and Solomon would be to
register those liable for compulsory labor in the previously unconquered
territory and Canaanite enclaves.
In spite of the number of arguments which would suggest compulsory
labor was confined to aliens, there remain several elements which indicate
it was also imposed on native Israelites: (1) In the parallel text at 1 Kgs
5:13-18 (MT 5:27-32) the deuteronomic historian names yet another
group of 30,000 workers sent to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000, so that each
man spent one month per quarter in the logging operations ; this group is
omitted by the Chronicler and may have been native Israelites. The
deuteronomic historian does say that the levy was "from all Israel" (1
Kgs 5:13; [MT 5:27]). (2) Jeroboam had served as the corve officer
over the house of Joseph, implying Israelite servitude in the corve (1
Kgs 11:28). (3) The plea of the northern tribes for easing the yoke and
their subsequent stoning of Adoniram, the officer in charge of the corve,
portray the degree to which the forced labor was despised by the Israel-
ites (1 Kgs 12:3-4,18-19). (4) The warning of 1 Sam 8:10-17 must be
understood on the background of the existence of the practices it con-
demns.
THE CHRONICLER'S SOLOMON
295
(nethinim) continued this alien service in the temple.
14
(2) Both
men received divine endowment with wisdom (Deut 34:9; 2
Chrl).
Many efforts have been made to resolve this conflict ; the following are
representative: (1) Mendelsohn ("On Corve Labor in Ancient Canaan
and Israel," Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 167
(1962), 31-35) and Gray (/ & II Kings, pp. 155-156; 251-252) dis-
tinguish between mas, to which Israelites were occasionally subject, and
mas 'bd, a form of permanent serfdom to which the Canaanites were
subjected. On this approach, the difference between these two categories
would be that the Israelite was not reduced to permanent forced labor.
(2) Finding that this distinction is not borne out by the use of the biblical
terms, Rainey ("Compulsory Labor Gangs in Ancient Israel," Israel Ex-
ploration Journal, 20 (1970), 191-202) distinguishes instead between mas
and sbel with essentially the same results, that non-Israelites were sub-
ject to the former and Israelites to the latter. Arguing that the n*
sabbai were those subject to the sbel, Rainey notes that the no se' sabbl
were conscripted to work in Israel while the mas laborers worked in
Lebanon; Jeroboam was over the sbel of the house of Joseph (1 Kgs
5:13,15 (MT 5:27,29); 11:28). Though the northern tribes may have
reluctantly acquiesced to sbel duty under the charge of Jeroboam (1 Kgs
11:28), Rehoboam's desire to extend the hated mas to Israelites as a way
of making the yoke even heavier resulted in the death of Adoniram. How-
ever, since 2 Chr 2:17-18 (MT 16-17) regards aliens as composing the
nose' sabbl, Rainey concludes with many others that the Chronicler is
here seeking to exonerate Solomon from imposing any forced labor on
Israelites. (3) Lemke {Synoptic Studies in the Chronicler's History,
Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University, 1963, p. 29) concludes that the
opposition to forced levies was already found in 1 Kgs 9:20-22, and that
the Chronicler was merely trying to make sense of already conflicting
sources.
If one does not follow Rainey in identifying the nose* sabbl with those
subject to sbel, it is possible to view the former as a job category ("por-
ter" or "carrier") and the second as a category of conscription. In this
case the distinction between mas (which would include both the n'
sabbl and the hsb bhr) and sbel would cover the data without con-
tradiction. However, the evidence for this approach is slim: it consists of
the use of sablum in extra-biblical texts as a corve class (summarized
by Rainey) and the one reference to this use of sbel in 1 Kgs 11:28.
14
The nethinim (DiJ'JH) and the "sons of Solomon's servants" (nto
Hip iJl) formed distinct groups in the restoration period and are traced
in Ezra/Nehemiah to the time of David (Ezra 2:43,55,58,70; 7:7,24; 8:20;
Neh 3:26,31; 7:46,57,60,73; 10:28; 11:3,21). Many of their names are
foreign or unusual, and it is the dominant scholarly consensus that they
represent the remnants of the Canaanite population pressed into service
296 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
C. Solomon and Huram-abi as the new Bezalel and Oholiab.
The third model which the Chronicler borrows to fashion his
account of Solomon derives from the building of the tabernacle.
The Chronicler draws numerous parallels between the building
of the tabernacle and the building of the temple ; particularly he
casts his Solomon and Huram-abi as the new Bezalel and
Oholiab.
15
1. Solomon as the new Bezalel. Of the thousands who labored
in the building of both the tabernacle and the temple, Bezalel
and Oholiab and Solomon and Huram-abi are the only ones to
be named for their roles. More particularly Bezalel is singled
out as the one chosen by God by name (Ex 31:1-11 ; 35:30-36:2 ;
38:22-23) ; Oholiab is in the secondary role as a helper (31:6).
Solomon too is singled out for the building task (1 Chr 22:9-10 ;
28:6-29:2). Solomon and Bezalel are both of the tribe of Judah
(Ex 31:2; 35:30; 38:22). Both receive wisdom from God for
the building task (Ex 31: 1-3; 35:30-35; 2 Chr 1). It is strik-
ing to note that the only reference to Bezalel outside the accounts
of the building of the tabernacle in Exodus are found in Chron-
icles (1 Chr 2:20; 2 Chr 1:5). It is only after his seeking God
at the altar built by Bezalel (2 Chr 1:5) that Solomon is endued
with wisdom. For the author of Kings this was wisdom in gen-
eral, wisdom shown in judicial decisions (1 Kgs 3:16-28), effec-
tive administration (4:1-28), and international reputation (4: 29-
34). But for the Chronicler it was specifically wisdom for build-
ing: he omits 1 Kgs 3-4 and proceeds directly to the building
of the temple (2 Chr 2-7).
16
by David (1 Chr 22:2) and Solomon (2 Chr 2:17 [MT 2:16]). The fact
that the Chronicler does not designate them by the same titles as used in
Ezra/Neh argues for the fact that Chronicles is not to be viewed as a
literary unit with the other two books. See Japhet, "The Supposed Com-
mon Authorship of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah Investigated Anew,"
Vetus Testamentum, 18 (1968), pp. 351-354.
15
I wish to express my thanks to a former student, Mr. Terry Eves,
for a stimulating class paper on this subject. His observations have served
as a basis for my own further reflection.
16
Kapelrud ("Temple Building, a Task for Gods and Kings," Or, 32
(1963), 56-62) noted ten items usually present in ancient Near Eastern
literature depicting a temple built by a king; these items and their cor-
THE CHRONICLER'S SOLOMON 297
2. Huram-abi as the new Oholiab. The Chronicler's presenta-
tion of Solomon as a second Bezalel is enforced by his handling
of Huram-abi as the second Oholiab. This is seen by modifica-
tions the Chronicler introduces in three areas: arrival time, skill
inventory, and ancestry. The deuteronomic historian records the
labor of Huram-abi only after he has reported the completion of
the temple and palace (1 Kgs 6:38-7:1) ; Huram arrives only
to cast the bronzes needed for the temple construction (1 Kgs
7:13-47).
17
In contrast the Chronicler makes it clear that
responding passages in Chronicles and the tabernacle account are as
follows :
(1) A temple to be built Exod 25:1-8; 1 Chr 28:11-21
(2) The king visits a temple overnight Exod 24:12-18;
2 Chr 1:2-7
(3) A god reveals what to do and gives plans Exod 25:8-30:38;
1 Chr 28:2-3; 11-19; 2 Chr 1:7-12
(4) The King announces intentions to build Exod 35:4-10;
36:2,35; 2 Chr 2:1-10
(5) Master builder and materials (cedar, gold, silver) secured
Exod 31:1-6; 35:4-29; 36:3-7; 1 Chr 22:14-15; 29:1-9;
2 Chr 2:7-14
(6) Temple finished according to plan Exod 39:42-43; 2 Chr 5:1;
6:10
(7) Offerings and dedication Exod 40:9-11; 2 Chr 6:12-42; 7:4-7
(8) Assembly of the people Exod 39:32-33; 42-43; 2 Chr 5:2-13
(9) God enters the temple Exod 40:34-35; 2 Chr 5:13-14; 7:1-3
(10) The King is blessed and promised dominion 2 Chr 7:12-18
The account of the building of the temple in Chronicles shows its de-
pendence on the tabernacle pericope; the Chronicler's account follows the
ancient Near Eastern form more exactly than that found in Kings: the
securing of the wise master builder at the outset of construction instead
of at the end (1 Kgs 7) and the stress on the divine origin of the plans
(1 Chr 28:11-19) follow the tabernacle account more closely. Chapter 1
fills the second and third slots of this form. It should also be noted that
the form embraces both the work of David and Solomon, again enforcing
their unity in the one great work of building the temple. Kapelrud is also
troubled with why the narrator in Kings does not go immediately from
Solomon's vision to the building narrative without the digression of 1 Kgs
3:16-4:34 and suggests that "Solomon's visit to Gibeon and his announce-
ment of his intention were originally connected and have been divided by
an author who wanted to bring in the wisdom theme" (p. 60) ; Kapelrud
does not notice that the sequence of Chronicles fits his expectation.
17
It would appear best to view the order in Kgs as topical or thematic
the metal work, which was presumably done throughout the construe-
298 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
Huram-abi was involved in the building activities from the very
beginning, just as was Oholiab ; for the Chronicler Huram-abi's
services are offered by Hiram of Tyre in his first exchange of
correspondence with Solomon (2 Chr 2:12-14 [MT 11-13]).
Nor are his labors to be confined to bronze alone as was the case
in Kings (1 Kgs 7:14); the Chronicler greatly expands his
skills inventory (2 Chr 2:14 [MT 13] ) so that it is the same as
the skills of Bezalel and Oholiab (Ex 31:1-6; 35:30-36:2;
38:22-23). While the author of Kings reports that Huram's
mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali (1 Kgs 7:14),
the Chronicler alters the record to make her a widow from Dan
(2 Chr 2:14 [MT 13] ), thus giving Huram-abi the same tribal
ancestry as Oholiab (Ex 31:6; 35:34; 38:23).
18
The Chronicler is not the only biblical author to exploit the
Bezalel/Oholiab model for his readers. Paul appears to regard
himself as the Bezalel of the new covenant (1 Cor 3:5-17). In
the church/temple (3:9,16-17) at Corinth there were two build-
ers, Paul and Apollos, "God's fellow workers" (3:9). The terms
used in the LXX to translate the craftsman/builder terminology
of Exod 31:4; 35:32,35; 37:21 (MT 38:23) are
and , terms which occur only once in the New Tes-
tament in Paul's statement that he is the , the
tion period, is only taken up after the basic construction has been re-
counted. The order of events in Chronicles more precisely reflects the ac-
tual chronological order. The Chronicler's concern with chronology is a
characteristic feature of his compositional technique ; see my article, "The
Reign of Asa (2 Chr 14-16) : an Example of the Chronicler's Theological
Method," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 23 (1980), 207-
218, particularly p. 215 and notes 36 and 37.
1 8
The following harmonizations are the obvious possibilities: (1) Naph-
tali may be used geographically as the location of her residence, and Dan
as her actual genealogical relationship, or (2) her lineage may have been
through parents of two different tribes. However, rather than be dis-
tracted by a harmonistic problem, it is more important in this case to see
that the Chronicler has assigned Huram-abi a Danite ancestry to perfect
further the parallel with Oholiab. Historically the Danites had long-
standing connections with Tyre and Sidon (Judg 18:7, 27-30; see the dis-
cussion in Katzenstein, The History of Tyre [Jerusalem: Schocken Insti-
tute, 1973], pp. 65-67). See also Talmon, "The Gezer Calendar," Journal
of the American Oriental Society, 83 (1963), 181, and Mazar, "The Cities
of Dan," Israel Exploration Journal, 10 (1960), 65-77, especially p. 71.
THE CHRONICLER'S SOLOMON 299
wise master builder (Isa 3:3, LXX). Paul goes on to elaborate
that only certain building materials (those used in the tabernacle
and temple) are worthy of the gospel temple.
III. Literary Structure.
There is a sufficient amount of repetition in the Chronicler's
narrative of Solomon to suspect that it was constructed around
a chiastic or palistrophic pattern.
10
The following items set this
structure in broad outline:
A. Solomon's wealth and wisdom (1:1-17)
(Trade in horses, 1:14-17)
B. Recognition by gentiles/dealings with Hiram (2:1-16)
( Yahweh's love for Israel, 2:11)
C. Construction of temple/gentile labor (2:17-5:1)
(Gentile labor, 2:17-18)
(Completion of temple, 5:1)
D. Inauguration of temple worship (5:2-6:11)
a. Assembly (5:2-3)
b. Sacrifice and song (5:4-13)
c. Glory cloud (5:13-14)
d. Solomon speaks to the people (6:1-11 )
E. Prayer of dedication (6:12-42)
D'. Inauguration of temple worship (7:1-22)
c. Glory cloud (7:1-2)
b. Sacrifice and song (7:3-7)
a. Assembly (7:8-10)
d. God speaks to Solomon (7:11-22)
19
I am indebted to a former student, Mr. Karl Cooper, for first calling
my attention to the possible presence of this device; I have considerably
revised the structure he initially suggested. The use of a chiastic frame-
work for Hebrew narratives has received considerable attention in recent
literature. See the series of articles by Y. Radday, "On Chiasm in Bib-
lical Narrative," Beth Miqra, 20-21 (1964), 48-72; "Chiasm in Samuel,"
Linguistica Biblica, 9-10 (1971), 21-31; "Chiasm in Tora," Linguistica
Biblica, 19 (1972), 12-23; "Chiasm in Joshua, Judges, and Others," Lin-
guistica Biblica, 27-28 (1973), 6-13; "Chiasm in Kings," Linguistica Bib-
lica, 31 (1974), 52-67. See also G. J. Wenham, "The Coherence of the
Flood Narrative," Vetus Testamentum, 28 (1978), 336-348.
300 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
C Other construction/gentile labor/temple com-
pleted (8:1-16)
(Gentile labor, 8:7-10)
(Completion of temple, 8:16)
B'. Recognition by gentiles/dealings with Hiram (8:17-
9:12)
(Yahweh's love for Israel, 9:8)
A'. Solomon's wealth and wisdom (9:13-28)
(Trade in horses, 9:25-28)
In a chiastic structure it is ordinarily the central item which
is the author's pivotal interest.
20
Even a cursory examination of
this outline of the reign of Solomon shows the centrality of the
cult in this narrative.
Westminster Theological Seminary,
Philadelphia
20
The structure of the chiasm is perfect except for the item d in D and
D\ One would have expected D'd to be in initial position, had the author
rigidly adhered to this device.
^ s
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