2 Chronicles 1

Verse 13 is awkward. Translations correct it without comment. The music takes it as read without so much as a hiccough. So perhaps should I and adjust the ל to an מ and add an ה to Jerusalem. Then it would read from the high place that was in Gibean to Jerusalem. The next phrase is still an awkward apposition but not impossible.

The translations (verse 16) are divided between Egypt (that is in the text) and Cilicia. Que or Kue is near or equivalent to Tarsus (in Cilicia). The sense of the last verses is obscure to me. (In fact the whole chapter is rather awkward and my English worse than usual.) Maybe the Chronicler has his own style or the text is degraded in part. I left Egypt in since that is the word in the Hebrew and the conflict of Israel and Egypt is a regular theme. I get the sense also that there were enough horses for all those foreign kings, the Hittites and the Syrians. They probably took their cut for goods brought from Cilicia through them, as is the the case for trade today in military hardware.

Solomon is painted as a big wheel indeed (as Samuel noted a king would be - 1 Samuel 8 - from my memory of English translations, not yet read in Hebrew). I guess it is obvious that conflict related to governance, special interests, points of view, power struggles, and so on, are pervasive in the texts. There is no prescriptive behaviour here, as if we, as royalty, should go and do likewise. Solomon is to judge his people with wisdom and knowledge, and he will end up also being judged by them, and if Qohelet is his, he will join in his own judgment, or suffer reading it after his demise.

There is an extra verse in the Hebrew, so 2 Chronicles 2 will be out by 1 in the verse numbers when we get there.

No atnach in verse 2 - 40 syllables without a rest! Catch your breath where you can on these long recitations.

2 Chronicles 1		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֛ק שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בֶן־דָּוִ֖יד עַל־מַלְכוּת֑וֹ וַיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַֽיְגַדְּלֵ֖הוּ לְמָֽעְלָה	1		And Solomon the child of David was resolved concerning his kingdom, and Yahweh his God was with him and made him to be greatly ascendant.	3d	4C	14 14
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל לְשָׂרֵי֩ הָאֲלָפִ֨ים וְהַמֵּא֜וֹת וְלַשֹּֽׁפְטִ֗ים וּלְכֹ֛ל נָשִׂ֥יא לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל רָאשֵׁ֥י הָאָבֽוֹת	2		And Solomon talked to all Israel, to the chiefs of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges and to every principal for all Israel, the heads of the ancestors.	3d	4B	40
וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ וְכָל־הַקָּהָ֣ל עִמּ֔וֹ לַבָּמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּגִבְע֑וֹן כִּי־שָׁ֣ם הָיָ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה מֹשֶׁ֥ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר	3		And they went, Solomon and all the congregation with him, to the high place that was in Gibeon, for there was the tent of engagement of God which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness.	3d	4C	21 25
אֲבָ֗ל אֲר֤וֹן הָאֱלֹהִים֙ הֶעֱלָ֤ה דָוִיד֙ מִקִּרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים בַּֽהֵכִ֥ין ל֖וֹ דָּוִ֑יד כִּ֧י נָֽטָה־ל֛וֹ אֹ֖הֶל בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם	4		Lamentably the ark of God, David had brought up from Qiryath-Yearim into David's base for it, for he had stretched out for it a tent in Jerusalem.	3c	4C	25 10
וּמִזְבַּ֣ח הַנְּחֹ֗שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ בְּצַלְאֵל֙ בֶּן־אוּרִ֣י בֶן־ח֔וּר שָׂ֕ם לִפְנֵ֖י מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּדְרְשֵׁ֥הוּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וְהַקָּהָֽל	5		And the brass altar that Betsalel, child of My Light, child of Hur had made, he set up before the dwelling-place of Yahweh, and Solomon and the congregation searched out for it.	3e	4C	25 12
וַיַּעַל֩ שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה שָׁ֜ם עַל־מִזְבַּ֤ח הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לְאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיַּ֧עַל עָלָ֛יו עֹל֖וֹת אָֽלֶף	6		And Solomon offered up there on the altar of brass in the presence of Yahweh that was at the tent of engagement, and he offered up on it a thousand burnt offerings.	3c	4C	24 9
בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא נִרְאָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִשְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ שְׁאַ֖ל מָ֥ה אֶתֶּן־לָֽךְ	7		In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, Ask what I will give you.	3e	4B	13 10
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים אַתָּ֗ה עָשִׂ֛יתָ עִם־דָּוִ֥יד אָבִ֖י חֶ֣סֶד גָּד֑וֹל וְהִמְלַכְתַּ֖נִי תַּחְתָּֽיו	8		And Solomon said to God, You yourself have done with David my father great kindness, and have made me reign in his stead.	3d	4C	23 7
עַתָּה֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים יֵֽאָמֵן֙ דְּבָ֣רְךָ֔ עִ֖ם דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑י כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ הִמְלַכְתַּ֔נִי עַל־עַ֕ם רַ֖ב כַּעֲפַ֥ר הָאָֽרֶץ	9		Now Yahweh, God, let your word with David my father be verified, because you have made me reign over a people abundant like the dust of the earth.	3e	4C	18 16
עַתָּ֗ה חָכְמָ֤ה וּמַדָּע֙ תֶּן־לִ֔י וְאֵֽצְאָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה וְאָב֑וֹאָה כִּֽי־מִ֣י יִשְׁפֹּ֔ט אֶת־עַמְּךָ֥ הַזֶּ֖ה הַגָּדֽוֹל	10		Now wisdom and knowledge give me, that I may go out before this people and come in, for who will judge this your great people.	3d	4C	22 12
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר־אֱלֹהִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֡ה יַ֣עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיְתָ֨ה זֹ֜את עִם־לְבָבֶ֗ךָ וְלֹֽא־שָׁ֠אַלְתָּ עֹ֣שֶׁר נְכָסִ֤ים וְכָבוֹד֙ וְאֵת֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ שֹׂנְאֶ֔יךָ וְגַם־יָמִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים לֹ֣א שָׁאָ֑לְתָּ וַתִּֽשְׁאַל־לְךָ֙ חָכְמָ֣ה וּמַדָּ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּשְׁפּוֹט֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִמְלַכְתִּ֖יךָ עָלָֽיו	11		And God said to Solomon, In that this was with your heart, and you did not ask for riches, material wealth, and glory, nor the throat of those hating you, and even for many days, you did not ask, but you asked for yourself, wisdom and knowledge, that you may judge my people over whom I have made you king.	3e	4C	50 25
הַֽחָכְמָ֥ה וְהַמַּדָּ֖ע נָת֣וּן לָ֑ךְ וְעֹ֨שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֤ים וְכָבוֹד֙ אֶתֶּן־לָ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ לֹא־הָ֣יָה כֵ֗ן לַמְּלָכִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן	12		The wisdom and the knowledge is given to you, and riches and material wealth and glory I will give you, such that there was not for kings who were before you, and after you neither will there be such.	3e	4C	10 35
וַיָּבֹ֨א שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה לַבָּמָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּגִבְעוֹן֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	13		So came Solomon to the high place that was in Gibeon, Jerusalem ... from before the tent of engagement, and reigned over Israel.	3e	4C	25 7
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף שְׁלֹמֹה֮ רֶ֣כֶב וּפָרָשִׁים֒ וַֽיְהִי־ל֗וֹ אֶ֤לֶף וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת֙ רֶ֔כֶב וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנִּיחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם	14		And Solomon gathered chariot and cavaliers, and he had a thousand four hundred of chariot and twelve thousand cavalry, and he left them in the cities of the chariot and with the king in Jerusalem.	3e	4C	33 19
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֶּ֧סֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֛ב בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת הָאֲרָזִ֗ים נָתַ֛ן כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה לָרֹֽב	15		And the king gave the silver and the gold in Jerusalem like stones, and cedar he gave like sycamores, that are abundant in the lowly place.	3c	4B	23 18
וּמוֹצָ֧א הַסּוּסִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וּמִקְוֵ֕א סֹחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מִקְוֵ֥א יִקְח֖וּ בִּמְחִֽיר	16		And the horses brought out that were Solomon's were from Egypt, and from Que. The wares of the king from Que they took at a price.	3c	4B	15 15
וַֽ֠יַּעֲלוּ וַיּוֹצִ֨יאוּ מִמִּצְרַ֤יִם מֶרְכָּבָה֙ בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת כֶּ֔סֶף וְס֖וּס בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמֵאָ֑ה וְ֠כֵן לְכָל־מַלְכֵ֧י הַֽחִתִּ֛ים וּמַלְכֵ֥י אֲרָ֖ם בְּיָדָ֥ם יוֹצִֽיאוּ	17		And they brought up, and they brought out from Egypt, chariot at six hundred of silver, and horse at one hundred and fifty, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Aram, by their means, they brought out.	3c	4C	29 20
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה לִבְנ֥וֹת בַּ֙יִת֙ לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה וּבַ֖יִת לְמַלְכוּתֽוֹ	18		And Solomon made a pronouncement to build a house to the name of Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.	3e	4B	21