提要
歷代志下接續上冊的結尾，由所羅門王的統治開始寫。大衛死前，立所羅門為王，並得到所有以色列領袖的擔保，要支持所羅門，並幫助他負起建殿的責任。他的真正就職典禮，與他靈性經歷的最高點，是上帝在基遍向他顯現；那是他開始治理不久的事（1：1~13）。基遍離耶路撒冷西北不遠，是存放原來摩西會幕黃銅祭壇的故址。這一位址和耶路撒冷的帳幕，放置約櫃處，在當時是僅有的兩個合法敬拜及獻祭給上帝的地點。
當天夜晚，所羅門獻了無數祭牲之後，上主在睡夢中向他顯現（參王上3：5、15；再看王上3：4，與此平行記載的小註，可提供更進一更的資料）。我們都知道所羅門要求上帝賜他智慧的有名故事，而上帝也應允他。除此之外，又賜下他未曾要求的財富和榮譽（參雅1：5）。所羅門向上帝所做第一個直接的請求，便是請履行對他父親的應許，藉他堅立大衛的朝代，並樹立耶路撒冷的聖殿（代上17：11~14）。所羅門真是一位大衛王榮耀高貴的兒子。他紀念他的父親，並祈求上帝賜下智慧，使他達成父親的期望，成功治理以色列國（代上22：12）。所羅門智慧的表現之一，是藉由貿易和企業，帶給以色列大量財富（1：14~17）。
大衛王已為建殿做了十足的準備，如搜集大量的供應品、建築藍圖、登錄工人的名冊。此刻便是所羅門的工作，執行每一件事情。他要求他父親朋友，推羅王希蘭的幫助；因為腓尼基人（Phoenecians）是有名的技藝超群的藝師，木工做得尤佳。希藺王樂意負此責任，於是雙方迅速締結了商務和外交的關係。
所羅門王給希蘭的信，勇敢地向一個拜偶像的國王見證，以色列的上帝是何其超凡。所羅門宣告上帝比其他的任何神明都大（2：5），並謙卑地承認，上帝是無所不在的，不能住在一個人手所造的殿中，但上帝卻恩慈地稱呼那殿為祂的居所。希蘭很驚奇地回信所羅門，信上滿了對以色列上帝的信心，證明上主的智識，當時已傳遍多國（2：11~12）。他也表示他的喜樂，因上帝已賜給他的朋友一位智慧的兒子，他會完成大衛的遺志，建造聖殿。
希蘭找到一位完美的藝師，和他自己同名，也叫希蘭（或戶蘭），聽候差派。他精於各種手工藝，又是半個以色列人；他的母親是但支派的人，父親是推羅人（2：13~14）。他對聖殿的貢獻，有如比撒列之於會幕（出31：1~5）。上帝常會準備適當的人，來作祂的工作。
大量留在這塊地上的非以色列族（參士1）都是奴工（王上9：20~22）。所羅門運用他們來完成這偉大的建造工程（2：2、17~18）。來自黎巴嫩的木材，經地中海漂到以色列的約帕港埠。而且，需要成千「搬運重物的人」把這些物品，從約帕搬過崎嶇多山的岩層，運到五十多公里以外的耶路撒冷。
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Overview
The book of 2 Chronicles continues where 1 Chronicles ended, with the beginning of King Solomon's reign. Before David died, he made Solomon king and secured pledges from all the leaders of Israel that they would support Solomon and help him with the responsibility of building the Temple. His real inauguration and the high point of his spiritual experience was when the Lord appeared to him at Gibeon, shortly after he began to reign (1:1-13). Gibeon was not far northwest of Jerusalem and was the site of the original tabernacle of Moses, housing the brazen altar. This site and the tent in Jerusalem, which housed the Ark, were the only two legitimate places of worship and sacrifice to God at that time. The other high places of worship to God were often tolerated, but against the law of God concerning the centralized place of worship where He had chosen to put His name (cf. Deuteronomy 12:5).
During the night, after Solomon had offered numerous sacrifices, the Lord appeared to him in a dream (cf. 1 Kings 3:5, 15; for further details see the commentary on the parallel account in 1 Kings 3 and 4). We all know the famous story of how Solomon asked God for wisdom, which was granted to him, along with the things he did not ask for, such as wealth and honour (cf. James 1:5). The very first request Solomon made, however, was that God would fulfill His promise to his father David concerning the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the erection of the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 17:11-14). Solomon was truly an honourable and noble son of King David. He remembered his father and, in his request to God, honoured his father's wish for him to have wisdom in order to rule Israel (1 Chronicles 22:12). As an example of Solomon's wisdom, we are told of the great wealth Solomon brought to Israel through commercial enterprises (1:14-17).
King David had already made extensive preparations for the Temple, such as gathering abundant supplies, planning the architecture and enlisting workers. It was now Solomon's job to organize everything. He asked for the help of his father's friend, Hiram, king of Tyre, because the Phoenecians were known for their extremely skillful craftsmen and their good quality timber. Hiram was glad to oblige, and they quickly formed a business and diplomatic relationship.
Solomon's letter to King Hiram was a bold witness of the supremacy of the God of Israel to the king of an idolatrous nation. Solomon proclaimed that God was greater than all other gods (2:5) and humbly recognized that God could not be contained in a Temple, since He was omnipresent, but He would graciously call it His House. Hiram surprisingly responded to Solomon with words of faith in the God of Israel, proving that the knowledge of the Lord was spreading among the nations (2:11-12). He also expressed his happiness that God had given his friend David a wise son who would fulfill David's desire to built the Temple.
Hiram found the perfect master craftsman to send, one who bore the same name as himself, Huram (or Hiram). He was "endowed with understanding" in all areas of craftsmanship and was half-Israelite; his mother was a Danite and his father a Phoenician (2:13-14). He was to the Temple what Bezaleel was to the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-5). God will always provide the right people to do His work.
A great number of non-Israelites who remained in the land (cf. Judges 1) were slave labourers (1 Kings 9:20-22). Solomon organized them in order to accomplish this great task (2:2, 17-18). The wood from Lebanon was floated on the Mediterranean Sea down to the Israelite port city of Joppa. Thousands of "burden bearers" were needed to carry the supplies over the rugged, hilly terrain from Joppa up to Jerusalem, a distance of over fifty kilometers.
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