This section of the text is similar to 1 Chronicles 18-21. Those chapters showed how God did keep His promises to David that the Chronicler recorded in 1 Chronicles 17:8-12. These chapters (8-9) show how God kept His promise to Solomon in 1:12 and 7:17-18.
God blessed Solomon by giving him good relations with King Hiram of Tyre (v. 1). Hiram evidently returned the cities Solomon had previously given to him (v. 2; cf. 1 Kings 9:10-14). Solomon developed these towns. Solomon also captured more territory and fortified many cities. Moreover he controlled the native Canaanite population (v. 8). Verse 3, which is very brief, is the only reference in Chronicles to Solomon's military activity. Everywhere else his image is that of a peaceful king (1 Chron. 22:9).
Solomon was faithful to perform what the Mosaic Law required in ritual worship. In this he succeeded, though in his heart he departed from the Lord. The Chronicler gave him credit where credit was due and did not draw attention to his failings.
"This verse [v. 16] represents an important literary mark in the story of the Chronicler, concluding the long section that began at 2:1. A similar phrase to so the temple of the LORD was finished' occurs in 29:35, as the Chronicler concluded his account of the restoration of the temple service under Hezekiah."17
God gave Solomon wisdom and wealth as He had promised (1:12). The location of Ophir (8:18) is uncertain. Scholars have suggested India, Somaliland on the east coast of Africa, West Arabia, and South Arabia.
The Queen of Sheba attested to Solomon's wisdom (9:1-12). God's purpose for Israel was that she should draw the nations to Yahweh (Exod. 19:5-6). We see Israel realizing this purpose partially in this queen's visit to Solomon. She came to listen to him, and she brought gifts to him (cf. Isa. 2:3; 60:3, 5-6; Hag. 2:7).
"Negotiations with Solomon concerning trade in aromatic resins were to be expected. Frankincense and myrrh were in high demand for use in pharmacopoeia and cosmetics, embalming and religious offerings (Isa 60:6; Jer 6:20). Frankincense and myrrh ranked alongside gold for trade and as gifts for a king."18
"The Queen of Sheba who came to Jerusalem with much wealth and found that she had only imagined the half of the king's wisdom gives a dramatic picture of the hope that the Chronicler, along with the prophets, had vested in the Davidic kingship."19
"The impression made upon the Queen of Sheba shows the power that belongs to the children of God to bring God to those who are, figuratively speaking, far off'."20
Other Gentile nations also contributed greatly to Solomon's wealth (vv. 22-24). God brought this wealth to Solomon because of his obedience. Nevertheless Solomon only partially fulfilled God's promises. Their complete fulfillment awaited the appearance of the perfectly obedient Son of David.
The Chronicler omitted any reference to Solomon's apostasy that resulted in the division of the kingdom (cf. 1 Kings 11:9-11). By doing so, he was not trying to whitewash Solomon's record. The Book of Kings was available to the postexilic community as were other records of Solomon's reign to which he referred his readers (v. 29). He chose to present only those aspects of Solomon's career in which he provided a positive example of trust and obedience and consequent blessing. His purpose was to encourage his readers with a good example and to build hope for the future King, not to lament the past. The purpose of Chronicles thus emerges quite clearly. It was to preach a message for the present generation from the earlier historical records. It was not primarily to provide a parallel or supplementary historical record to what existed in Samuel and Kings.
Solomon modeled the ultimate Davidic temple builder. He was wise and prosperous. He built and dedicated the glorious temple, and he received the wealth of the Gentiles who sought his wisdom.21David's ultimate Son would do all of these things too. Solomon proved not to be the Son of David who would rule forever. Nevertheless his reign helped the Jews of the restoration period know what they needed to do and to what they could look forward.
"The Chronicler's aim in his portrayal of Solomon is to show how God governed the events of history to impart to the kingdom of Israel, at least once, a splendour which was fit to symbolize his own. . . . The Kings and Chronicles accounts, taken together, become another testimony--alongside the whole biblical picture of David--to the way in which God deigns to use great sinners in the work of his kingdom, so much so that the OT's latest picture of Solomon does not even remember his sins."22
"The study of typology is an approach to the Bible that can readily be abused. But nothing could be more biblical than to hold that the Davidic monarchy is a type of the rule of Christ."23
