Commentary on 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
If you have had any experience with a congregation over time, you know that one of the greatest challenges can be the matter of pastoral succession. If you are part of a tradition that practices itinerancy, you understand what it means for pastors to be reassigned with some frequency, perhaps even as little as a year’s time. In other traditions, pastors might serve for many years or even decades before someone else occupies the role. On occasion, some have had the privilege to designate their successor. On a sadder note, some congregations have had drawn-out fights and contentious votes over who the next leader will be. The road to succession is often a complicated one.
The road to Solomon’s succession is no exception. Solomon, a son of David, has ascended to the throne after 40 years of his father’s rule. The preceding books of the Hebrew Bible inform us of the long and winding road to this point.
In 1 and 2 Samuel, we can read how David’s own reign over Israel was a consequence of both his faithfulness to God and his predecessor Saul’s failings. Even so, David’s tenure as king was marked by betrayal, bloodshed, infidelity, and more. In the midst of these less-than-perfect circumstances, God ensured the legacy of David and the continuation of the kingdom. God promised that when David died and joined his ancestors, one of his sons would succeed him and God would establish his kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12). First Kings 2:10–12 is a fulfillment of this promise and sets the tone for the early days of Solomon’s rule.
In the shift to chapter 3, we find Solomon fulfilling the traditions of worship. It bears mentioning that Solomon is offering his burnt offerings in the city of Gibeon. The Israelites’ relationship to this location is deeply significant. During the era of Joshua’s leadership, Gibeon was the one Canaanite city that attempted to make peace with the Israelites, albeit deceptively. As a consequence, the Gibeonites were constrained to serve as woodcutters and water bearers in service to Israel and the house of God (Joshua 9). Furthermore, Gibeon was the site of the battle in which God miraculously held the sun at a standstill while Joshua and the Israelites fought against the Amorites (Joshua 10).
All of this underscores how Solomon is deeply connected to a sacred lineage and history grounded in this geographical location. He is a participant in activities and rituals that have been established and reinforced in this place for generations. Gibeon is a location where God’s presence and power have been shown, and it is where God shows up to engage Solomon in a new way.
Solomon faces the challenge that most successors will also face: how to faithfully honor your roots while setting a course for the future. This is a delicate balance to strike. Verses 3–4 establish that Solomon is attentive to the first part of this balance. In the midst of the habits of faithful practice, God shows up in a way that profoundly impacts the trajectory of Solomon’s future. We could very well hold this intervention in tandem with the prophet Samuel’s intervention in the life of Solomon’s father, David. It was David who faithfully tended to his father’s flocks and found himself unexpectedly being anointed by Samuel as Israel’s next king. In both instances, fidelity and consistency lay the foundation for a tremendous future.
God’s statement to Solomon—“Ask what I should give you” (1 Kings 3:5)—presents both a challenge and an opportunity. How does one respond to such an open-ended possibility? We could think of the usual trappings of this world that people seek—money, power, status, acclaim, longevity. There is no indication that God has placed stipulations on what Solomon can request. Of course, the conversation between them reveals that Solomon is measured and balanced in his response. He is not thinking of mere personal gain, but of the weight that rests on his shoulders as a successor to the throne. He is concerned with how he might best serve his foundational roots and his future responsibilities.
Solomon’s response to God is four verses long, but it is only in the final verse that he makes his request. Verses 6–8 are a testimony to God’s faithfulness to him, his father, and his people. He is making it very clear that he understands his relationship to a spiritual and familial heritage. Furthermore, he has a humble recognition of his limits and an acceptance of his need for guidance. He is the king, but power is not his alone. And for these reasons, he asks for wisdom and moral discernment to lead the people as best he can.
Why did it please God that Solomon made this request? Perhaps it is a subtle acknowledgment that Solomon understands that the purpose of succession is not self-promotion but collective continuance. God’s ultimate intent, it seems, was not for kings over Israel but for the flourishing of the people in relationship with God (1 Samuel 8). In essence, Solomon’s request demonstrates that he does not hold a self-important view of kingship. Rather, he seeks the well-being of the people he stands not merely over but also amidst.
From Solomon’s request, we learn something valuable about what makes succession possible. The transfer of power and authority can be rocky if there is not a thoughtful respect for one’s place in a larger history. We rest on the shoulders of those whose labor and effort have made our presence possible, and we do well to humbly acknowledge our inheritance while courageously taking on our present responsibilities. Though the reign of Solomon was not without its own troubled missteps, it suggests that power and authority are not meant for permanent possession but for temporal stewardship. In the end, the throne does not belong to him; he simply plays his role in keeping the traditions alive and well. Such is the work of any good successor.
August 18, 2024