Solomon, the Man of Peace and Rest: The reign of Solomon is the focus of 2 Chronicles 1–9. The Chronicler has already prepared the reader to expect that the next chapters contain the climax of the royal history that culminates in the accession of Solomon and his building of the temple in Jerusalem. Solomon is explicitly called “a man of peace and rest” in 1 Chronicles 22:8–10, and Yahweh promises to give David’s son “rest from all his enemies on every side.” It therefore comes as no surprise that 2 Chronicles 1–9 reports neither battles nor strife during the transition of leadership from David to Solomon (contrast 1 Kgs. 1–2). The Chronicler’s description of Solomon’s reign projects a tone of peace and rest. Even the pinnacle of Solomon’s achievements, the temple, is to be “a house . . . o…