We might remember how I Kings had reported in considerable detail the story of how Adonijah had endeavored to name himself as king to succeed his father David. Nathan and Bathsheba had interceded to make sure that from his deathbed David appointed Solomon to succeed him (I Kings 1:5-40).

As we saw yesterday, in his recounting of the history of Israel, the Chronicler decided to leave out some of the messiness of the story of David. In today’s reading the Chronicler proposes that David named Solomon as his successor at a major speech before the whole assembly of Israel, rather than from his deathbed; moreover, it was in front of all that crowd that he gave Solomon the public commission to build the temple (I Chronicles 29:1-4).

David told Solomon that his heart had been set on building a temple for the Lord, but could not do so because he had been a man of war, having shed much blood on the earth (22:7-8). Thus his son Solomon ( שְׁלֹמֹה – Shelomoh) would do so because he was a man of peace (שָׁלוֹם – shalom). As the Lord had told David, “a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days” (22:9).

When our enemies are attacking, we look for a David, a warrior ready to fight: but we long for the days of battle to be succeeded by years of peace, led by someone whose name means peace, who will establish peace for the kingdom and for all the people of the kingdom. Solomon would make a good start in this direction; but as we shall see, this promising beginning was not sustained.

* * * * *

Like the Chronicler we want to spin the story, O God, when the facts are not pretty. Teach us to tell the truth even when it is not to our advantage to do so. And establish us in peace, in the life of the Prince of Peace: we need for you to do it, Lord, for it is clear that our strength is not enough.