Why did Solomon offer sacrifices at Gibeon according to 1 Kings 3:4? Setting the Scene: Gibeon’s Significance • After David brought the ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:15–17), the original Tabernacle and the bronze altar remained at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39–40). • Gibeon therefore held the “great high place,” the central location for sacrifices until the temple was built (1 Kings 3:4). • The Mosaic worship system prescribed sacrifices on the bronze altar, now stationed at Gibeon (Exodus 40:29; 2 Chronicles 1:5–6). The Text Itself “Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.” (1 Kings 3:4) Why Solomon Offered Sacrifices at Gibeon • The Tabernacle and bronze altar were still there, making Gibeon the divinely sanctioned site for burnt offerings until the Temple’s completion. • 1 Kings 3:3 notes Solomon “loved the LORD,” so he chose the location most closely tied to God’s prescribed worship. • Solomon’s thousand burnt offerings signaled wholehearted devotion at the recognized center of national worship. • 2 Chronicles 1:3–6 confirms the same event, emphasizing the bronze altar “before the LORD,” underlining covenant fidelity. Supporting Passages • 1 Chronicles 21:29–30 – Explains why sacrifices were performed at Gibeon while the ark was in Jerusalem. • 2 Chronicles 1:3–6 – Parallel account; stresses the presence of the Tent of Meeting and bronze altar. • Deuteronomy 12:11–14 – Anticipates a single chosen place for worship; until the Temple, Gibeon functioned in that role. Key Takeaways • Solomon honored God by using the altar He had previously ordained. • Worship remained anchored to God’s revealed order, even amid transitional times. • The episode foreshadows the coming Temple, where sacrifices would be centralized permanently (1 Kings 8:62–63). |
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