In the first chapter of the second book of Chronicles, shortly after the demise of David and King Solomon’s ascension to the throne, the young king did something amazing—he offered a thousand burnt offerings to God.

2 Chronicles 1:1–7(NKJV)

1 - Now Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and exalted him exceedingly.

2 - And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers' houses.

3 - Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

4 - But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

5 - Now the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD; Solomon and the assembly sought Him there.

6 - And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

7 - On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask! What shall I give you?"

This was no question a very remarkable act, and God was apparently very impressed.

But did you know that Solomon wasn't actually the first person to offer up to a thousand offerings to God?

David did so on the day he confirmed for a second time that Solomon would succeed him on the throne by making Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him.

1 Chronicles 29:20–22(NKJV)

20 - Then David said to all the assembly, "Now bless the LORD your God." So all the assembly blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king.

21 - And they made sacrifices to the LORD and offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the next day: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.

22 - So they ate and drank before the LORD with great gladness on that day. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before the LORD to be the leader, and Zadok to be priest.

Moreover, besides the thousand burnt offerings Solomon offered in the high place at Gibeon, we have at least two references where he offered way more.

One was on the day the ark of covenant was transferred from that high place where he offered a thousand burnt offerings to the magnificent temple he had just built for the LORD.

2 Chronicles 5:1,5–6(NKJV)

1 - So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the LORD was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and all the furnishings. And he put them in the treasuries of the house of God.

5 - Then they brought up the ark, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.

6 - Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.

Another was at the dedication of the temple.

2 Chronicles 7:1–5(NKJV)

1 - When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

2 - And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.

3 - When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever."

4 - Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.

5 - King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

So Solomon wasn’t the first to offer to God up to a thousand offerings and this offering wasn’t his biggest feat either.

In the end, just like in Why Did Solomon Ask God for Wisdom?, we see that Solomon really learnt a lot from his father, David.

Victor Ibosiola © 2025