Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 1:5

"Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of Jehovah: and Solomon and the assembly sought unto it." — 2 Chronicles 1:5 (ASV)

Moreover the brasen altar ... he put before the tabernacle of the Lord. —Rather, And the brasen altar ... was there before the dwelling of Jehovah. In Hebrew, shâm is “there”; and sâm, “he put.” Some manuscripts, supported by the Septuagint and Vulgate, read the former; most of the manuscripts and the Syriac, Arabic, and Targum, the latter.

The former reading is preferable, as it is not likely that David found the bronze altar separated from the Mosaic sanctuary and restored it to its place.

This sentence further explains why Solomon resorted to Gibeon. The presence of the old bronze altar constituted it the legitimate place of sacrifice. With perfect consistency, the chronicler accounted for David’s not going to Gibeon (1 Chronicles 21:28–30).

That Bezaleel the son of Uri ... had made —See Exodus 31:2; Exodus 31:9; Exodus 38:1–8; Exodus 27:1–8.

And Solomon and the congregation sought unto it. —Rather, And Solomon and the assembly sought Him — i.e., the Lord. (Compare 1 Chronicles 13:3; 1 Chronicles 15:13; 1 Chronicles 21:30.) The old versions translate it as the Authorized Version does.