Font Size
2 Chronicles 1
New Life Version
2 Chronicles 1
New Life Version
1 Solomon the son of David became a strong king. The Lord his God was with him, and gave him much honor. 2 Solomon spoke to all Israel. He spoke to the leaders of thousands and of hundreds. He spoke to the men who judge and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of fathers’ houses. 3 Then Solomon and all the people with him went to a place of worship at Gibeon where God’s meeting tent was. It was the tent which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the desert. 4 (But David had brought up the special box of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had made ready for it. For he had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem.) 5 Now the brass altar was there in front of the meeting tent of the Lord. It was the altar which was made by Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur. Solomon and the people worshiped the Lord there. 6 Solomon went before the Lord to the brass altar at the meeting tent. And he gave a thousand burnt gifts on it.
7 That night God showed Himself to Solomon and said to him, “Ask Me for anything and I will give it to you.” 8 Solomon said to God, “You have acted toward my father David with great loving-kindness. And You have made me king in his place. 9 Now, O Lord God, Your promise to my father David has come true. For You have made me king over as many people as the dust of the earth. 10 Now give me wisdom and much understanding, that I may lead these people. For who can rule this great nation of Yours?” 11 God said to Solomon, “You have not asked for riches, much money, or honor, or the life of those who hate you. And you have not asked for a long life for yourself. But you have asked for wisdom and much understanding, that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king. Because this was in your heart, 12 wisdom and much understanding have been given to you. And I will give you riches and much money and honor. You will have more than all the kings who were before you, and more than all who will come after you.”
Solomon’s Power and Riches
13 So Solomon went from the place of worship at Gibeon, from the meeting tent to Jerusalem. There he ruled over Israel.
14 Solomon gathered together war-wagons and horsemen. He had 1,400 war-wagons and 12,000 horsemen. And he kept some of them in the war-wagon cities, and some with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as easy to find in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar trees as easy to find as sycamore trees in the valley. 16 Solomon’s horses were brought in from Egypt and Kue. The men who traded for the king received them from Kue for a special price. 17 They paid 600 pieces of silver for each war-wagon brought in from Egypt and 150 pieces of silver for each horse. They also sold them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
2 Chronicles 1
Expanded Bible
2 Chronicles 1
Expanded Bible
Solomon Asks for Wisdom(A)
1 Solomon, David’s son, ·became a powerful king [solidified/secured/established his kingdom/royal authority; L strengthened himself over his kingdom], because the Lord his God was with him and ·made him very great [exalted/magnified/empowered him].
2 Solomon spoke to all the people of Israel—the ·commanders [officers] of thousands of men and of hundreds of men, the judges, every leader in all Israel, and the ·leaders [L heads] of the ·families [clans]. 3 Then Solomon and all the ·people [assembly] with him went to the ·place of worship [L high place] at the town of Gibeon. God’s ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle], which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the ·desert [wilderness], was there. 4 David had brought the Ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem, where he had ·made [prepared] a place for it and had set up a tent for it [1 Sam. 6:1–15]. 5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, who was the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. So Solomon and the ·people [assembly] worshiped there. 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar ·in the presence of [before] the Lord at the ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle] and ·offered [sacrificed] a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8 Solomon answered, “You have ·been very kind [shown/demonstrated loyalty/unfailing love] to my father David, and you have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, ·may your promise to my father David come true [or your promise to my father David has been fulfilled]. You have made me king of a ·people [nation] ·who are as many [as numerous] as the dust of the earth [Gen. 1:16]. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead these people, ·because no one can rule them without your help [for who can rule/govern this great people/nation of yours?].”
11 God said to Solomon, “You have not asked for wealth or riches or ·honor [fame], or for the ·death of your enemies [L life of those who hate you], or for a long life. ·But since [Because] you have asked for wisdom and knowledge to ·lead [rule; govern] my people, over whom I have made you king, 12 I will give you wisdom and knowledge. I will also give you more wealth, riches, and ·honor [fame] than any king who has lived before you or any who will live after you.”
13 Then Solomon left the ·place of worship [L high place], the ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle], at Gibeon and went back to Jerusalem. There King Solomon ·ruled [reigned] over Israel.
Solomon’s Wealth(B)
14 Solomon ·had [gathered; amassed; accumulated] fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses. He kept some in ·special cities for the chariots [chariot cities], and others he kept with him in Jerusalem. 15 In Jerusalem Solomon made silver and gold as ·plentiful [common] as stones and cedar trees as ·plentiful [common] as the ·fig [sycamore-fig] trees on the ·western hills [L Shephelah]. 16 He imported horses from Egypt and ·Kue [Cilicia; C present-day southern Turkey]; his traders bought them in ·Kue [Cilicia] for the ·prevailing [usual; standard] price. 17 They imported chariots from Egypt for ·about fifteen pounds [L six hundred shekels] of silver apiece, and horses cost ·nearly four pounds of silver [L one hundred fifty] apiece. Then they ·sold [exported] the horses and chariots to all the kings of the Hittites and the Arameans.
2 Chronicles 1
New International Version
2 Chronicles 1
New International Version
Solomon Asks for Wisdom(A)(B)
1 Solomon son of David established(C) himself firmly over his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with(D) him and made him exceedingly great.(E)
2 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel(F)—to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families— 3 and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon,(G) for God’s tent of meeting(H) was there, which Moses(I) the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 4 Now David had brought up the ark(J) of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent(K) for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar(L) that Bezalel(M) son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the Lord; so Solomon and the assembly inquired(N) of him there. 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared(O) to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me(P) king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your promise(Q) to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.(R) 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead(S) this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth,(T) possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor,(U) such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.(V)”
13 Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting. And he reigned over Israel.
14 Solomon accumulated chariots(W) and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,[a] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold(X) as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue[b]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 17 They imported a chariot(Y) from Egypt for six hundred shekels[c] of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.[d] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 1:14 Or charioteers
- 2 Chronicles 1:16 Probably Cilicia
- 2 Chronicles 1:17 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
- 2 Chronicles 1:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms
New Life Version (NLV)
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.