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Solomon Asks God for Wisdom

Solomon was the son of David. Solomon made his position secure over his kingdom. The Lord his God was with him. He made Solomon very great.

Solomon spoke to the whole community of Israel. He spoke to the commanders of thousands of men and commanders of hundreds. He spoke to the judges and all the leaders in Israel. He spoke to the leaders of Israel’s families. Solomon and the whole community went to the high place at Gibeon. That’s because God’s tent of meeting was there. The Lord’s servant Moses had made the tent in the desert. David had carried up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. He had it brought to the place he had prepared for it. He had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem. But the bronze altar that Bezalel had made was in Gibeon. Bezalel was the son of Uri. Uri was the son of Hur. The altar was in front of the Lord’s holy tent. So Solomon and the whole community asked the Lord for advice in Gibeon. Solomon went up to the bronze altar in front of the Lord at the tent of meeting. Solomon sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar.

That night God appeared to Solomon. He said to him, “Ask for anything you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered God, “You were very kind to my father David. Now you have made me king in his place. Lord God, let the promise you gave to my father David come true. You have made me king. My people are as many as the dust of the earth. They can’t be counted. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge. Then I’ll be able to lead these people. Without your help, who would be able to rule this great nation of yours?”

11 God said to Solomon, “I am glad that those are the things you really want. You have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. You have not asked to live for a long time. Instead, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge. You want to be able to rule my people wisely. I have made you king over them. 12 So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor. You will have more than any king before you ever had. And no king after you will have as much.”

13 Then Solomon left the high place at Gibeon. He went from the tent of meeting there to Jerusalem. And he ruled over Israel.

14 Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept some of them in the chariot cities. He kept others with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar wood as common there as sycamore-fig trees in the western hills. 16 Solomon got horses from Egypt and Kue. The king’s buyers purchased them from Kue at the current price. 17 They could get a chariot from Egypt for 15 pounds of silver. They could get a horse for less than four pounds of silver. They sold horses and chariots to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.

At si Salomon na anak ni David ay tumibay sa kaniyang kaharian, at ang Panginoon niyang Dios ay sumakaniya, at pinadakila siyang mainam.

At si Salomon ay nagsalita sa buong Israel, sa mga pinunong kawal ng lilibuhin at dadaanin, at sa mga hukom, at sa bawa't prinsipe sa buong Israel, na mga pangulo ng mga sangbahayan ng mga magulang.

Sa gayo'y si Salomon, at ang buong kapisanan na kasama niya, ay naparoon sa mataas na dako na nasa Gabaon; sapagka't nandoon ang tabernakulo ng kapisanan ng Dios, na ginawa sa ilang ni Moises na lingkod ng Panginoon.

Nguni't ang kaban ng Dios ay iniahon ni David mula sa Chiriath-jearim hanggang sa dakong pinaghandaan ni David: sapagka't kaniyang ipinagtayo ng tolda sa Jerusalem.

Bukod dito'y ang dambanang tanso na ginawa ni Bezaleel na anak ni Uri, na anak ni Hur, ay nandoon sa harap ng tabernakulo ng Panginoon: at doo'y sumangguni si Salomon at ang buong kapisanan.

At si Salomon ay sumampa roon sa dambanang tanso sa harap ng Panginoon, na nasa tabernakulo ng kapisanan, at naghandog ng isang libong handog na susunugin doon.

Nang gabing yaon ay napakita ang Dios kay Salomon, at nagsabi sa kaniya, Hingin mo kung ano ang ibibigay ko sa iyo.

At sinabi ni Salomon sa Dios, Ikaw ay nagpakita ng malaking kagandahang loob kay David na aking ama, at ginawa mo akong hari na kahalili niya.

Ngayon, Oh Panginoong Dios, itatag mo ang iyong pangako kay David na aking ama: sapagka't ginawa mo akong hari sa bayang gaya ng alabok ng lupa sa karamihan.

10 Bigyan mo ako ngayon ng karunungan at kaalaman, upang ako'y makapaglabas pumasok sa harap ng bayang ito: sapagka't sinong makahahatol dito sa iyong bayan na totoong malaki?

11 At sinabi ng Dios kay Salomon, Sapagka't ito ang sumaiyong puso, at hindi ka humingi ng kayamanan, pag-aari o karangalan o ng buhay man ng nangapopoot sa iyo, o humingi ka kaya ng mahabang buhay; kundi humingi ka ng karunungan at kaalaman sa ganang iyong sarili, upang iyong mahatulan ang aking bayan, na aking pinaggawan sa iyo na hari:

12 Karunungan at kaalaman ay nabigay sa iyo; at bibigyan kita ng kayamanan, at pag-aari, at karangalan na walang hari na una sa iyo na nagkaroon ng ganyan, o sinoman ay magkakaroon ng gayong pagkamatay mo.

13 Sa gayo'y dumating si Salomon mula sa mataas na dako na nasa Gabaon, mula sa harap ng tabernakulo ng kapisanan hanggang sa Jerusalem; at siya'y naghari sa Israel.

14 At si Salomon ay nagpisan ng mga karo at mga mangangabayo: at siya'y mayroong isang libo at apat na raang karo, at labing dalawang libong mangangabayo, na kaniyang inilagay sa bayan ng mga karo, at kasama ng hari sa Jerusalem.

15 At ginawa ng hari ang pilak at ginto na maging gaya ng mga bato sa Jerusalem, at ang mga sedro na maging gaya ng mga sikomoro na nangasa mababang lupa dahil sa kasaganaan.

16 At ang mga kabayo na tinatangkilik ni Salomon ay inilabas sa Egipto; ang mga mangangalakal ng hari ay nagsitanggap sa kanila ng mga kawan, na bawa't kawan ay sa halaga.

17 At kanilang iniaahon at inilalabas sa Egipto ang isang karo sa halagang anim na raang siklong pilak, at ang isang kabayo sa isang daan at limangpu: at gayon sa lahat na hari ng mga Hetheo, at sa mga hari sa Siria, kanilang mga inilalabas sa pamamagitan nila.

Solomon Asks for Wisdom(A)(B)

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)

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— 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. 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. 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. Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

That night God appeared(O) to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me(P) king in his place. 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

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:14 Or charioteers
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:16 Probably Cilicia
  3. 2 Chronicles 1:17 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  4. 2 Chronicles 1:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms