所罗门王求智慧

大卫的儿子所罗门巩固了自己的王位。因为他的上帝耶和华与他同在,使他极其伟大。

所罗门召集所有以色列人,包括千夫长、百夫长、审判官、首领和族长, 与他们一起去基遍的丘坛,因为那里有上帝的会幕,是耶和华的仆人摩西在旷野制造的。 大卫已经把上帝的约柜从基列·耶琳搬到耶路撒冷,因为他在那里为约柜搭了一个帐篷。 户珥的孙子、乌利的儿子比撒列造的铜坛在基遍耶和华的会幕前,所罗门和会众就在那里求问耶和华。 所罗门上到耶和华会幕前的铜坛那里,献上一千头祭牲作为燔祭。

当天晚上,上帝向所罗门显现,问他:“你要我给你什么?只管求吧。” 所罗门回答说:“你厚待我父大卫,并让我继位。 耶和华上帝啊,求你成就你给我父大卫的应许。你立我为王,使我统治这多如地上尘土的百姓。 10 现在,求你赐我智慧和知识以带领他们。不然,谁能治理这么多的百姓呢?” 11 上帝对所罗门说:“你既然有此心愿,不为自己求富贵、资财、尊荣、长寿,也没有求灭绝你的敌人,只求智慧和知识以治理我的子民——我交在你王权之下的百姓, 12 我必赐你智慧和知识,并且我还要赐你空前绝后的富贵、资财和尊荣。”

13 于是,所罗门从基遍丘坛的会幕前回到耶路撒冷治理以色列。

所罗门王的兵力和财富

14 所罗门组建了战车和骑兵,有一千四百辆战车、一万二千名骑兵,驻扎在屯车城和他所在的耶路撒冷。 15 王使耶路撒冷的金银多如石头,使香柏木多如丘陵的无花果树。 16 所罗门的马匹都是由王室商队从埃及和古厄按定价买来的。 17 他们从埃及买来的车马,每辆车六百块银子,每匹马一百五十块银子,他们也把车马卖给赫人诸王和亚兰诸王。

And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Jehovah his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. And Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses. So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Jehovah had made in the wilderness. But the ark of God had David brought up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, [a]was there before the tabernacle of Jehovah: and Solomon and the assembly sought unto it. And Solomon [b]went up thither to the brazen altar before Jehovah, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon it.

In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast showed great lovingkindness unto David my father, and hast made me king in his stead. Now, O Jehovah God, let thy promise unto David my father be established; for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee; neither shall there any after thee have the like. 13 So Solomon came [c]from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, unto Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel.

14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 And the king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore-trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 16 And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 17 And they fetched up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:5 Or, as otherwise read, he had put
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:6 Or, offered there, upon . . . yea, he offered
  3. 2 Chronicles 1:13 So Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac. The Hebrew has, to