Solomon Seeks Wisdom^(A)

1 Now Solomon the son of David strengthened himself over his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and made Solomon exceedingly great.

² And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to all the leaders in all Israel, the heads of fathers’ houses. ³ Then they all went, Solomon and all the assembly that was with him, to the high place that was at Gibeon, because the tent of meeting with God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there. ⁴ However, David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. ⁵ And the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was set before the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly sought it out to seek the Lord. ⁶ And Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was before the tent of meeting, and he offered up a thousand burnt offerings on it.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I might give to you.”

⁸ Then Solomon said to God, “You have given a great mercy to David my father and have made me king in his place. ⁹ Now, Lord God, may Your word to David my father be confirmed, for You have made me king over a people numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰ Now give wisdom and knowledge to me so that I might know how to go before this people, for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

¹¹ Then God responded to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart and you did not ask for possessions, wealth, and honor, or even the life of those who hate you, nor have you asked for many days of life, but you have asked Me for wisdom and knowledge that you might govern My people over whom I have made you king, ¹² wisdom and knowledge are now given to you. Possessions, wealth, and honor I will also give to you; such has not been given to kings before you nor those who will follow after you.”

¹³ So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

¹⁴ Solomon gathered together chariots and horses. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, and he put them in designated cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ¹⁵ The king made silver and gold in Jerusalem as abundant as stones and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees in the lowlands of the Shephelah. ¹⁶ The horses of Solomon were imported from Egypt and Kue, and the traders of the king would take them from Kue for a price. ¹⁷ They imported chariots from Egypt for six hundred shekels^[a] of silver and a horse for one hundred and fifty pieces.^[b] And they imported from these places to all the kings of the Hittites and Arameans.