Solomon first meets God

1 Solomon, David’s son, was securely established over his kingdom because the Lord his God was with him and made him very great. ² Solomon summoned all Israel, including the officers of the army,^[a] the judges, and every Israelite leader who was the head of a family. ³ Then Solomon, accompanied by the whole assembly, went to the shrine at Gibeon because that is where God’s meeting tent was, the tent that the Lord’s servant Moses had made in the wilderness. ⁴ Now David had already brought God’s chest from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it because he had pitched a tent for the chest in Jerusalem. ⁵ But the bronze altar that Bezalel, Uri’s son and Hur’s grandson, had made was there in front of the Lord’s dwelling, so that is where Solomon and the assembly worshipped. ⁶ Solomon went there to the bronze altar in the Lord’s presence at the meeting tent and offered a thousand entirely burned offerings upon it.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

⁸ “You showed so much kindness to my father David,” Solomon replied to God, “and you have made me king in his place. ⁹ Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be fulfilled because you have made me king over a people as numerous as the earth’s dust. ¹⁰ Give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead this people, because no one can govern this great people of yours without your help.”

¹¹ God said to Solomon, “Since this is what you wish, and because you’ve asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I’ve made you king—rather than asking for wealth, riches, fame, victory over those who hate you, or even a long life— ¹² your request for wisdom and knowledge is granted. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame beyond that of any king before you or after you.” ¹³ Then Solomon went from^[b] the shrine in Gibeon, from the meeting tent to Jerusalem where he ruled over Israel.

Solomon’s wealth

¹⁴ Solomon acquired more and more chariots and horses until he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ¹⁵ In Jerusalem, the king made silver and gold as common as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees that grow in the foothills. ¹⁶ Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue, purchased from Kue by the king’s agents at the going price. ¹⁷ They would import a chariot from Egypt for six hundred pieces of silver and a horse for one hundred fifty, and then export them to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.