所羅門王求智慧

大衛的兒子所羅門鞏固了自己的王位。因為他的上帝耶和華與他同在,使他極其偉大。

所羅門召集所有以色列人,包括千夫長、百夫長、審判官、首領和族長, 與他們一起去基遍的邱壇,因為那裡有上帝的會幕,是耶和華的僕人摩西在曠野製造的。 大衛已經把上帝的約櫃從基列·耶琳搬到耶路撒冷,因為他在那裡為約櫃搭了一個帳篷。 戶珥的孫子、烏利的兒子比撒列造的銅壇在基遍耶和華的會幕前,所羅門和會眾就在那裡求問耶和華。 所羅門上到耶和華會幕前的銅壇那裡,獻上一千頭祭牲作為燔祭。

當天晚上,上帝向所羅門顯現,問他:「你要我給你什麼?只管求吧。」 所羅門回答說:「你厚待我父大衛,並讓我繼位。 耶和華上帝啊,求你成就你給我父大衛的應許。你立我為王,使我統治這多如地上塵土的百姓。 10 現在,求你賜我智慧和知識以帶領他們。不然,誰能治理這麼多的百姓呢?」 11 上帝對所羅門說:「你既然有此心願,不為自己求富貴、資財、尊榮、長壽,也沒有求滅絕你的敵人,只求智慧和知識以治理我的子民——我交在你王權之下的百姓, 12 我必賜你智慧和知識,並且我還要賜你空前絕後的富貴、資財和尊榮。」

13 於是,所羅門從基遍邱壇的會幕前回到耶路撒冷治理以色列。

所羅門王的兵力和財富

14 所羅門組建了戰車和騎兵,有一千四百輛戰車、一萬二千名騎兵,駐紮在屯車城和他所在的耶路撒冷。 15 王使耶路撒冷的金銀多如石頭,使香柏木多如丘陵的無花果樹。 16 所羅門的馬匹都是由王室商隊從埃及和古厄按定價買來的。 17 他們從埃及買來的車馬,每輛車六百塊銀子,每匹馬一百五十塊銀子,他們也把車馬賣給赫人諸王和亞蘭諸王。

Therefore Solomon, the son of David, was comforted in his realm (And so Solomon, the son of David, was strengthened, or confirmed, in his kingdom), and the Lord was with him, and magnified him on high.

And Solomon commanded to all Israel, to tribunes, and centurions, and to dukes, and to doomsmen of all Israel, and to the princes of families; (And Solomon commanded to all Israel, to the tribunes, and the centurions, and the leaders, and the judges of all Israel, and the leaders of the families;)

and Solomon went with all the multitude into the high place of Gibeon, where the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace of the Lord was, which tabernacle Moses, the servant of the Lord, made in wilderness. (and Solomon went with all the multitude to the hill shrine of Gibeon, where the Tabernacle of the Covenant of the Lord was, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, which Tabernacle Moses, the Lord’s servant, had made in the wilderness.)

Forsooth David had brought the ark of God from Kiriathjearim into the place which he had made ready to it, and where he had set a tabernacle to it, that is, in Jerusalem. (But David had brought the Ark of God from Kiriathjearim to the place which he had prepared for it, and where he had set up a Tent for it, that is, in Jerusalem.)

And the brazen altar, which Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord; which also Solomon and all the church sought. (And the bronze altar, which Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there in front of the Tabernacle of the Lord; and Solomon and all the congregation sought the Lord at that altar.)

And Solomon went up to the brazen altar, before the tabernacle of the bond of peace of the Lord, and offered in it a thousand sacrifices. (And Solomon went up to the bronze altar, before the Tabernacle of the Covenant of the Lord, and offered on it a thousand sacrifices.)

Lo! forsooth in that night God appeared to him, and said, Ask that that thou wilt, that I give to thee (Ask what thou wilt, that I give it to thee).

And Solomon said to God, Thou hast done great mercy with David, my father, and hast ordained me king for him. (And Solomon said to God, Thou hast shown great love for my father David, and hast made me king in his place.)

Now therefore, Lord God, thy word be fulfilled, which thou promisedest to David, my father; for thou hast made me king upon thy great people, which is so unnumberable as the dust of [the] earth. (And so now, Lord God, let thy word be fulfilled, which thou hast promised to my father David; for thou hast made me king upon thy great people, who be as innumerable as the dust of the earth.)

10 Give thou to me wisdom and understanding, that I go in and go out before thy people; for who may deem worthily this thy people, which is so great? (Give thou to me wisdom and understanding, so that I can come in and go out before thy people; for who can worthily judge this thy people, who be so great in number?)

11 And God said to Solomon, For that this thing pleased more thine heart, and thou askedest not riches, and chattel, and glory, neither the lives of them that hate thee, but neither full many days of thy life; but thou hast asked (for) wisdom and knowing, that thou mayest deem my people, upon which I have ordained thee king, (And God said to Solomon, For that this thing more pleased thy heart, and thou hast asked not for riches, or possessions, or glory, or for the lives of those who hate thee, or for a great many days for thy own life; but thou hast asked for wisdom and knowledge, so that thou can judge my people, on whom I have ordained thee to be king,)

12 wisdom and knowing (shall) be given to thee; and over this, I shall give to thee riches, and chattel, and glory (and in addition to this, I shall give to thee riches, and possessions, and glory), so that none among kings, neither before thee, nor after thee, (shall) be like thee.

13 Then Solomon came from the high place of Gibeon into Jerusalem, (from) before the tabernacle of the bond of peace, and he reigned upon Israel. (Then Solomon came from the hill shrine at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the Tabernacle of the Covenant, and he reigned upon Israel.)

14 And Solomon gathered together to him chariots and knights, and a thousand and four hundred chariots were made to him, and twelve thousand knights; and he made them to be in the cities of carts, and with the king in Jerusalem. (And Solomon gathered to himself chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and he ordained some of them to be in the cities for the chariots, and some of them to be with the king in Jerusalem.)

15 And the king gave in Jerusalem gold and silver as stones in plenty, and he gave cedar trees as sycamores, that come forth in field places in great multitude. (And the king made gold and silver to be as plentiful as stones in Jerusalem, and cedar trees to be like the sycamores that come forth in the fields in great multitude.)

16 And horses were brought to him from Egypt, and from Coa, by the merchants of the king, which went, and bought by price (who went there, and bought them for money),

17 a chariot of horses for six hundred pieces of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty. In like manner buying was made of all the realms of cities, and of the kings of Syria (In like manner, purchases were made from all the kings of the Hittites, and from the kings of Syria).