David’s Instructions to Solomon

2 Now ^(A)the days of David drew near that he should die, and he ^[a]charged Solomon his son, saying: ^2 (B)“I go the way of all the earth; ^(C)be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. ³ And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may ^(D)prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; ⁴ that the Lord may ^(E)fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ^(F)‘If your sons take heed to their way, to ^(G)walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ^(H)‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

³ And Solomon ^(A)loved the Lord, ^(B)walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

⁴ Now ^(C)the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, ^(D)for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ^5 (E)At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon ^(F)in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

^6 (G)And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he ^(H)walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You ^(I)have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. ⁷ Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a ^(J)little child; I do not know how ^(K)to go out or come in. ⁸ And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You ^(L)have chosen, a great people, ^(M)too numerous to be numbered or counted. ^9 (N)Therefore give to Your servant an ^[a]understanding heart ^(O)to judge Your people, that I may ^(P)discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

¹⁰ The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹ Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have ^(Q)not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, ^12 (R)behold, I have done according to your words; ^(S)see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. ¹³ And I have also ^(T)given you what you have not asked: both ^(U)riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. ¹⁴ So ^(V)if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, ^(W)as your father David walked, then I will ^(X)lengthen^[b] your days.”

¹⁵ Then Solomon ^(Y)awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and ^(Z)made a feast for all his servants.