David's Instructions to Solomon

2 ^(A)When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, ^2 (B)“I am about to go the way of all the earth. ^(C)Be strong, and show yourself a man, ³ and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, ^(D)that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, ⁴ that the Lord may ^(E)establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ^(F)‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, ^(G)to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, ^(H)you shall not lack^[a] a man on the throne of Israel.’

Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

3 ^(A)Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into ^(B)the city of David until he had finished ^(C)building his own house ^(D)and the house of the Lord ^(E)and the wall around Jerusalem. ^2 (F)The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

³ Solomon ^(G)loved the Lord, ^(H)walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. ⁴ And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, ^(I)for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ^5 (J)At Gibeon ^(K)the Lord appeared to Solomon ^(L)in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” ⁶ And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because ^(M)he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and ^(N)have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. ⁷ And now, O Lord my God, ^(O)you have made your servant king in place of David my father, ^(P)although I am but a little child. I do not know ^(Q)how to go out or come in. ^8 (R)And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, ^(S)too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. ^9 (T)Give your servant therefore an understanding mind ^(U)to govern your people, that I may ^(V)discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹ And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² behold, ^(W)I now do according to your word. Behold, ^(X)I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. ^13 (Y)I give you also what you have not asked, ^(Z)both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. ¹⁴ And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, ^(AA)as your father David walked, then ^(AB)I will lengthen your days.”

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