Solomon Requests Wisdom^(A)

3 Now ^(B)Solomon made ^[a]a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her ^(C)to the City of David until he had finished building his ^(D)own house, and ^(E)the house of the Lord, and ^(F)the wall all around Jerusalem. ^2 (G)Meanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. ³ And Solomon ^(H)loved the Lord, ^(I)walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

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

^6 (N)And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he ^(O)walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You ^(P)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 ^(Q)little child; I do not know how ^(R)to go out or come in. ⁸ And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You ^(S)have chosen, a great people, ^(T)too numerous to be numbered or counted. ^9 (U)Therefore give to Your servant an ^[b]understanding heart ^(V)to judge Your people, that I may ^(W)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 ^(X)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 (Y)behold, I have done according to your words; ^(Z)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 ^(AA)given you what you have not asked: both ^(AB)riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. ¹⁴ So ^(AC)if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, ^(AD)as your father David walked, then I will ^(AE)lengthen^[c] your days.”

¹⁵ Then Solomon ^(AF)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 ^(AG)made a feast for all his servants.