Solomon Worships at Gibeon

Now (A)Solomon the son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and (B)exalted him greatly.

And Solomon spoke to all Israel, (C)to the commanders of thousands, of hundreds, and to the judges and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ households. Then Solomon and all the assembly with him went to (D)the high place which was at Gibeon, (E)because God’s tent of meeting was there which Moses, the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness. However, David had brought up (F)the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim [a]to (G)the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. Now (H)the bronze altar which Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was there before the tabernacle of the Lord, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out. And Solomon went up there before the Lord to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and (I)offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

(J)In that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.”

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

And Solomon said to God, “You have dealt with my father David with great faithfulness, and (K)have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, (L)Your [b]promise to my father David is fulfilled, for You have made me king over (M)a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 (N)Now give me wisdom and knowledge, (O)so that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?” 11 (P)Then God said to Solomon, “Because this was [c]in your heart, and you did not ask for riches, wealth, or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor did you even ask for long life, but you asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge so that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. (Q)I will also give you riches, wealth, and honor, [d]such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed, nor will those who will [e]come after you.” 13 (R)So Solomon went [f]from the high place which was at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Wealth

14 (S)Solomon amassed chariots and horsemen. (T)He had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he stationed them in (U)the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 (V)The king made (W)silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the [g]lowland. 16 Solomon’s (X)horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s traders acquired them from Kue for a price. 17 They [h]imported chariots from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver apiece, horses for 150 apiece, and [i]by the same means they [j]exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Solomon Will Build a Temple and a Palace

[k](Y)Now Solomon [l]decided to build a house for the name of the Lord, and a [m]royal palace for himself. [n]So (Z)Solomon [o]assigned seventy thousand men to carry loads, eighty thousand men to quarry stone in the mountains, and 3,600 to supervise them.

(AA)Then Solomon sent word to [p]Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “(AB)As you dealt with my father David and sent him cedars to build him a house to live in, do it for me. Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, dedicating it to Him, (AC)to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out (AD)the showbread continually, and to offer (AE)burnt offerings morning and evening, (AF)on Sabbaths, on new moons, and on the appointed feasts of the Lord our God. This is to be done in Israel forever. The house which I am about to build will be great, for our God is (AG)greater than all the gods. But (AH)who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? And who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to [q]burn incense before Him? Now (AI)send me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass, iron, and in purple, crimson, and violet fabrics, one who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled workers [r](AJ)whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. (AK)Send me also cedar, juniper, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed (AL)my servants will work with your servants, to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful. 10 Now behold, (AM)I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, [s]twenty thousand kors of crushed wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, [t]twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.”

Huram to Assist

11 Then Huram, king of Tyre, [u]answered in a letter sent to Solomon: “(AN)Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them.” 12 Then Huram [v]continued, “Blessed be (AO)the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, [w]endowed with discretion and understanding, (AP)who will build a house for the Lord and a [x]royal palace for himself.

13 “Now then, I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, [y]endowed with understanding, 14 (AQ)the son of a [z]Danite woman and [aa]a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, violet, linen, and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to [ab]execute any design which is assigned to him, to work with your skilled workers and with [ac]those of my lord, your father David. 15 Now then, let my lord send his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of (AR)which he has spoken. 16 (AS)We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you as rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.”

17 Solomon counted all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, (AT)following the [ad]census which his father David had [ae]taken; and 153,600 were found. 18 (AU)He appointed seventy thousand of them to carry loads and eighty thousand to quarry stones in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors to make the people work.

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:4 Lit where David had prepared for it
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:9 Lit word
  3. 2 Chronicles 1:11 Lit with
  4. 2 Chronicles 1:12 Lit which was not so to the kings who were before you
  5. 2 Chronicles 1:12 Lit be
  6. 2 Chronicles 1:13 As in other ancient versions; MT to
  7. 2 Chronicles 1:15 Heb shephelah
  8. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Lit brought up and brought out
  9. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Lit in the same way by their hand
  10. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Lit brought out
  11. 2 Chronicles 2:1 Ch 1:18 in Heb
  12. 2 Chronicles 2:1 Lit said
  13. 2 Chronicles 2:1 Lit house for his royalty
  14. 2 Chronicles 2:2 Ch 2:1 in Heb
  15. 2 Chronicles 2:2 Lit counted
  16. 2 Chronicles 2:3 In 1 Kin 5:18, Hiram
  17. 2 Chronicles 2:6 Lit offer up in smoke
  18. 2 Chronicles 2:7 Lit who are with me
  19. 2 Chronicles 2:10 About 154,000 cubic feet or 4,360 cubic meters
  20. 2 Chronicles 2:10 About 120,000 gallons or 454,249 liters
  21. 2 Chronicles 2:11 Lit said...and he sent
  22. 2 Chronicles 2:12 Lit said
  23. 2 Chronicles 2:12 Lit knowing discretion
  24. 2 Chronicles 2:12 Lit house for his royalty
  25. 2 Chronicles 2:13 Lit knowing understanding
  26. 2 Chronicles 2:14 Lit a woman of the daughters of Dan
  27. 2 Chronicles 2:14 Lit whose father is a Tyrian man
  28. 2 Chronicles 2:14 Lit devise any device
  29. 2 Chronicles 2:14 Lit skilled men
  30. 2 Chronicles 2:17 Lit numbering
  31. 2 Chronicles 2:17 Lit numbered of them

Solomon Asks for Wisdom(A)(B)

Solomon son of David established(C) himself firmly over his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with(D) him and made him exceedingly great.(E)

Then Solomon spoke to all Israel(F)—to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families— and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon,(G) for God’s tent of meeting(H) was there, which Moses(I) the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. Now David had brought up the ark(J) of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent(K) for it in Jerusalem. But the bronze altar(L) that Bezalel(M) son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the Lord; so Solomon and the assembly inquired(N) of him there. Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

That night God appeared(O) to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me(P) king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise(Q) to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.(R) 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead(S) this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth,(T) possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor,(U) such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.(V)

13 Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting. And he reigned over Israel.

14 Solomon accumulated chariots(W) and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,[a] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold(X) as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue[b]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 17 They imported a chariot(Y) from Egypt for six hundred shekels[c] of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.[d] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.

Preparations for Building the Temple(Z)

[e]Solomon gave orders to build a temple(AA) for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself.(AB) He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them.(AC)

Solomon sent this message to Hiram[f](AD) king of Tyre:

“Send me cedar logs(AE) as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in. Now I am about to build a temple(AF) for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense(AG) before him, for setting out the consecrated bread(AH) regularly, and for making burnt offerings(AI) every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths,(AJ) at the New Moons(AK) and at the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.

“The temple I am going to build will be great,(AL) because our God is greater than all other gods.(AM) But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him?(AN) Who then am I(AO) to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

“Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled workers,(AP) whom my father David provided.

“Send me also cedar, juniper and algum[g] logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours to provide me with plenty of lumber, because the temple I build must be large and magnificent. 10 I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors[h] of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors[i] of barley, twenty thousand baths[j] of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.(AQ)

11 Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon:

“Because the Lord loves(AR) his people, he has made you their king.”

12 And Hiram added:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth!(AS) He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself.

13 “I am sending you Huram-Abi,(AT) a man of great skill, 14 whose mother was from Dan(AU) and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained(AV) to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue(AW) and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father.

15 “Now let my lord send his servants the wheat and barley and the olive oil(AX) and wine he promised, 16 and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them as rafts by sea down to Joppa.(AY) You can then take them up to Jerusalem.”

17 Solomon took a census of all the foreigners(AZ) residing in Israel, after the census(BA) his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. 18 He assigned(BB) 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working.

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:14 Or charioteers
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:16 Probably Cilicia
  3. 2 Chronicles 1:17 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  4. 2 Chronicles 1:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms
  5. 2 Chronicles 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:18, and 2:2-18 is numbered 2:1-17.
  6. 2 Chronicles 2:3 Hebrew Huram, a variant of Hiram; also in verses 11 and 12
  7. 2 Chronicles 2:8 Probably a variant of almug
  8. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,200 metric tons of wheat
  9. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, probably about 3,000 tons or about 2,700 metric tons of barley
  10. 2 Chronicles 2:10 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters