^17 (A)They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Egypt Plunders Jerusalem

12 ^(A)When the rule of Rehoboam was established ^(B)and he was strong, ^(C)he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.

²⁰ As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately ^(A)receives it with joy, ²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but ^(B)endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately ^(C)he falls away.^[a]

^13 (A)as the duty of each day required, offering ^(B)according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the ^(C)three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. ¹⁴ According to the ruling of David his father, he appointed ^(D)the divisions of the priests for their service, ^(E)and the Levites for their offices of praise and ^(F)ministry before the priests ^(G)as the duty of each day required, and ^(H)the gatekeepers in their divisions at each gate, for so David ^(I)the man of God had commanded. ¹⁵ And they did not turn aside from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites concerning any matter and concerning the treasuries.

¹⁶ Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon from^[a] the day the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was completed.

¹⁷ And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, ¹⁸ then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ^(A)‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’

^19 (B)“But if you^[a] turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,

Solomon Worships at Gibeon

1 ^(A)Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom, ^(B)and the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

² Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the ^(C)commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to all the leaders in all Israel, the heads of fathers' houses. ³ And Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to ^(D)the high place that was at Gibeon, ^(E)for ^(F)the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there. ^4 (G)(But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.) ⁵ Moreover, ^(H)the bronze altar that ^(I)Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly ^(J)sought it^[a] out. ⁶ And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tent of meeting, ^(K)and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

Solomon Prays for Wisdom

^7 (L)In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” ⁸ And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, ^(M)and have made me king in his place. ⁹ O Lord God, ^(N)let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous ^(O)as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰ Give me now wisdom and knowledge to ^(P)go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” ¹¹ God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for ^(Q)possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you ^(R)riches, possessions, and honor, ^(S)such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”