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

Egypt Attacks Judah

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

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

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

¹³ as the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths.^{(A) 14} According to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry alongside the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions for the several gates, for so David the man of God had commanded.^{(B) 15} They did not turn away from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites regarding anything at all or regarding the treasuries.

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

¹⁷ As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances,^{(A) 18} then I will establish your royal throne, as I made a covenant^[a] with your father David saying, ‘You shall never lack a successor to rule over Israel.’^(B)

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

Solomon Requests Wisdom

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

² Solomon summoned all Israel, the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel, the heads of families.^{(B) 3} Then Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there.^{(C) 4} (But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.)^{(D) 5} Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur had made was there in front of the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly inquired at it.^{(E) 6} Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.^(F)

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I should give you.”^{(G) 8} Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to my father David and have made me succeed him as king.^{(H) 9} O Lord God, let your promise to my father David now be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.^{(I) 10} Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of yours?”^{(J) 11} God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart and you have not asked for 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 rule my people over whom I have made you king,^{(K) 12} wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”^(L)