2 Chronicles 1
Common English Bible
Solomon first meets God
1 Solomon, David’s son, was securely established over his kingdom because the Lord his God was with him and made him very great. 2 Solomon summoned all Israel, including the officers of the army,[a] the judges, and every Israelite leader who was the head of a family. 3 Then Solomon, accompanied by the whole assembly, went to the shrine at Gibeon because that is where God’s meeting tent was, the tent that the Lord’s servant Moses had made in the wilderness. 4 Now David had already brought God’s chest from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it because he had pitched a tent for the chest in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel, Uri’s son and Hur’s grandson, had made was there in front of the Lord’s dwelling, so that is where Solomon and the assembly worshipped. 6 Solomon went there to the bronze altar in the Lord’s presence at the meeting tent and offered a thousand entirely burned offerings upon it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”
8 “You showed so much kindness to my father David,” Solomon replied to God, “and you have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be fulfilled because you have made me king over a people as numerous as the earth’s dust. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead this people, because no one can govern this great people of yours without your help.”
11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is what you wish, and because you’ve asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I’ve made you king—rather than asking for wealth, riches, fame, victory over those who hate you, or even a long life— 12 your request for wisdom and knowledge is granted. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame beyond that of any king before you or after you.” 13 Then Solomon went from[b] the shrine in Gibeon, from the meeting tent to Jerusalem where he ruled over Israel.
Solomon’s wealth
14 Solomon acquired more and more chariots and horses until he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 In Jerusalem, the king made silver and gold as common as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees that grow in the foothills. 16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue, purchased from Kue by the king’s agents at the going price. 17 They would import a chariot from Egypt for six hundred pieces of silver and a horse for one hundred fifty, and then export them to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 1:2 Or officers over thousands and hundreds
- 2 Chronicles 1:13 LXX, Vulg; MT to
2 Chronicles 1
Expanded Bible
Solomon Asks for Wisdom(A)
1 Solomon, David’s son, ·became a powerful king [solidified/secured/established his kingdom/royal authority; L strengthened himself over his kingdom], because the Lord his God was with him and ·made him very great [exalted/magnified/empowered him].
2 Solomon spoke to all the people of Israel—the ·commanders [officers] of thousands of men and of hundreds of men, the judges, every leader in all Israel, and the ·leaders [L heads] of the ·families [clans]. 3 Then Solomon and all the ·people [assembly] with him went to the ·place of worship [L high place] at the town of Gibeon. God’s ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle], which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the ·desert [wilderness], was there. 4 David had brought the Ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem, where he had ·made [prepared] a place for it and had set up a tent for it [1 Sam. 6:1–15]. 5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, who was the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. So Solomon and the ·people [assembly] worshiped there. 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar ·in the presence of [before] the Lord at the ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle] and ·offered [sacrificed] a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8 Solomon answered, “You have ·been very kind [shown/demonstrated loyalty/unfailing love] to my father David, and you have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, ·may your promise to my father David come true [or your promise to my father David has been fulfilled]. You have made me king of a ·people [nation] ·who are as many [as numerous] as the dust of the earth [Gen. 1:16]. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead these people, ·because no one can rule them without your help [for who can rule/govern this great people/nation of yours?].”
11 God said to Solomon, “You have not asked for wealth or riches or ·honor [fame], or for the ·death of your enemies [L life of those who hate you], or for a long life. ·But since [Because] you have asked for wisdom and knowledge to ·lead [rule; govern] my people, over whom I have made you king, 12 I will give you wisdom and knowledge. I will also give you more wealth, riches, and ·honor [fame] than any king who has lived before you or any who will live after you.”
13 Then Solomon left the ·place of worship [L high place], the ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle], at Gibeon and went back to Jerusalem. There King Solomon ·ruled [reigned] over Israel.
Solomon’s Wealth(B)
14 Solomon ·had [gathered; amassed; accumulated] fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses. He kept some in ·special cities for the chariots [chariot cities], and others he kept with him in Jerusalem. 15 In Jerusalem Solomon made silver and gold as ·plentiful [common] as stones and cedar trees as ·plentiful [common] as the ·fig [sycamore-fig] trees on the ·western hills [L Shephelah]. 16 He imported horses from Egypt and ·Kue [Cilicia; C present-day southern Turkey]; his traders bought them in ·Kue [Cilicia] for the ·prevailing [usual; standard] price. 17 They imported chariots from Egypt for ·about fifteen pounds [L six hundred shekels] of silver apiece, and horses cost ·nearly four pounds of silver [L one hundred fifty] apiece. Then they ·sold [exported] the horses and chariots to all the kings of the Hittites and the Arameans.
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