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Solomon Goes Before Yahweh

Now (A)Solomon the son of David strengthened himself over his kingdom, and [a]Yahweh his God was with him and highly (B)exalted him.

And Solomon spoke to all Israel, (C)to the commanders of thousands and 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)for God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness. However, David had brought up (F)the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim [b]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, [c]was there before the tabernacle of Yahweh, and Solomon and the assembly sought it out. And Solomon went up there before Yahweh to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and (I)offered one thousand burnt offerings on it.

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

God Gives Wisdom to Solomon

Then Solomon said to God, “You have shown great lovingkindness to my father David, and (K)have made me king in his place. Now, O Yahweh God, (L)let Your [d]promise to my father David [e]endure, for You have made me king over (M)a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 (N)Give me now wisdom and knowledge, (O)that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can do justice for this great people of Yours?” 11 (P)And God said to Solomon, “Because [f]you had this in your heart, and did not ask for riches, wealth, or glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may do justice for My people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge have been given to you. And (Q)I will give you riches and wealth and glory, [g]such as none of the kings who were before you had nor those who will [h]come after you.” 13 (R)So Solomon went [i]from the high place which was at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Chariots and Horsemen

14 (S)And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. (T)And he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in (U)the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 (V)The king also made (W)silver and gold as plentiful as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the [j]Shephelah. 16 Solomon’s import of (X)horses was from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price. 17 And they [k]imported a chariot from Egypt for [l]600 shekels of silver and a horse for [m]150; and [n]by the same means they [o]exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:1 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:4 Lit where David had prepared for it
  3. 2 Chronicles 1:5 Lit he put
  4. 2 Chronicles 1:9 Lit word
  5. 2 Chronicles 1:9 Or be true
  6. 2 Chronicles 1:11 Lit this was in your heart
  7. 2 Chronicles 1:12 Lit which was not so to the kings who were before you
  8. 2 Chronicles 1:12 Lit be
  9. 2 Chronicles 1:13 Lit to
  10. 2 Chronicles 1:15 Or lowland
  11. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Lit brought up and brought out
  12. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Approx. 15 lb. or 6.6 kg
  13. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Approx. 3.7 lb. or 1.6 kg
  14. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Lit and in like manner by their hand
  15. 2 Chronicles 1:17 Lit brought out

And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Jehovah his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. And Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses. So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Jehovah had made in the wilderness. But the ark of God had David brought up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, [a]was there before the tabernacle of Jehovah: and Solomon and the assembly sought unto it. And Solomon [b]went up thither to the brazen altar before Jehovah, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon it.

In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast showed great lovingkindness unto David my father, and hast made me king in his stead. Now, O Jehovah God, let thy promise unto David my father be established; for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee; neither shall there any after thee have the like. 13 So Solomon came [c]from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, unto Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel.

14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 And the king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore-trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 16 And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 17 And they fetched up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:5 Or, as otherwise read, he had put
  2. 2 Chronicles 1:6 Or, offered there, upon . . . yea, he offered
  3. 2 Chronicles 1:13 So Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac. The Hebrew has, to