2 Chronicles 1

Solomon Asks for Wisdom

1Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him very powerful.

2Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel—the generals and captains of the army,#1:2 Hebrew the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. the judges, and all the political and clan leaders. 3Then he led the entire assembly to the place of worship in Gibeon, for God’s Tabernacle#1:3 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 1:6, 13. was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had made in the wilderness.)

4David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem. 5But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was there#1:5a As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate, and some Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads he placed. at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the Lord. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the Lord.#1:5b Hebrew to consult him. 6There in front of the Tabernacle, Solomon went up to the bronze altar in the Lord’s presence and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it.

7That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

8Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. 9O Lord God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! 10Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly,#1:10 Hebrew to go out and come in before this people. for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”

11God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people— 12I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

13Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.

14Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses.#1:14 Or charioteers; also in 1:14b. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. 15The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.#1:15 Hebrew the Shephelah. 16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt#1:16a Possibly Muzur, a district near Cilicia; also in 1:17. and from Cilicia#1:16b Hebrew Kue, probably another name for Cilicia.; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. 17At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver,#1:17a Hebrew 600 [shekels] of silver, about 15 pounds or 6.8 kilograms in weight. and horses for 150 pieces of silver.#1:17b Hebrew 150 [shekels], about 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms in weight. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

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II Chronicles 1

Solomon Requests Wisdom

1Now #1 Kin. 2:46Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and #Gen. 39:2the Lord his God was with him and #1 Chr. 29:25exalted him exceedingly.

2And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to #1 Chr. 27:1–34the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses. 3Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at #1 Kin. 3:4; 1 Chr. 16:39; 21:29Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the Lord had #Ex. 25—27; 35:4—36:38made in the wilderness. 4#Ex. 25:10–22; 2 Sam. 6:2–17; 1 Chr. 15:25—16:1But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. 5Now #Ex. 27:1, 2; 38:1, 2the bronze altar that #Ex. 31:2Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord; Solomon and the assembly sought Him there. 6And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and #1 Kin. 3:4offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

7#1 Kin. 3:5–14; 9:2On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

8And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great #Ps. 18:50mercy to David my father, and have made me #1 Chr. 28:5king in his place. 9Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, #2 Sam. 7:8–16; 1 Kin. 3:7, 8for You have made me king over a people like the #Gen. 13:16; Num. 23:10dust of the earth in multitude. 10#1 Kin. 3:9Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may #Num. 27:17; Deut. 31:2go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

11#1 Kin. 3:11–13Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king— 12wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as #1 Kin. 10:23; 1 Chr. 29:25; 2 Chr. 9:22; Eccl. 2:9none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”

Solomon’s Military and Economic Power

13So Solomon came to Jerusalem from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tabernacle of meeting, and reigned over Israel. 14#1 Kin. 10:26; 2 Chr. 9:25And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15#1 Kin. 10:27; 2 Chr. 9:27; Job 22:24Also the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. 16#1 Kin. 10:28; 22:36; 2 Chr. 9:28And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price. 17They also acquired and imported from Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

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