Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom
(1 Kings 3:1–15; Psalm 45:1–17; Psalm 72:1–20)

1  וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֛ק (And was strengthened) שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה (Solomon) בֶן־ (son) דָּוִ֖יד (of David) עַל־ (in) מַלְכוּת֑וֹ (his kingdom), וַיהוָ֤ה (and YHWH) אֱלֹהָיו֙ (his God was) עִמּ֔וֹ (with him) וַֽיְגַדְּלֵ֖הוּ (and exalted him) לְמָֽעְלָה׃ (exceedingly).

2  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And spoke) שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה (Solomon) לְכָל־ (to all) יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל (Israel), לְשָׂרֵי֩ (to the captains) הָאֲלָפִ֨ים (of the thousands) וְהַמֵּא֜וֹת (and of the hundreds), וְלַשֹּֽׁפְטִ֗ים (and to the judges), וּלְכֹ֛ל (and to every) נָשִׂ֥יא (leader) לְכָל־ (in all) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel), רָאשֵׁ֥י (the heads) הָאָבֽוֹת׃ (of the fathers). 3  וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ (And went) שְׁלֹמֹה֙ (Solomon) וְכָל־ (and all) הַקָּהָ֣ל (the assembly) עִמּ֔וֹ (with him) לַבָּמָ֖ה (to the high place) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that was) בְּגִבְע֑וֹן (at Gibeon); כִּי־ (for) שָׁ֣ם (there) הָיָ֗ה (was) אֹ֤הֶל (the Tent) מוֹעֵד֙ (of Meeting) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים (of God), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (which) עָשָׂ֛ה (had made) מֹשֶׁ֥ה (Moses) עֶֽבֶד־ (the servant) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (in the wilderness).

4  אֲבָ֗ל (But) אֲר֤וֹן (the ark) הָאֱלֹהִים֙ (of God) הֶעֱלָ֤ה (had brought up) דָוִיד֙ (David) מִקִּרְיַ֣ת (from Kiriath-) יְעָרִ֔ים (jearim) בַּֽהֵכִ֥ין (to where had prepared) ל֖וֹ (for it) דָּוִ֑יד (David), כִּ֧י (for) נָֽטָה־ (he had pitched) ל֛וֹ (for it) אֹ֖הֶל (a tent) בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (at Jerusalem). 5  וּמִזְבַּ֣ח (And altar) הַנְּחֹ֗שֶׁת (the bronze) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (that) עָשָׂה֙ (had made) בְּצַלְאֵל֙ (Bezalel) בֶּן־ (son) אוּרִ֣י (of Uri) בֶן־ (son) ח֔וּר (of Hur), שָׂ֕ם (he put) לִפְנֵ֖י (before) מִשְׁכַּ֣ן (the tabernacle) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH). וַיִּדְרְשֵׁ֥הוּ (And sought Him) שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה (Solomon) וְהַקָּהָֽל׃ (and the assembly).

6  וַיַּעַל֩ (And went up) שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה (Solomon) שָׁ֜ם (there) עַל־ (to) מִזְבַּ֤ח (altar) הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ (the bronze) לִפְנֵ֣י (before) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (that was) לְאֹ֣הֶל (at the Tent) מוֹעֵ֑ד (of Meeting), וַיַּ֧עַל (and he caused to ascended) עָלָ֛יו (on it) עֹל֖וֹת (burnt offerings) אָֽלֶף׃ (a thousand).

7  בַּלַּ֣יְלָה (On the night) הַה֔וּא (that) נִרְאָ֥ה (appeared) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) לִשְׁלֹמֹ֑ה (to Solomon) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and said) ל֔וֹ (to him), שְׁאַ֖ל (Ask) מָ֥ה (what) אֶתֶּן־ (shall I give) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

8  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) שְׁלֹמֹה֙ (Solomon) לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים (to God), אַתָּ֗ה (You) עָשִׂ֛יתָ (have shown) עִם־ (to) דָּוִ֥יד (David) אָבִ֖י (my father) חֶ֣סֶד (loving devotion) גָּד֑וֹל (great) וְהִמְלַכְתַּ֖נִי (and have made me king) תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ (in his place). 9  עַתָּה֙ (Now), יְהוָ֣ה (O YHWH) אֱלֹהִ֔ים (God), יֵֽאָמֵן֙ (let be established) דְּבָ֣רְךָ֔ (Your promise) עִ֖ם (to) דָּוִ֣יד (David) אָבִ֑י (my father). כִּ֤י (For) אַתָּה֙ (You) הִמְלַכְתַּ֔נִי (have made me king) עַל־ (over) עַ֕ם (a people) רַ֖ב (as numerous) כַּעֲפַ֥ר (as the dust) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (of the earth). 10  עַתָּ֗ה (Now) חָכְמָ֤ה (wisdom) וּמַדָּע֙ (and knowledge) תֶּן־ (give) לִ֔י (to me), וְאֵֽצְאָ֛ה (that I may go out) לִפְנֵ֥י (before) הָֽעָם־ (the people) הַזֶּ֖ה (this), וְאָב֑וֹאָה (and come in). כִּֽי־ (For) מִ֣י (who) יִשְׁפֹּ֔ט (can judge) אֶת־ (-) עַמְּךָ֥ (people of Yours) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) הַגָּדֽוֹל׃ס (great)?

11  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר־ (And said) אֱלֹהִ֣ים׀ (God) לִשְׁלֹמֹ֡ה (to Solomon), יַ֣עַן (Because) אֲשֶׁר֩ (that) הָיְתָ֨ה (was) זֹ֜את (this) עִם־ (in) לְבָבֶ֗ךָ (your heart), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) שָׁ֠אַלְתָּ (you have requested) עֹ֣שֶׁר (riches), נְכָסִ֤ים (or wealth), וְכָבוֹד֙ (or honor), וְאֵת֙ (or) נֶ֣פֶשׁ (the life) שֹׂנְאֶ֔יךָ (of your enemies), וְגַם־ (and even) יָמִ֥ים (life) רַבִּ֖ים (long) לֹ֣א (not) שָׁאָ֑לְתָּ (you have requested)— וַתִּֽשְׁאַל־ (and you have requested) לְךָ֙ (for yourself) חָכְמָ֣ה (wisdom) וּמַדָּ֔ע (and knowledge) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (that) תִּשְׁפּוֹט֙ (you may judge) אֶת־ (-) עַמִּ֔י (My people), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (whom) הִמְלַכְתִּ֖יךָ (I have made you king) עָלָֽיו׃ (over them)— 12  הַֽחָכְמָ֥ה (the wisdom) וְהַמַּדָּ֖ע (and the knowledge) נָת֣וּן (are granted) לָ֑ךְ (to you), וְעֹ֨שֶׁר (and riches), וּנְכָסִ֤ים (and wealth), וְכָבוֹד֙ (and honor) אֶתֶּן־ (I will give) לָ֔ךְ (to you), אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ (such as) לֹא־ (not) הָ֣יָה (has been) כֵ֗ן (so) לַמְּלָכִים֙ (to the kings) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who) לְפָנֶ֔יךָ (were before you), וְאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ (and after you) לֹ֥א (not) יִֽהְיֶה־ (will be) כֵּֽן׃ (thus).

13  וַיָּבֹ֨א (And came) שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה (Solomon) לַבָּמָ֤ה (from the high place) אֲשֶׁר־ (that was) בְּגִבְעוֹן֙ (at Gibeon) יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (to Jerusalem), מִלִּפְנֵ֖י (from before) אֹ֣הֶל (the Tent) מוֹעֵ֑ד (of Meeting), וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ (and he reigned) עַל־ (over) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃פ (Israel).

Solomon’s Riches
(1 Kings 10:26–29)

14  וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף (And gathered) שְׁלֹמֹה֮ (Solomon) רֶ֣כֶב (chariots) וּפָרָשִׁים֒ (and horses). וַֽיְהִי־ (And were) ל֗וֹ (unto him) אֶ֤לֶף (a thousand) וְאַרְבַּע־ (and four) מֵאוֹת֙ (hundred) רֶ֔כֶב (chariots), וּשְׁנֵים־ (and two) עָשָׂ֥ר (and ten) אֶ֖לֶף (thousand) פָּרָשִׁ֑ים (horses), וַיַּנִּיחֵם֙ (and he placed them) בְּעָרֵ֣י (in cities) הָרֶ֔כֶב (of the chariots) וְעִם־ (and with) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (the king) בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (in Jerusalem). 15  וַיִּתֵּ֨ן (And made) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (the king) אֶת־ (-) הַכֶּ֧סֶף (the silver) וְאֶת־ (and) הַזָּהָ֛ב (the gold) בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (in Jerusalem) כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים (as common as stones), וְאֵ֣ת (and) הָאֲרָזִ֗ים (the cedars) נָתַ֛ן (he made) כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים (as the sycamores) אֲשֶׁר־ (that are) בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה (in the Shephelah) לָרֹֽב׃ (as abundant).

16  וּמוֹצָ֧א (And were imported) הַסּוּסִ֛ים (horses) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that were) לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה (unto Solomon) מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם (from Egypt) וּמִקְוֵ֕א (and from Kue); סֹחֲרֵ֣י (merchants) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (of the king) מִקְוֵ֥א (from kue) יִקְח֖וּ (took them) בִּמְחִֽיר׃ (at a price). 17  וַֽ֠יַּעֲלוּ (And they came up) וַיּוֹצִ֨יאוּ (and brought out) מִמִּצְרַ֤יִם (from Egypt) מֶרְכָּבָה֙ (a chariot) בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ (for six) מֵא֣וֹת (hundred) כֶּ֔סֶף (shekels of silver), וְס֖וּס (and a horse) בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים (for fifty) וּמֵאָ֑ה (and a hundred). וְ֠כֵן (Thus) לְכָל־ (to all) מַלְכֵ֧י (the kings) הַֽחִתִּ֛ים (of the Hittite), וּמַלְכֵ֥י (and the kings) אֲרָ֖ם (of Aram), בְּיָדָ֥ם (by their hand) יוֹצִֽיאוּ׃ (they brought them out).