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,a 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 Tabernacleb 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 therec at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD.d 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,e 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.f 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.g 16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypth and from Ciliciai; 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,j and horses for 150 pieces of silver.k They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.