New Living Translation | NET Bible |
1Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful. | 1Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority, for the LORD his God was with him and magnified him greatly. |
2Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel—the generals and captains of the army, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders. | 2Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families. |
3Then he led the entire assembly to the place of worship in Gibeon, for God’s Tabernacle was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the LORD’s servant, had made in the wilderness.) | 3Solomon and the entire assembly went to the worship center in Gibeon, for the tent where they met God was located there, which 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. | 4(Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. |
5But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was there at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD. | 5But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the LORD's tabernacle. Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him there.) |
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. | 6Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD which was at the meeting tent, and he offered up a thousand burnt sacrifices. |
7That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” | 7That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Tell me what I should give 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. | 8Solomon replied to God, "You demonstrated great loyalty to my father David and 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! | 9Now, LORD God, may your promise to my father David be realized, for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. |
10Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” | 10Now give me wisdom and discernment so I can effectively lead this nation. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation 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— | 11God said to Solomon, "Because you desire this, and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, and because you did not ask for long life, but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king, |
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!” | 12you are granted wisdom and discernment. Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you." |
13Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel. | 13Solomon left the meeting tent at the worship center in Gibeon and went to Jerusalem, where he reigned over Israel. |
14Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. | 14Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and 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. | 15The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. |
16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia ; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. | 16Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king's traders purchased them from Que. |
17At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. | 17They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria. |
|