Solomon’s reign
1
📚And Solomon, the son of David, was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and exalted him exceedingly.2 📚Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every leader in all Israel, the chief of the fathers. 3 📚So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the tabernacle of the congregation 📖 of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness, was there. 4 📚But David had brought the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place which David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. 5 📚Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD. And Solomon and the congregation sought it out. 6 📚And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings 📖 on it.
Solomon asks God for wisdom
7 📚In that night God appeared 📖 to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask. What shall I give you 📖?”
8 📚And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have caused me to reign in his place. 9 📚Now, O LORD God, let your promise to my father David be established, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth 📖. 10 📚Give me now wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?”
11 📚And God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for riches, wealth, or honour, or for the life of your enemies, or even asked for a long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you can judge my people, over whom I have made you king, 12 📚wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honour, such as none of the kings before you had, and such as those who come after you will not have”.
13 📚Then Solomon returned from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, to Jerusalem, and reigned over Israel.
1:2-13 1 Kings 3:4-15. See notes there.⚜
14 📚And Solomon amassed chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 📚And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plentiful as stones, and made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowlands. 16 📚And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt, and linen yarn. The king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 17 📚And they imported each chariot's for six hundred shekels 📖 of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And by the same means they imported horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria.