Dual PanelThe reign of Solomon
1KING Solomon, David's son, strengthened his hold on the kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very great.
2Solomon addressed all Israel, the officers over units of a thousand and of a hundred, the judges, and all the leading men of Israel, the heads of families.
3Then he, together with all the assembled people, went to the shrine at Gibeon, for the Tent of Meeting, which Moses the LORD's servant had made in the wilderness, was there.
4(The Ark of God had been brought up from Kiriath-jearim by David to the place which he had prepared for it; he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.)
5The bronze altar also, which Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD; and Solomon and the assembly resorted to it.
6Solomon went up to this bronze altar before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting and offered on it a thousand whole-offerings.
7God appeared to Solomon that night and said, “What shall I give you? Tell me.”
8He answered, “You have shown great and constant love to David my father and you have made me king in his place.
9Now, LORD God, let your promise to David my father be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust on the earth;
10now grant me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people; otherwise who can govern this great people of yours?”
11God said to Solomon, “Because this is what you desire, because you have not asked for wealth or possessions or honour, or the lives of those hostile to you, or even long life for yourself, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king,
12wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; I shall also give you wealth and possessions and glory, such as no king before you has had, and none after you shall have.”
13Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from before the Tent of Meeting at the shrine at Gibeon, and reigned over Israel.
14Solomon amassed chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses; he stationed some in the chariot-towns, while others he kept at hand in Jerusalem.
15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar as plentiful as the sycomore-fig is in the Shephelah.
16Horses were imported from Egypt and Kue for Solomon; the merchants of the king obtained them from Kue by purchase.
17Chariots were imported from Egypt for six hundred silver shekels each, and horses for a hundred and fifty; in the same way the merchants obtained them for export from all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.