2 Chronicles 1

1Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, and Yahweh his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

2Solomon spoke to all Israel: to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the ancestral houses.

3Then Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness, was there.

4But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath-jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

5The bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made had been placed before the tabernacle of Yahweh, and Solomon and the assembly sought him there.

6Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh at the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

7That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I should give you.”

8Solomon said to God, “You have shown great steadfast love to David my father, and you have made me king in his place.

9Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to David my father be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

10Now give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this great people of yours?”

11God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for riches, wealth, or honor, or for the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself so that you may govern my people, over whom I have made you king,

12wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and honor such as none of the kings before you has had, and none after you will have.”

13So Solomon came to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

14Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore-fig trees in the lowland.

16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s traders acquired them from Kue at the going price.

17They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse for 150. In the same way they exported them through their agents to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.