2.Chronik 1,17 | New International Reader’s Version

Solomon asks God for wisdom

1 Solomon was the son of David. Solomon made his position secure over his kingdom. The LORD his God was with him. He made Solomon very great. 2 Solomon spoke to the whole community of Israel. He spoke to the commanders of thousands of men and commanders of hundreds. He spoke to the judges and all the leaders in Israel. He spoke to the leaders of Israel’s families. 3 Solomon and the whole community went to the high place at Gibeon. That’s because God’s tent of meeting was there. The LORD’s servant Moses had made the tent in the desert. 4 David had carried up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. He brought it to the place he had prepared for it. He had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel had made was in Gibeon. Bezalel was the son of Uri. Uri was the son of Hur. The altar was in front of the LORD’s holy tent. So Solomon and the whole community asked the LORD for advice in Gibeon. 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar in front of the LORD at the tent of meeting. Solomon sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar. 7 That night God appeared to Solomon. He said to him, ‘Ask for anything you want me to give you.’ 8 Solomon answered God, ‘You were very kind to my father David. Now you have made me king in his place. 9 LORD God, let the promise you gave to my father David come true. You have made me king. My people are as many as the dust of the earth. They can’t be counted. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge. Then I’ll be able to lead these people. Without your help, who would be able to rule this great nation of yours?’ 11 God said to Solomon, ‘I am glad that those are the things you really want. You have not asked for wealth, possessions or honour. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. You have not asked to live for a long time. Instead, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge. You want to be able to rule my people wisely. I have made you king over them. 12 So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you wealth, possessions and honour. You will have more than any king before you ever had. And no king after you will have as much.’ 13 Then Solomon left the high place at Gibeon. He went from the tent of meeting there to Jerusalem. And he ruled over Israel. 14 Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept some of them in the chariot cities. He kept others with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar wood as common there as sycamore-fig trees in the western hills. 16 Solomon got horses from Egypt and Kue. The king’s buyers purchased them from Kue at the current price. 17 They could get a chariot from Egypt for 7 kilograms of silver. They could get a horse for less than 2 kilograms of silver. They sold horses and chariots to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.

English Standard Version

Solomon Worships at Gibeon

1 Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great. 2 Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to all the leaders in all Israel, the heads of fathers’ houses. 3 And Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there. 4 (But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.) 5 Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly sought it* out. 6 And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

Solomon Prays for Wisdom

7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” 8 And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. 9 O Lord God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” 11 God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.” 13 So Solomon came from* the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

Solomon Given Wealth

14 Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 And the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 16 And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders would buy them from Kue for a price. 17 They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 shekels* of silver, and a horse for 150. Likewise through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

2.Chronik 1,17 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

Solomon asks God for wisdom

Solomon Worships at Gibeon

Solomon Prays for Wisdom

Solomon Given Wealth