New King James Version

New Living Translation

Solomon Requests Wisdom

Now Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and exalted him exceedingly.

1

Solomon Asks for Wisdom

Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.

2

And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.

2

Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel — the generals and captains of the army,a the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.

3

Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to [a]the high place that was at Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness.

3

Then he led the entire assembly to the place of worship in Gibeon, for God’s Tabernacleb was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the LORD’s servant, had made in the wilderness.)

4

But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

4

David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem.

5

Now the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, [b]he put before the tabernacle of the Lord; Solomon and the assembly sought Him there.

5

But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was therec at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD.d

6

And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

6

There 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.

7

On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

7

That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

8

And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place.

8

Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place.

9

Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

9

O 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!

10

Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

10

Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly,e for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”

11

Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life — but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king —

11

God 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 —

12

wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”

12

I 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!”

13

Solomon’s Military and Economic Power

So Solomon came to Jerusalem from [c]the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tabernacle of meeting, and reigned over Israel.

13

Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.

14

And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

14

Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses.f He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem.

15

Also the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland.

15

The 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.g

16

And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price.

16

Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypth and from Ciliciai; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.

17

They also acquired and imported from Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; thus, [d]through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

17

At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver,j and horses for 150 pieces of silver.k They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Parallel

New King James Version

New Living Translation

2 Chronicles 1

2 Chronicles 1