1Solomon, David’s son, firmly established his kingdom. Yahweh, his God, was with him and made him incredibly great.
2Solomon spoke to everyone in Israel: to the commanders of thousands and hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader and head of the ancestral families in Israel.
3So Solomon and all the people with him went to the high place at Gibeon, because God's Tent of Meeting, which Yahweh's servant Moses had made in the wilderness, was there.
4However, David had brought God's Ark from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem.
5Also, the bronze altar that Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, had made was there in front of Yahweh's sacred tent. Solomon and the assembly went there to consult God.
6There, at the Tent of Meeting, Solomon went up to the bronze altar before Yahweh and offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it.
7That night, God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8Solomon said to God, “You showed great kindness to my father David, and you have made me king in his place.
9Now, Yahweh God, please let your promise to my father David stand, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.
10So give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead these people properly, for who can govern this great people of yours?”
11God said to Solomon, “Since this was your heart's desire, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, honor, or the death of your enemies, nor did you ask for a long life, but instead you asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern my people, over whom I have made you king,
12therefore, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and honor, more than any king before you has had or any king after you will have.”
13So Solomon returned 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 12,000 horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.
15The king made silver and gold as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedar trees as common as the sycamore trees in the lowlands.
16Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue. The king's merchants bought them from Kue.
17They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 pieces of silver and a horse for 150. They also exported them to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.