2 Chronicles 1

Solomon’s Request for Wisdom

1 Solomon son of David strengthened his hold on his kingdom.  * 1:1 1Kg 2:12,46 The Lord his God was with him and highly exalted him.  * 1:1 1Ch 29:252 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel — the family heads.  * 1:2 1Ch 28:13 Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place that was in Gibeon  * 1:3 1Kg 3:4 because God’s tent of meeting, which the Lord’s servant Moses had made  * 1:3 Ex 36:8–38 in the wilderness, was there. 4 Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place  * 1:4 Vg; MT omits the place he had set up for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem,  * 1:4 1Ch 13:1–14; 15:25–16:15 but he put  * 1:5 Some Hb mss, Tg, Syr; other Hb mss, LXX, Vg read but there was the bronze altar, which Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made,  * 1:5 Ex 31:2–11; 38:1–7 in front of the Lord’s tabernacle. Solomon and the assembly inquired of him  * 1:5 Or it there. 6 Solomon offered sacrifices there in the Lord’s presence on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting; he offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.  * 1:6 1Kg 3:4

7 That night  * 1:7–13 1Kg 3:5–15 God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask. What should I give you? "

8 And Solomon said to God, "You have shown great and faithful love to my father David, and you have made me king in his place.  * 1:8 1Ch 28:59 Lord God, let your promise to my father David now come true.  * 1:9 2Sm 7:12–16 For you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.  * 1:9 Gn 13:16; 22:1710 Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people,  * 1:10 1Sm 18:16; 2Sm 5:2 for who can judge this great people of yours? "

11 God said to Solomon, "Since this was in your heart, and you have not requested riches, wealth, or glory, or for the life of those who hate you, and you have not even requested long life, but you have requested for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge my people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are given to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and glory, unlike what was given to the kings who were before you, or will be given to those after you."  * 1:12 1Ch 29:25; 2Ch 9:2213 So Solomon went to Jerusalem from  * 1:13 LXX, Vg; MT reads to the high place that was in Gibeon in front of the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Horses and Wealth

14 Solomon  * 1:14–17 1Kg 10:26–29; 2Ch 9:25–28 accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen,  * 1:14 1Kg 4:26 which he stationed in the chariot cities  * 1:14 1Kg 9:19 and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. 16 Solomon’s horses came from Egypt and Kue.  * 1:16 = Cilicia The king’s traders would get them from Kue at the going price. 17 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for fifteen pounds  * 1:17 Lit 600 shekels of silver and a horse for nearly four pounds.  * 1:17 Lit 150 shekels In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.