1Solomon the son of David was made strong in his kingdom. The LORD his God was with him, and made him very great.
2Then Solomon 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 families.
3So Solomon and all the people with him went to the high place at Gibeon. For God's tent of meeting was there, the one that Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.
4But David had brought the ark of God up from Kirjathjearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had set up a tent for it at Jerusalem.
5The bronze altar that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was there in front of the tent of the LORD. Solomon and the people went to it to seek the LORD.
6Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tent of meeting, and he offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask what you want me to give you."
8Solomon said to God, "You have shown great mercy to my father David, and you have made me king in his place."
9"Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David come true. For you have made me king over a people as many as the dust of the earth."
10"Give me now wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people. For who can judge this great people of yours?"
11God said to Solomon, "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for riches, wealth, or honour, or for the death of your enemies, and you have not asked for a long life, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king,"
12"wisdom and knowledge are given to you. And I will give you riches, wealth, and honour such as no king before you ever had, and none after you will have the like."
13Then Solomon came back from the high place at Gibeon, from in front of the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.
14Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. He placed them in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as plentiful as the sycomore trees in the valley.
16Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn. The king's merchants bought the linen yarn at a price.
17They brought up a chariot out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. In the same way, through them, horses were brought out for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria.