[0] And behold the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the
service of the house of God; and with you in all the work will be every
willing man who has skill for any kind of service; also the officers and
all the people will be wholly at your command." [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 Kir'iath-je'arim 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
Bez'alel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the
tabernacle of the LORD. And Solomon and the assembly sought the LORD. [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 upon it. [7] In
that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask what I shall give
you." [8] And Solomon said to God, "Thou hast shown great and steadfast
love to David my father, and hast made me king in his stead. [9] O LORD
God, let thy promise to David my father be now fulfilled, for thou hast
made me king over a people as many 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 rule this thy people, that is so great?" [11] God answered Solomon,
"Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked possessions,
wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked
long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may
rule 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. [14]
Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; he had fourteen hundred
chariots and twelve thousand 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 Shephe'lah. [16] And Solomon's import of horses was from
Egypt and Ku'e, and the king's traders received them from Ku'e for a price.
[17] They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver,
and a horse for a hundred and fifty; likewise through them these were
exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
