Solomon Seeks the Father at Gibeon
The reigns of Judah’s kings from Solomon to the exile, with the temple at the heart of the nation’s life. The book’s most beloved promise is a Father waiting to forgive and heal a people who turn back.
1 1Solomon son of David strengthened his hold on his kingdom; our Father was with him, making him very great.
2Solomon spoke to all Israel — the commanders of thousands and hundreds, the judges, and every leader in Israel, the family heads. 3Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, where our Father's tent of meeting stood, which Moses, our Father's servant, made in the wilderness. 4But David had brought the ark of our Father up from Kiriath-jearim to the place he prepared for it, pitching a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5The bronze altar Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, made was there before the tabernacle of our Father; so Solomon and the assembly sought our Father there. 6Solomon went up to the bronze altar before our Father at the tent of meeting and offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it.
7That night our Father appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask what I should give you."
8Solomon said to our Father, "You showed great covenant love to David my father, and made me king in his place. 9Now, my Father, confirm your promise to my father David, for you made me king over a people as many as the earth's dust. 10Give me wisdom and knowledge now to lead this people, for who can govern this great people of yours?"
11Our Father said to Solomon, "Because this was in your heart—you asked not for riches, wealth, or honor, nor your enemies' lives, nor long life, but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people, over whom I made you king, 12wisdom and knowledge are given you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and honor no king before you had, and none after you will."
13So Solomon went from Gibeon's high place, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and 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. 15In Jerusalem the king made silver and gold like stones, and cedar as plentiful as foothill sycamore-figs. 16Solomon's horses came from Egypt and Kue; the king's traders bought them from Kue at market price. a a v16 Kue was a region in what is now southern Turkey, prized in the ancient world for its horses. 17They imported a chariot from Egypt for about fifteen pounds of silver, a horse for about four; through them they exported these to all the kings of the Hittites and Aram.
