The Second of Chronicles
1 Solʹo·mon the son of David grew ever stronger in his kingship, and Jehovah his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.+
2 Solʹo·mon sent for all Israel, the chiefs of the thousands and of the hundreds, the judges, and all the chieftains of all Israel, the heads of the paternal houses. 3 Then Solʹo·mon and all the congregation went to the high place at Gibʹe·on,+ for that was where the tent of meeting of the true God was, which tent Moses the servant of Jehovah had made in the wilderness. 4 However, David had brought the Ark of the true God up from Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim+ to the place that David had prepared for it; he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.+ 5 And the copper altar+ that Bezʹal·el+ the son of Uʹri the son of Hur had made had been put before the tabernacle of Jehovah; and Solʹo·mon and the congregation would pray before it.* 6 Solʹo·mon now made offerings there before Jehovah, and he offered up 1,000 burnt offerings on the copper altar+ of the tent of meeting.
7 That night God appeared to Solʹo·mon and said to him: “Ask what you would like me to give you.”+ 8 At this Solʹo·mon said to God: “You have shown great loyal love toward my father David,+ and you have made me king in his place.+ 9 Now, O Jehovah God, let your promise to David my father prove faithful,+ for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust particles of the earth.+ 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge+ to lead this people,* for who can possibly judge this great people of yours?”+
11 Then God said to Solʹo·mon: “Because this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches, and honor or for the death* of those hating you, nor have you asked for a long life,* but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge to judge my people over whom I have made you king,+ 12 wisdom and knowledge will be given you; but I will also give you wealth and riches and honor such as no kings before you have had and none after you will have.”+
13 So Solʹo·mon came from the high place at Gibʹe·on,+ from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel. 14 Solʹo·mon kept accumulating chariots and horses;* he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses,*+ and he kept them stationed in the chariot cities+ and close by the king in Jerusalem.+ 15 The king made the silver and the gold in Jerusalem as plentiful as the stones,+ and cedarwood as plentiful as the sycamore trees in the She·pheʹlah.+ 16 The horses of Solʹo·mon had been imported from Egypt,+ and the company of the king’s merchants would obtain the horses in droves* for one price.+ 17 Each chariot imported from Egypt cost 600 silver pieces, and a horse cost 150; in turn, they would export them to all the kings of the Hitʹtites and the kings of Syria.