2 Chronicles 1

1Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom. The LORD his God was with him and made him very great. 2Solomon addressed all Israel: the commanders over thousands and over hundreds, the judges, and every leader in all Israel, the heads of families. 3Then Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place at Gibeon, because 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 Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made the bronze altar and set it in front of the tabernacle of the LORD, and there Solomon and the assembly sought him. 6There Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD at the tent of meeting, and he offered up a thousand burnt offerings on it. 7That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 8Solomon said to God, “You showed great faithful love to my father David, and you have put me on the throne in his place. 9Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David prove true, since you have made me king over a people as many as the dust of the earth. 10Now give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people as their leader. For who can judge this great people of yours?”

11God said to Solomon, “Because this was what your heart desired, and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, or the death of those who hate you, or even for a long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can judge my people over whom I have made you king, 12wisdom and knowledge are given to you. I will also give you wealth, riches and honor such as no king before you has had, and none after you will have.” 13Then Solomon left the tent of meeting at the high place in Gibeon and came back to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

14Solomon built up a force of 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. 15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore-fig trees of the Shephelah. 16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s traders bought them from Kue at the going price. 17They would import a chariot from Egypt for about 15 pounds of silver, and a horse for about 3 3/4 pounds. In the same way they exported them, through the king’s traders, to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.