(1 Kings 3:1–15; Psalm 45:1–17; Psalm 72:1–20)

¹ Now Solomon son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and highly exalted him.

² Then 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.

³ And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

⁴ Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

⁵ But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, was in Gibeon before¹ the tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there.

1. LXX, Vulgate, and some Hebrew manuscripts was there before; MT he placed before

⁶ Solomon offered sacrifices there before the LORD on the bronze altar in the Tent of Meeting, where he offered a thousand burnt offerings.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

⁸ Solomon replied to God: “You have shown much loving devotion¹ to my father David, and You have made me king in his place.

1. Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

⁹ Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to my father David be fulfilled. For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

¹⁰ Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people.¹ For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”

1. Literally so that I may go out before this people and come in

¹¹ God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart instead of requesting riches or wealth or glory for yourself or death for your enemies—and since you have not even requested long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over whom I have made you king—

¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will also give you riches and wealth and honor unlike anything given to the kings before you or after you.”

¹³ So Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place in Gibeon before the Tent of Meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Riches

(1 Kings 10:26–29)

¹⁴ Solomon accumulated¹ 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses,² which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

1. Literally Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had
2. Or horsemen or charioteers

¹⁵ The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.¹

1. Hebrew Shephelah or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea

¹⁶ Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue;¹ the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.

1. Probably an area in Cilicia, a province in the southeast of Asia Minor

¹⁷ A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver,¹ and a horse for a hundred and fifty.² Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.

1. 600 shekels is approximately 15.1 pounds or 6.8 kilograms of silver.
2. 150 shekels is approximately 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms of silver.