1 King David’s son Solomon was now the undisputed ruler of Israel, for the Lord his God had made him a powerful monarch. ^2-3 He summoned all the army officers and judges to Gibeon^[a] as well as all the political and religious leaders of Israel. He led them up the hill to the old Tabernacle constructed by Moses, the Lord’s assistant, while he was in the wilderness. ⁴ (There was a later Tabernacle in Jerusalem, built by King David for the Ark of God when he removed it from Kiriath-jearim.) ^5-6 The bronze altar made by Bezalel (son of Uri, son of Hur) still stood in front of the old Tabernacle, and now Solomon and those he had invited assembled themselves before it, as he sacrificed upon it 1,000 burnt offerings to the Lord.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and told him, “Ask me for anything, and I will give it to you!”

⁸ Solomon replied, “O God, you have been so kind and good to my father David, and now you have given me the kingdom— ⁹ this is all I want! For you have fulfilled your promise to David my father and have made me king over a nation as full of people as the earth is full of dust! ¹⁰ Now give me wisdom and knowledge to rule them properly, for who is able to govern by himself such a great nation as this one of yours?”

¹¹ God replied, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you haven’t asked for personal wealth and honor, and you haven’t asked me to curse your enemies, and you haven’t asked for a long life, but for wisdom and knowledge to properly guide my people— ¹² yes, I am giving you the wisdom and knowledge you asked for! And I am also giving you riches, wealth, and honor such as no other king has ever had before you! And there will never again be so great a king in all the world!”

¹³ Solomon then left the Tabernacle, returned down the hill, and went back to Jerusalem to rule Israel. ¹⁴ He built up a huge force of 1,400 chariots and recruited 12,000 cavalry to guard the cities where the chariots were garaged, though some, of course, were stationed at Jerusalem near the king. ¹⁵ During Solomon’s reign, silver and gold were as plentiful in Jerusalem as rocks on the road! And expensive cedar lumber was used like common sycamore! ¹⁶ Solomon sent horse traders to Egypt to purchase entire herds at wholesale prices. ¹⁷ At that time Egyptian chariots sold for $400 each and horses for $100, delivered at Jerusalem. Many of these were then resold to the kings of the Hittites and Syria.