⁷ That night God appeared^(A) to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

⁸ Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me^(B) king in his place. ⁹ Now, Lord God, let your promise^(C) to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.^{(D) 10} Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead^(E) this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

¹¹ God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth,^(F) possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor,^(G) such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.^(H)”

Solomon’s Wisdom

²⁹ God gave Solomon wisdom^(A) and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand^(B) on the seashore. ³⁰ Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East,^(C) and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.^{(D) 31} He was wiser^(E) than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. ³² He spoke three thousand proverbs^(F) and his songs^(G) numbered a thousand and five. ³³ He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop^(H) that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. ³⁴ From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings^(I) of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.^[a]

Solomon’s Wives

11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women^(A) besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,^(B) Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. ² They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry^(C) with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. ³ He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,^(D) and his wives led him astray.^{(E) 4} As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,^(F) and his heart was not fully devoted^(G) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵ He followed Ashtoreth^(H) the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek^(I) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶ So Solomon did evil^(J) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

⁷ On a hill east^(K) of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh^(L) the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek^(M) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁸ He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.