The Word Am I

The Second Book of the Chronicles

Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

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- Chapter 1 -

(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 Israelthe 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 before (a) the tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there.
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 devotion (b) to my father David, and You have made me king in his place.
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.(c) For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
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 enemiesand 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 accumulated (d) 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses,(e) which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
15
The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.(f)
16
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue;(g) the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
17
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver,(h) and a horse for a hundred and fifty.(i) Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.

Footnotes

(a)1:5 LXX, Vulgate, and some Hebrew manuscripts was there before; MT he placed before
(b)1:8 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.
(c)1:10 Literally so that I may go out before this people and come in
(d)1:14 Literally Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had
(e)1:14 Or horsemen or charioteers
(f)1:15 Hebrew Shephelah or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea
(g)1:16 Probably an area in Cilicia, a province in the southeast of Asia Minor
(h)1:17 600 shekels is approximately 15.1 pounds or 6.8 kilograms of silver.
(i)1:17 150 shekels is approximately 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms of silver.
(1 Kings 3:1–15; Psalm 45:1–17; Psalm 72:1–20)
1
Solomon the son of David was firmly established in his kingdom, and the LORD (a) his God (b) was with him, and made him exceedingly great.
2
Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ households.
3
Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for God’s Tent of Meeting was there, which the LORD’s servant Moses had made in the wilderness.
4
But David had brought God’s ark up from Kiriath Jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
5
Moreover the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was there before the LORD’s tabernacle; and Solomon and the assembly were seeking counsel there.
6
Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the Tent of Meeting, and offered one thousand burnt offerings on it.
7
That night, God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for what you want me to give you.”
8
Solomon said to God, “You have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his place.
9
Now, LORD God, let your promise to David my father be established; for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10
Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?”
11
God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor yet have you asked for long life; but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king,
12
therefore wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you, and none after you will have.”
13
So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Riches

(1 Kings 10:26–29)
14
Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
15
The king made silver and gold to be as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars to be as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
16
The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from Kue. The king’s merchants purchased them from Kue.
17
They imported from Egypt then exported a chariot for six hundred pieces of silver and a horse for one hundred fifty.(c) They also exported them to the Hittite kings and the Syrian(d) kings.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(b)1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(c)1:17 The pieces of silver were probably shekels, so 600 pieces would be about 13.2 pounds or 6 kilograms of silver, and 150 would be about 3.3 pounds or 1.5 kilograms of silver.
(d)1:17 or, Aramean