^1:7That night God appeared⁸ to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me⁹ what I should give you.” ^1:8Solomon replied to God, “You demonstrated¹⁰ great loyalty to my father David and have made me king in his place. ^1:9Now, Lord God, may your promise¹¹ to my father David be realized,¹² for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. ^1:10Now give me wisdom and discernment so¹³ I can effectively lead this nation.¹⁴ Otherwise¹⁵ no one is able¹⁶ to make judicial decisions for¹⁷ this great nation of yours.”¹⁸

^1:11God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this,¹⁹ and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies,²⁰ and because you did not ask for long life,²¹ but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king, ^1:12you are granted wisdom and discernment.²² Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you.”²³

^1:13Solomon left the meeting tent at the worship center in Gibeon and went to Jerusalem, where he reigned over Israel.²⁴

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Footnotes

8 Or “revealed himself.”
9 Heb “ask.”
10 Heb “did.”
11 Heb “you word.”
12 Or “be firm, established.”
13 The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) following the imperative here indicates purpose/result.
14 Heb “so I may go out before this nation and come in.” The expression “go out … and come in” here means “to lead” (see יצא qal.4).
15 Heb “for.” The word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.
16 Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
17 Heb “to judge.”
18 Heb “these numerous people of yours.”
19 Heb “because this was in your heart.”
20 Heb “the life of those who hate you.”
21 Heb “many days.”
22 Heb “wisdom and discernment are given to you.”
23 Heb “which was not so for the kings who were before you, and after you there will not be so.”
24 Heb “and Solomon came from the high place which was in Gibeon [to] Jerusalem, from before the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.”