1Kings 3-5 - Prayer Tents

Solomon Asks for Wisdom

3Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city.H8010H2859H6547H4428H4714H3947H6547H1323H935H5892H1732H3615H1129H1004H1004H3068H2346H3389H5439 2At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the LORD had not yet been built.H5971H2076H1116H1004H1129H8034H3068H3117 3Solomon loved the LORD and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship.H8010H157H3068H3212H2708H1732H1H2076H6999H1116 4The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.H4428H3212H1391H2076H1931H1419H1116H505H5930H8010H5927H4196 5That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, "What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!"H1391H3068H7200H8010H2472H3915H430H559H7592H5414 6Solomon replied, "You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.H8010H559H6213H5650H1732H1H1419H2617H1980H6440H571H6666H3483H3824H8104H1419H2617H5414H1121H3427H3678H3117 7"Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around.H3068H430H5650H4427H1732H1H6996H5288H3045H3318H935 8And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!H5650H8432H5971H977H7227H5971H4487H5608H7230 9Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?"H5414H5650H8085H3820H8199H5971H995H2896H7451H3201H8199H3515H5971 10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.H1697H3190H5869H136H8010H7592H1697 11So God replied, 'Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—H430H559H7592H1697H7592H7227H3117H7592H6239H7592H5315H341H7592H995H8085H4941 12I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!H6213H1697H5414H2450H995H3820H6440H310H6965 13And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!H5414H7592H6239H3519H376H4428H3117 14And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life."H3212H1870H8104H2706H4687H1H1732H1980H748H3117 15Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord's Covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.H8010H3364H2472H935H3389H5975H6440H727H1285H3068H5927H5930H6213H8002H6213H4960H5650

Solomon Judges Wisely

16Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.H935H8147H802H2181H4428H5975H6440 17"Please, my lord," one of them began, "this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house.H259H802H559H994H113H802H3427H259H1004H3205H1004 18Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house.H7992H3117H3205H802H3205H3162H2114H1004H2108H8147H1004 19"But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it.H802H1121H4191H3915H7901 20Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her.H6965H8432H3915H3947H1121H681H519H3463H7901H2436H7901H4191H1121H2436 21And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't my son at all."H6965H1242H1121H3243H4191H995H1242H1121H3205 22Then the other woman interrupted, "It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine." "No," the first woman said, "the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours." And so they argued back and forth before the king.H312H802H559H2416H1121H4191H1121H559H4191H1121H2416H1121H1696H6440H4428 23Then the king said, "Let's get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other.H559H4428H2063H559H1121H2416H1121H4191H2063H559H1121H4191H1121H2416 24All right, bring me a sword." So a sword was brought to the king.H4428H559H3947H2719H935H2719H6440H4428 25Then he said, "Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!"H4428H559H1504H2416H3206H8147H5414H2677H259H2677H259 26Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, "Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!" But the other woman said, "All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!"H559H802H2416H1121H4428H7356H3648H1121H559H994H113H5414H2416H3205H4191H4191H559H1504 27Then the king said, "Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!"H4428H6030H559H5414H2416H3205H4191H4191H517 28When all Israel heard the king's decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice.H3478H8085H4941H4428H8199H3372H6440H7200H2451H430H7130H6213H4941

Solomon’s Officials and Governors

4King Solomon now ruled over all Israel,H4428H8010H4428H34782and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.H8269H5838H1121H6659H35483Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.H456H281H1121H7894H5608H3092H1121H286H21424Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.H1141H1121H3077H6635H6659H54H35485Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors. Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king.H5838H1121H5416H5324H2071H1121H5416H3548H4428H74636Ahishar was manager of the palace property. Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the labor force.H301H1004H141H1121H5653H45227Solomon also had twelve district governors who were over all Israel. They were responsible for providing food for the king's household. Each of them arranged provisions for one month of the year.H8010H8147H6240H5324H3478H3557H4428H1004H259H2320H8141H35578These are the names of the twelve governors: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim.H8034H1133H2022H6699Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.H1128H1857H4739H8169H1053H35810Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher.H1136H2618H700H7755H776H266011Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon's daughters.)H1125H5299H1756H2955H1323H8010H80212Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.H1195H1121H286H8590H4023H1052H681H6891H3157H1052H65H5676H336113Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates.H1127H1568H7433H2333H2971H1121H4519H1568H2256H709H1316H8346H1419H5892H2346H5178H128014Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim.H292H1121H5714H426615Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters.)H290H5321H3947H1315H1323H8010H80216Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.H1195H1121H2365H836H117517Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.H3092H1121H6515H348518Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin.H8096H1121H414H114419Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. There was also one governor over the land of Judah.H1398H1121H221H776H1568H776H5511H4428H567H5747H4428H1316H259H5333H776

Solomon’s Prosperity and Wisdom

20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.H3063H3478H7227H2344H3220H7230H398H8354H805621Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.H8010H4910H4467H5104H776H6430H1366H4714H5066H4503H5647H8010H3117H241622The daily food requirements for Solomon's palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal;H8010H3899H259H3117H7970H3734H5560H8346H3734H705823also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry.H6235H1277H1241H6242H1241H7471H3967H6629H354H6643H3180H75H125724Solomon's dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace on all his borders.H7287H5676H5104H8607H5804H4428H5676H5104H7965H5650H5676H543925During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden.H3063H3478H3427H983H376H1612H8384H1835H884H3117H801026Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses.H8010H705H505H723H5483H4817H8147H6240H505H657127The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him.H5324H3557H4428H8010H7131H4428H8010H7979H376H2320H5737H169728They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables.H8184H8401H5483H7409H935H4725H376H494129God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.H430H5414H8010H2451H8394H3966H7235H7341H3820H2344H3220H819330In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt.H8010H2451H7235H2451H1121H6924H2451H471431He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations.H2449H120H387H250H1968H3633H1862H1121H4235H8034H1471H543932He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs.H1696H7969H505H4912H7892H505H256833He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.H1696H6086H730H3844H231H3318H7023H1696H929H5775H7431H170934And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.H935H5971H8085H2451H8010H4428H776H8085H2451

Preparations for Building the Temple

5King Hiram of Tyre had always been a loyal friend of David. When Hiram learned that David's son Solomon was the new king of Israel, he sent ambassadors to congratulate him.H2438H4428H6865H7971H5650H8010H8085H4886H4428H1H2438H3117H157H1732 2Then Solomon sent this message back to Hiram.H8010H7971H2438H559 3"You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the LORD gave him victory over all his enemies.H3045H1732H1H3201H1129H1004H8034H3068H430H6440H4421H5437H3068H5414H3709H7272 4But now the LORD my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well.H3068H430H5117H5439H7854H7451H6294 5So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God, just as he had instructed my father, David. For the LORD told him, 'Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.'H559H1129H1004H8034H3068H430H3068H1696H1732H1H559H1121H5414H3678H1129H1004H8034 6"Therefore, please command that cedars from Lebanon be cut for me. Let my men work alongside yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you ask. As you know, there is no one among us who can cut timber like you Sidonians!"H6680H3772H730H3844H5650H5650H5414H7939H5650H559H3045H376H3045H3772H6086H6722 7When Hiram received Solomon's message, he was very pleased and said, "Praise the LORD today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel."H2438H8085H1697H8010H8055H3966H559H1288H3068H3117H5414H1732H2450H1121H7227H5971 8Then he sent this reply to Solomon: "I have received your message, and I will supply all the cedar and cypress timber you need.H2438H7971H8010H559H8085H7971H6213H2656H6086H730H6086H1265 9My servants will bring the logs from the Lebanon mountains to the Mediterranean Sea and make them into rafts and float them along the coast to whatever place you choose. Then we will break the rafts apart so you can carry the logs away. You can pay me by supplying me with food for my household."H5650H3381H3844H3220H7760H3220H1702H4725H7971H5310H5375H6213H2656H5414H3899H1004 10So Hiram supplied as much cedar and cypress timber as Solomon desired.H2438H5414H8010H730H6086H1265H6086H2656 11In return, Solomon sent him an annual payment of 100,000 bushels of wheat for his household and 110,000 gallons of pure olive oil.H8010H5414H2438H6242H505H3734H2406H4361H1004H6242H3734H3795H8081H5414H8010H2438H8141H8141 12So the LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace.H3068H5414H8010H2451H1696H7965H2438H8010H8147H3772H1285H8147 13Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.H4428H8010H5927H4522H3478H4522H7970H505H376 14He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force.H7971H3844H6235H505H2320H2487H2320H3844H8147H2320H1004H141H4522 15Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers in the hill country,H8010H7657H505H5375H5449H8084H505H2672H2022 16and 3,600 foremen to supervise the work.H8269H8010H5324H4399H7969H505H7969H3967H7287H5971H6213H4399 17At the king's command, they quarried large blocks of high-quality stone and shaped them to make the foundation of the Temple.H4428H6680H5265H1419H68H3368H68H1496H68H3245H1004 18Men from the city of Gebal helped Solomon's and Hiram's builders prepare the timber and stone for the Temple.H8010H1129H2438H1129H6458H1382H3559H6086H68H1129H1004