1Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.H8010H1121H1732H2388H4438H3068H430H1431H46052Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel—the generals and captains of the army, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.H8010H559H3478H8269H505H3967H8199H5387H3478H7218H13Then he led the entire assembly to the place of worship in Gibeon, for God's Tabernacle was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the LORD's servant, had made in the wilderness.)H8010H6951H3212H1116H1391H168H4150H430H4872H5650H3068H6213H40574David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem.H61H727H430H1732H5927H7157H1732H3559H5186H168H33895But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was there at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD.H5178H4196H1212H1121H221H1121H2354H6213H7760H6440H4908H3068H8010H6951H18756There in front of the Tabernacle, Solomon went up to the bronze altar in the LORD's presence and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it.H8010H5927H5178H4196H6440H3068H168H4150H5927H505H59307That night God appeared to Solomon and said, "What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!"H3915H430H7200H8010H559H7592H54148Solomon replied to God, "You showed faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place.H8010H559H430H6213H1419H2617H1732H1H44279O LORD God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth!H3068H430H1697H1732H1H539H4427H5971H6083H776H722710Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?"H5414H2451H4093H3318H935H6440H5971H8199H5971H141911God said to Solomon, "Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people -H430H559H8010H3824H7592H6239H5233H3519H5315H8130H7592H7227H3117H7592H2451H4093H8199H5971H442712I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!"H2451H4093H5414H5414H6239H5233H3519H4428H6440H31013Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.H8010H935H1116H1391H3389H6440H168H4150H4427H347814Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem.H8010H622H7393H6571H505H702H3967H7393H8147H6240H505H6571H3240H7393H5892H4428H338915The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.H4428H5414H3701H2091H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H723016Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia; the king's traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.H8010H5483H4161H4714H4723H4428H5503H3947H4723H424217At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.H5927H3318H4714H4818H8337H3967H3701H5483H3967H2572H3318H4428H2850H4428H758H3027
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, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.H8010
