New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.
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Solomon son of David took a firm grip on the reins of his kingdom. God was with him and gave him much help.
2 Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel—the generals and captains of the army, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.
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Solomon addressed all Israel - the commanders and captains, the judges, every leader, and all the heads of families.
3 Then 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.)
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Then Solomon and the entire company went to the worship center at Gibeon - that's where the Tent of Meeting of God was, the one that Moses the servant of God had made in the wilderness.
4 David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem.
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The Chest of God, though, was in Jerusalem - David had brought it up from Kiriath Jearim, prepared a special place for it, and pitched a tent for it.
5 But 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 .
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But the Bronze Altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon, in its place before the Tabernacle of God; and that is where Solomon and the congregation gathered to pray.
6 There 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.
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Solomon worshiped God at the Bronze Altar in front of the Tent of Meeting; he sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
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That night God appeared to Solomon. God said, "What do you want from me? Ask."
8 Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place.
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Solomon answered, "You were extravagantly generous with David my father, and now you have made me king in his place.
9 O 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!
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Establish, God, the words you spoke to my father, for you've given me a staggering task, ruling this mob of people.
10 Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”
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Yes, give me wisdom and knowledge as I come and go among this people - for who on his own is capable of leading these, your glorious people?"
11 God 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—
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God answered Solomon, "This is what has come out of your heart: You didn't grasp for money, wealth, fame, and the doom of your enemies; you didn't even ask for a long life. You asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern well my people over whom I've made you king.
12 I 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!”
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Because of this, you get what you asked for - wisdom and knowledge. And I'm presenting you the rest as a bonus - money, wealth, and fame beyond anything the kings before or after you had or will have."
13 Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.
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Then Solomon left the worship center at Gibeon and the Tent of Meeting and went to Jerusalem. He set to work as king of Israel.
14 Solomon 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.
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Solomon collected chariots and horses: 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses! He stabled them in the special chariot-cities as well as in Jerusalem.
15 The 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.
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The king made silver and gold as common as rocks, and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills.
16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia ; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.
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His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king's agents.
17 At 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.
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Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarters of a pound of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.