New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Solomon son of David established himself in his kingdom; the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.
1
And Solomon, the son of David, made himself strong in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and made him very great.
2 Solomon summoned all Israel, the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel, the heads of families.
2
And Solomon sent word to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every chief in all Israel, heads of their families.
3 Then Solomon, and the whole assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for God's tent of meeting, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there.
3
Then Solomon, and all the men of Israel with him, went to the high place at Gibeon, because the Tent of meeting of God, which Moses, the servant of the Lord, had made in the waste land, was there.
4 (But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.)
4
But the ark of God had been moved by David from Kiriath-jearim to the place which he had made ready for it, for he had put up a tent for it at Jerusalem.
5 Moreover the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there in front of the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly inquired at it.
5
And the altar of brass which Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the Tent of the Lord; and Solomon and all the people went to give worship there.
6 Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
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And Solomon went up there to the brass altar before the Lord at the Tent of meeting, offering on it a thousand burned offerings.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask what I should give you."
7
In that night God came to Solomon in a vision, and said to him, Say what I am to give you.
8 Solomon said to God, "You have shown great and steadfast love to my father David, and have made me succeed him as king.
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And Solomon said to God, Great was your mercy to David my father, and you have made me king in his place.
9 O Lord God, let your promise to my father David now be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.
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Now, O Lord God, let your word to David my father come true; for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in number.
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of yours?"
10
Give me now wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people: for who is able to be the judge of this great people of yours?
11 God answered Solomon, "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may rule my people over whom I have made you king,
11
And God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you did not make request for money, property, or honour, or for the destruction of your haters, or for long life; but you have made request for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you may be the judge of my people over whom I have made you king:
12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like."
12
Wisdom and knowledge are given to you; and I will give you wealth and honour, such as no king has had before you or ever will have after you.
13 So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.
13
So Solomon went back from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of meeting, to Jerusalem; and he was king over Israel.
14 Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.
14
And Solomon got together war-carriages and horsemen; he had one thousand, four hundred carriages and twelve thousand horsemen, which he kept, some in the carriage-towns and some with the king at Jerusalem.
15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah.
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And the king made silver and gold as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedar like the sycamore-trees of the lowland in number.
16 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the king's traders received them from Kue at the prevailing price.
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And Solomon's horses came out of Egypt; the king's traders got them from Kue at a price.
17 They imported from Egypt, and then exported, a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty; so through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
17
A war-carriage might be got from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty: they got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.