2 Chronicles 1

1 And strengthen himself doth Solomon son of David over his kingdom, and Jehovah his God [is] with him, and maketh him exceedingly great.

Solomon, son of David, strengthened his hold over the kingdom, and the Lord God was with him and made him extremely powerful.

2 And Solomon saith to all Israel, to heads of the thousands, and of the hundreds, and to judges, and to every honourable one of all Israel, heads of the fathers,

Solomon sent for all the Israelite leaders, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every family leader.

3 and they go — Solomon, and all the assembly with him — to the high place that [is] in Gibeon, for there hath been God's tent of meeting, that Moses, servant of Jehovah, made in the wilderness,

Solomon went with the whole assembly to the high place at Gibeon, for this was the site of God's Tent of Meeting that Moses, the Lord's servant, had made in the wilderness.

4 but the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath-Jearim, when David prepared for it, for he stretched out for it a tent in Jerusalem;

David had brought up the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place in Jerusalem where he had set up a tent for it.

5 and the altar of brass that Bezaleel son of Uri, son of Hur made, he put before the tabernacle of Jehovah; and Solomon and the assembly seek to it.

However, the bronze altar made by Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, was there in front of the Tent of the Lord, so that is where Solomon and the assembly went to worship.

6 And Solomon goeth up thither, on the altar of brass, before Jehovah, that [is] at the tent of meeting, and causeth to ascend upon it a thousand burnt-offerings.

Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord, in front of the Tent of Meeting. There he presented one thousand burnt offerings.

7 In that night hath God appeared to Solomon, and saith to him, 'Ask — what do I give to thee?'

That night God appeared to Solomon and told him, “Ask what you want me to give you.”

8 And Solomon saith to God, 'Thou hast done with David my father great kindness, and hast caused me to reign in his stead.

Solomon responded to God, “You showed trustworthy love without limit to my father David, and you have made me king in his place.

9 Now, O Jehovah God, is Thy word with David my father stedfast, for Thou hast caused me to reign over a people numerous as the dust of the earth;

Lord God, please keep the promise you made to my father David. You have made me king over a nation that has as many people as the dust of the earth.

10 now, wisdom and knowledge give to me, and I go out before this people, and I come in, for who doth judge this Thy great people?'

Please give me wisdom and knowledge to lead this people—for who can rule with justice this great people of yours?”

11 And God saith to Solomon, 'Because that this hath been with thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, and honour, and the life of those hating thee, and also many days hast not asked, and dost ask for thyself wisdom and knowledge, so that thou dost judge My people over which I have caused thee to reign —

God told Solomon: “Because this is what you really wanted, and you didn't ask for wealth, possessions, or honor, or the death of those who hate you, or for a long life, but instead you asked for wisdom and knowledge so you can rule with justice my people that I have made you king over;

12 the wisdom and the knowledge is given to thee, and riches and wealth and honour I give to thee, that there hath not been so to the kings who [are] before thee, and after thee it is not so.'

wisdom and knowledge is given to you. I will give you wealth, possessions, and honor as well, much more than any king who came before you has had, or who comes after you will ever have.”

13 And Solomon cometh in [from] the high place that [is] in Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tent of meeting, and reigneth over Israel,

Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tent of Meeting in Gibeon, and he ruled over Israel.

14 and Solomon gathereth chariots and horsemen, and he hath a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he placeth them in the cities of the chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem.

Solomon built up an army of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he placed in the chariot cities, and also with him in Jerusalem.

15 And the king maketh the silver and the gold in Jerusalem as stones, and the cedars he made as sycamores that [are] in the low country, for abundance.

The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore-figs trees in the foothills.

16 And the source of the horses that [are] to Solomon [is] from Egypt and from Keva; merchants of the king from Keva take at a price,

Solomon imported horses for himself from Egypt and Kue; the king's traders bought them in Kue.

17 and they come up, and bring out from Egypt a chariot for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Aram — by their hand they bring out.

A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred silver shekels, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. In the same way they exported them to all the Hittite kings and the Aramean kings.