2 דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים 1

1 וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֛ק שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בֶן־דָּוִ֖יד עַל־מַלְכוּתֹ֑ו וַיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמֹּ֔ו וַֽיְגַדְּלֵ֖הוּ לְמָֽעְלָה׃

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

2 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל לְשָׂרֵי֩ הָאֲלָפִ֨ים וְהַמֵּאֹ֜ות וְלַשֹּֽׁפְטִ֗ים וּלְכֹ֛ל נָשִׂ֥יא לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל רָאשֵׁ֥י הָאָבֹֽות׃

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

3 וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ וְכָל־הַקָּהָ֣ל עִמֹּ֔ו לַבָּמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּגִבְעֹ֑ון כִּי־שָׁ֣ם הָיָ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל מֹועֵד֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה מֹשֶׁ֥ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

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 אֲבָ֗ל אֲרֹ֤ון הָאֱלֹהִים֙ הֶעֱלָ֤ה דָוִיד֙ מִקִּרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים בַּֽהֵכִ֥ין לֹ֖ו דָּוִ֑יד כִּ֧י נָֽטָה־לֹ֛ו אֹ֖הֶל בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

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 וּמִזְבַּ֣ח הַנְּחֹ֗שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ בְּצַלְאֵל֙ בֶּן־אוּרִ֣י בֶן־ח֔וּר שָׂ֕ם לִפְנֵ֖י מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּדְרְשֵׁ֥הוּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וְהַקָּהָֽל׃

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 וַיַּעַל֩ שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה שָׁ֜ם עַל־מִזְבַּ֤ח הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לְאֹ֣הֶל מֹועֵ֑ד וַיַּ֧עַל עָלָ֛יו עֹלֹ֖ות אָֽלֶף׃

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 בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא נִרְאָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִשְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לֹ֔ו שְׁאַ֖ל מָ֥ה אֶתֶּן־לָֽךְ׃

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

8 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים אַתָּ֗ה עָשִׂ֛יתָ עִם־דָּוִ֥יד אָבִ֖י חֶ֣סֶד גָּדֹ֑ול וְהִמְלַכְתַּ֖נִי תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

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

9 עַתָּה֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים יֵֽאָמֵן֙ דְּבָ֣רְךָ֔ עִ֖ם דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑י כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ הִמְלַכְתַּ֔נִי עַל־עַ֕ם רַ֖ב כַּעֲפַ֥ר הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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 עַתָּ֗ה חָכְמָ֤ה וּמַדָּע֙ תֶּן־לִ֔י וְאֵֽצְאָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה וְאָבֹ֑ואָה כִּֽי־מִ֣י יִשְׁפֹּ֔ט אֶת־עַמְּךָ֥ הַזֶּ֖ה הַגָּדֹֽול׃ ס

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

11 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר־אֱלֹהִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֡ה יַ֣עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיְתָ֨ה זֹ֜את עִם־לְבָבֶ֗ךָ וְלֹֽא־שָׁ֠אַלְתָּ עֹ֣שֶׁר נְכָסִ֤ים וְכָבֹוד֙ וְאֵת֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ שֹׂנְאֶ֔יךָ וְגַם־יָמִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים לֹ֣א שָׁאָ֑לְתָּ וַתִּֽשְׁאַל־לְךָ֙ חָכְמָ֣ה וּמַדָּ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּשְׁפֹּוט֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִמְלַכְתִּ֖יךָ עָלָֽיו׃

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 הַֽחָכְמָ֥ה וְהַמַּדָּ֖ע נָת֣וּן לָ֑ךְ וְעֹ֨שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֤ים וְכָבֹוד֙ אֶתֶּן־לָ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ לֹא־הָ֣יָה כֵ֗ן לַמְּלָכִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן׃

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 וַיָּבֹ֨א שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה לַבָּמָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּגִבְעֹון֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מֹועֵ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

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

14 וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף שְׁלֹמֹה֮ רֶ֣כֶב וּפָרָשִׁים֒ וַֽיְהִי־לֹ֗ו אֶ֤לֶף וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאֹות֙ רֶ֔כֶב וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּנִּיחֵם֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְעִם־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

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 וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֶּ֧סֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֛ב בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם כָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת הָאֲרָזִ֗ים נָתַ֛ן כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה לָרֹֽב׃

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 וּמֹוצָ֧א הַסּוּסִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹ֖ה מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וּמִקְוֵ֕א סֹחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מִקְוֵ֥א יִקְח֖וּ בִּמְחִֽיר׃

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

17 וַֽ֠יַּעֲלוּ וַיֹּוצִ֨יאוּ מִמִּצְרַ֤יִם מֶרְכָּבָה֙ בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵאֹ֣ות כֶּ֔סֶף וְס֖וּס בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמֵאָ֑ה וְ֠כֵן לְכָל־מַלְכֵ֧י הַֽחִתִּ֛ים וּמַלְכֵ֥י אֲרָ֖ם בְּיָדָ֥ם יֹוצִֽיאוּ׃

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.