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Solomon at Gibeon

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Solomon, son of David, strengthened his hold on the kingdom, for the LORD, his God, was with him, constantly making him more renowned.

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He sent a summons to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, the judges, the princes of all Israel, and the family heads;

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and, accompanied by the whole assembly, he went to the high place at Gibeon, because the meeting tent of God, made in the desert by Moses, the LORD'S servant, was there.

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(The ark of God, however, David had brought up from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem, where he had provided a place and pitched a tent for it.)

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The bronze altar made by Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, he put in front of the LORD'S Dwelling on the high place. There Solomon and the assembly consulted the LORD,

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and Solomon offered sacrifice in the LORD'S presence on the bronze altar at the meeting tent; he offered a thousand holocausts upon it.

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That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Make a request of me, and I will grant it to you."

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Solomon answered God: "You have shown great favor to my father David, and you have allowed me to succeed him as king.

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Now, LORD God, may your promise to my father David be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

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Give me, therefore, wisdom and knowledge to lead this people, for otherwise who could rule this great people of yours?"

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God then replied to Solomon: "Since this has been your wish and you have not asked for riches, treasures and glory, nor for the life of those who hate you, nor even for a long life for yourself, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge in order to rule my people over whom I have made you king,

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wisdom and knowledge are given you; but I will also give you riches, treasures and glory, such as kings before you never had, nor will those have them who come after you."

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Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from the meeting tent, and became king over Israel.

Solomon's Wealth

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He gathered together chariots and drivers, so that he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand drivers he could station in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

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The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, while cedars became as numerous as the sycamores of the foothills.

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Solomon also imported horses from Egypt and Cilicia. The king's agents would acquire them by purchase from Cilicia,

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and would then bring up chariots from Egypt and export them at six hundred silver shekels, with the horses going for a hundred and fifty shekels. At these rates they served as middlemen for all the Hittite and Aramean kings.

Preparations for the Temple

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Solomon gave orders for the building of a house to honor the LORD and also of a house for his own royal estate.