Solomon Asks for Wisdom
1Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.
2Then Solomon spoke to all Israel—to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families— 3and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 4Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the Lord; so Solomon and the assembly inquired of him there. 6Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
11God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”
13Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting. And he reigned over Israel.
14Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,1:14 Or charioteers which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 16Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue1:16 Probably Cilicia—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 17They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels1:17 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.1:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.
Solomoni Aomba Hekima
(1 Wafalme 3:1-15)
11:1 1Fal 2:26; 2Nya 12:1; Mwa 39:2; Hes 14:43; 1Nya 29:25; Mwa 21:22; 1Nya 17:8; Mt 28:20Solomoni mwana wa Daudi alijiimarisha kwenye milango yote! Katika ufalme wake, kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wake alikuwa pamoja naye, naye akamfanya mkuu mno.
21:2 1Nya 28:1; 2Nya 29:20; 30:2Ndipo Solomoni akasema na Israeli wote, majemadari wa maelfu na majemadari wa mamia, waamuzi na viongozi wote katika Israeli, pamoja na wakuu wa jamaa. 31:3 Law 17:4; Kut 36:8; 40:18; 1Fal 3:4Naye Solomoni na kusanyiko lote wakakwea mpaka mahali pa juu pa kuabudia huko Gibeoni, kwa kuwa huko ndiko Hema la Kukutania la Mungu lilipokuwa, ambalo Mose mtumishi wa Bwana alikuwa amelitengeneza huko jangwani. 41:4 2Sam 6:2, 17; 1Nya 15:25Basi Daudi alikuwa amelipandisha Sanduku la Mungu kutoka Kiriath-Yearimu mpaka mahali alipokuwa amepatengeneza kwa ajili yake, kwa sababu alikuwa amesimamisha hema kwa ajili ya hilo Sanduku huko Yerusalemu. 51:5 Kut 38:2; 31:2; 1Nya 13:3Lakini yale madhabahu ya shaba ambayo Bezaleli mwana wa Uri, mwana wa Huri, alikuwa ametengeneza yalikuwa huko Gibeoni mbele ya Maskani ya Bwana Mungu, hivyo Solomoni na kusanyiko lote walimtafuta Mungu huko. 61:6 1Fal 3:4Solomoni akapanda huko yalikokuwa madhabahu ya shaba mbele za Bwana katika Hema la Kukutania, na kutoa dhabihu 1,000 za sadaka za kuteketezwa juu yake.
71:7 2Nya 7:12; Isa 58:9; 1Fal 3:5; Mit 3:5Usiku ule Mungu akamtokea Solomoni na kumwambia, “Omba lolote utakalo nikupe.”
81:8 1Nya 23:1; 28:5Solomoni akamjibu Mungu, “Umemwonyesha baba yangu Daudi fadhili nyingi, nawe umeniweka niwe mfalme mahali pake. 91:9 2Sam 7:25; 1Fal 8:25; Mwa 12:2Sasa, Bwana Mungu, ahadi yako kwa baba yangu Daudi na ithibitike, kwa kuwa umenifanya mimi mfalme juu ya watu ambao ni wengi kama mavumbi ya nchi. 101:10 Hes 27:17; Mit 8:15-16; Kum 31:2; 1Fal 3:9; Za 119:34; Mit 3:13; Yak 1:5Nakuomba unipe mimi hekima na maarifa, ili niweze kuongoza watu hawa, kwa kuwa ni nani awezaye kutawala hawa watu wako walio wengi hivi?”
111:11 Kum 17:17; 1Sam 16:7; 1Fal 3:11; 8:18Mungu akamwambia Solomoni, “Kwa kuwa jambo hili ndilo shauku ya moyo wako na hukuomba mali, utajiri au heshima, wala kifo kwa ajili ya adui zako, nawe kwa kuwa hukuomba maisha marefu, bali umeomba hekima na maarifa ili kuongoza watu wangu ambao nimekufanya uwe mfalme juu yao, 121:12 1Nya 29:12-25; Neh 13:26; Efe 3:20; 2Nya 9:22; Za 34:9-10; Mt 6:33; Mhu 2:9kwa hiyo utapewa hekima na maarifa. Tena nitakupa pia mali, utajiri na heshima, ambavyo hakuna mfalme yeyote aliyekuwepo kabla yako amewahi kuwa navyo, na hakuna yeyote baada yako atakayekuwa navyo.”
Fahari Ya Solomoni
(1 Wafalme 10:26-29)
13Ndipo Solomoni akaenda mpaka Yerusalemu kutoka mahali pa juu pa kuabudia huko Gibeoni, kutoka mbele ya Hema la Kukutania. Naye akatawala Israeli.
141:14 1Sam 8:11; 1Fal 9:19; 4:26Solomoni akakusanya magari ya vita na farasi. Alikuwa na magari 1,400 na farasi 12,000, ambayo aliyaweka katika miji ya magari na mengine akawa nayo huko Yerusalemu. 151:15 1Fal 9:28; Isa 60:5; Ay 22:24; 1Fal 10:27Mfalme akafanya fedha na dhahabu kuwa vitu vya kawaida kama mawe huko Yerusalemu, mierezi akaifanya kuwa mingi kama mikuyu vilimani. 16Farasi wa Solomoni waliletwa kutoka Misri na kutoka Kue.1:16 Yaani Kilikia. Wafanyabiashara wa mfalme waliwanunua kutoka Kue. 171:17 Wim 1:9Waliagiza magari kutoka Misri kwa bei ya shekeli 6001:17 Shekeli 600 za fedha ni sawa na kilo 7. za fedha, na farasi kwa shekeli 150.1:17 Shekeli 150 ni sawa na kilo 1.7. Pia waliwauza nje kwa wafalme wote wa Wahiti na wa Waaramu.
