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 enquired 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 honour, 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 honour, 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 6.9 kilograms of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.1:17 That is, about 1.7 kilograms They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.
Salomo Srɛ Nyansa
1Ɔhene Dawid babarima Salomo soo ahenni no mu den, efisɛ Awurade, ne Nyankopɔn kaa ne ho maa no tumi a ɛso.
2Ɔfrɛɛ Israel nyinaa, asahene ne asraafodɔm ntuanofo, atemmufo, amanyɛ ne mmusua ntuanofo nyinaa. 3Na Salomo dii nnipa no nyinaa anim kɔɔ bepɔw Gibeon so baabi a wɔde Onyankopɔn Ahyiae Ntamadan no asi. Eyi yɛ Ntamadan a Mose a ɔyɛ Awurade somfo sii wɔ sare no so no. 4Na Dawid ayi Onyankopɔn Adaka no afi Kiriat-Yearim de akɔ ntamadan sononko bi a wasi wɔ Yerusalem mu. 5Nanso na kɔbere mfrafrae afɔremuka a Hur nena a ɔyɛ Uri babarima Besaleel sii no da so wɔ Gibeon, wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no anim. Enti Salomo ne nnipa no boaa wɔn ho ano wɔ hɔ, bisaa Awurade akwankyerɛ. 6Hyiadan no anim hɔ, Salomo foro kɔɔ kɔbere mfrafrae afɔremuka no ho wɔ Awurade anim, bɔɔ ɔhyew afɔre ahorow apem wɔ so.
7Da no anadwo, Onyankopɔn yii ne ho adi wɔ dae mu kyerɛɛ Salomo, bisaa no se, “Dɛn na wopɛ? Bisa na mede bɛma wo!”
8Salomo buaa Onyankopɔn se, “Wudii mʼagya Dawid nokware na woyɛɛ no adɔe, na afei wode me asi nʼanan mu sɛ ɔhene. 9Na afei Awurade Nyankopɔn, mesrɛ wo di bɔ a wohyɛɛ mʼagya Dawid no so, efisɛ wode me asi nnipa a wɔn dodow te sɛ asase so mfutuma so hene. 10Ma me nyansa ne nimdeɛ, na memfa nni wɔn so yiye, na hena koraa na obetumi adi wo man kɛse sɛɛ so?”
11Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Salomo se, “Esiane sɛ wʼahiasɛm kɛse ne sɛ wopɛ sɛ woboa wo manfo, na woammisa ahode, anuonyam anaa wʼatamfo wu anaa nkwa tenten, na mmom, wubisaa nyansa ne nimdeɛ a wode bedi me nkurɔfo so yiye nti, 12mɛma wo nyansa ne nimdeɛ a wubisae no. Afei, mɛma wo sika, ahode ne anuonyam a ɔhene biara a wadi wʼanim no nnyaa bi da, nanso ɔrennya no saa da biara da.”
13Na Salomo fii hyiadan a ɛwɔ Gibeon bepɔw no so no mu san kɔɔ Yerusalem kodii hene wɔ Israel so.
14Salomo nyaa nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ bebree. Na ɔwɔ nteaseɛnam apem ahannan ne apɔnkɔ mpem dumien. Ɔde emu fa kɛse guguu nteaseɛnam nkuropɔn no so na ɔmaa bi nso kaa Yerusalem. 15Salomo bere so no, dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ buu so sɛ abo wɔ Yerusalem. Na sida aboɔden nnua nso buu so sɛ ankye nnua a na abu so wɔ Yuda mmepɔw no ase no. 16Na Salomo tɔɔ apɔnkɔ fii Misraim ne Kilikia, efisɛ na ɔhene no aguadifo nya wɔn fi Kilikia a wɔn bo no ye. 17Saa bere no na wotumi tɔ Misraim nteaseɛnam a wɔde ba Yerusalem no nnwetɛbona kilogram ason, na apɔnkɔ nso, wotumi tɔ no nnwetɛbona kilogram abien. Wɔn nso kɔtontɔn wɔn nyinaa maa Hetifo ne Aram ahemfo.
