2 Chronicles 1

1 And Solomon, son of David, strengthened himself over his kingdom, —and, Yahweh, his God, was with him, and made him surpassingly 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 gave word to all Israel—to the rulers of thousands, and hundreds, and to the judges, and to all the leaders of all Israel, ancestral chiefs;

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 Solomon, and all the convocation with him, went to the high place that was in Gibeon, —for, there, was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Yahweh made in the desert.

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 Howbeit, the ark of God, had David brought up from Kiriath-jearim, into the place that David had prepared for it, —for he had pitched 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 Also, the altar of bronze that Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur had made, was there before the habitation of Yahweh, —so Solomon and the convocation sought 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 went up thither, unto the altar of bronze before Yahweh, which belonged to the tent of meeting, —and caused to go up thereon a thousand ascending-sacrifices.

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 During that night, God appeared unto Solomon, —and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.

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

8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou thyself, didst deal with David my father in great lovingkindness, —and hast made me king 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 Yahweh Elohim, let thy word with David my father be brought to pass, -for, thou, hast made me king over a people, for multitude like 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 thou unto me, that I may go out before this people, and may come in, —for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

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

11 And God said unto Solomon, Because this was near thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, or the life of them that hate thee, nor even, many days, hast thou asked, —but hast asked for thyself, wisdom and knowledge, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king,

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 wisdom and knowledge, are granted unto thee, —moreover, riches and wealth and honour, will I give thee, such as the kings who were before thee did not possess, neither shall they who come after thee possess the like.

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 came from the high place that was in Gibeon unto Jerusalem, from before the tent of meeting, —and reigned over Israel.

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

14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen, and came to have a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, —and he settled them in chariot cities, 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 made silver and gold in Jerusalem, like stones, and, cedars, made he like the sycomores that are in the lowland, 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 horses which Solomon had were, an export, out of Egypt, —and a, company of royal merchants, used to fetch a drove, at a price;

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

17 and they built and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot, for six hundred [shekels] of silver, and a horse, for a hundred and fifty, -and, so, for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria, by their means, brought they them forth.

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.