1:1 Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority, 1 for 2 the Lord his God was with him and magnified him greatly.
1:2 Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families. 1:3 Solomon and the entire assembly went to the worship center 3 in Gibeon, for the tent where they met God 4 was located there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 1:4 (Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 1:5 But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the Lord’s tabernacle. 6 Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him 7 there.) 1:6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord which was at the meeting tent, and he offered up a thousand burnt sacrifices.
1:7 That night God appeared 8 to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me 9 what I should give you.” 1:8 Solomon replied to God, “You demonstrated 10 great loyalty to my father David and have made me king in his place. 1:9 Now, Lord God, may your promise 11 to my father David be realized, 12 for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. 1:10 Now give me wisdom and discernment so 13 I can effectively lead this nation. 14 Otherwise 15 no one is able 16 to make judicial decisions for 17 this great nation of yours.” 18
1:11 God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this, 19 and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, 20 and because you did not ask for long life, 21 but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king,
1 tn Heb “and Solomon son of David strengthened himself over his kingdom.”
2 tn The disjunctive clause (note the vav [ו] + subject pattern) probably has a causal nuance here.
3 tn Or “high place.”
4 tn Heb “the tent of meeting of God.”
5 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
6 sn The tabernacle was located in Gibeon; see 1 Chr 21:29.
7 tn Heb “sought [or “inquired of”] him.”
8 tn Or “revealed himself.”
9 tn Heb “ask.”
10 tn Heb “did.”
11 tn Heb “you word.”
12 tn Or “be firm, established.”
13 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) following the imperative here indicates purpose/result.
14 tn Heb “so I may go out before this nation and come in.” The expression “go out…and come in” here means “to lead” (see HALOT 425 s.v. יצא qal.4).
15 tn Heb “for.” The word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.
16 tn Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
17 tn Heb “to judge.”
18 tn Heb “these numerous people of yours.”
19 tn Heb “because this was in your heart.”
20 tn Heb “the life of those who hate you.”
21 tn Heb “many days.”