2 Chronicles 1

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then Solomon, the son of David, was strengthened in his reign, and the Lord his God was with him, and he magnified him on high.	1 Solomon, son of David, strengthened his hold on the kingdom, for the LORD, his God, was with him, constantly making him more renowned.
2 And Solomon instructed the whole of Israel, the tribunes, and the centurions, and the rulers, and the judges over all of Israel, and the leaders of the families.	2 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;
3 And he went away with the entire multitude to the high place of Gibeon, where the tabernacle of the covenant of the Lord was, which Moses, the servant of God, made in the wilderness.	3 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.
4 For David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim, to the place that he had prepared for it, and where he had pitched a tabernacle for it, that is, in Jerusalem.	4 (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.)
5 Also, the altar of brass, which Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had constructed, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord. And so Solomon sought it, with the entire assembly.	5 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,
6 And Solomon ascended to the bronze altar, before the tabernacle of the covenant of the Lord, and he offered upon it one thousand victims.	6 and Solomon offered sacrifice in the LORD'S presence on the bronze altar at the meeting tent; he offered a thousand holocausts upon it.
7 But behold, during that night God appeared to him, saying, “Request what you wish, so that I may give it to you.”	7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Make a request of me, and I will grant it to you."
8 And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to my father David. And you have appointed me as king in his place.	8 Solomon answered God: "You have shown great favor to my father David, and you have allowed me to succeed him as king.
9 Now therefore, O Lord God, let your word be fulfilled, which you promised to my father David. For you have made me king over your great people, who are as innumerable as the dust of the earth.	9 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.
10 Give to me wisdom and understanding, so that I may enter and depart before your people. For who is able worthily to judge this, your people, who are so great?”	10 Give me, therefore, wisdom and knowledge to lead this people, for otherwise who could rule this great people of yours?"
11 Then God said to Solomon: “Since this is the choice that pleased your heart, and you did not request wealth and substance and glory, nor the lives of those who hate you, nor even many days of life, since instead you requested wisdom and knowledge so that you may be able to judge my people, over whom I have appointed you as king:	11 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,
12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. And I will give to you wealth and substance and glory, so that none of the kings either before you or after you will be similar to you.”	12 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."
13 Then Solomon went from the high place of Gibeon to Jerusalem, before the tabernacle of the covenant, and he reigned over Israel.	13 Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from the meeting tent, and became king over Israel.
14 And he gathered to himself chariots and horsemen. And they brought to him one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And he caused them to be in the cities of the chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem.	14 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.
15 And the king offered silver and gold in Jerusalem as if they were stones, and cedar trees as if they were sycamores, which grow in the plains in a great multitude.	15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, while cedars became as numerous as the sycamores of the foothills.
16 Then horses were brought to him from Egypt and from Kue, by the negotiators of the king, who went and bought for a price:	16 Solomon also imported horses from Egypt and Cilicia. The king's agents would acquire them by purchase from Cilicia,
17 a four-horse chariot for six hundred pieces of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty. A similar offer to purchase was made known among all the kingdoms of the Hittites, and among the kings of Syria.	17 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.
	18 Solomon gave orders for the building of a house to honor the LORD and also of a house for his own royal estate.