2 Chronicles 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, and Yahweh his God was with him and made him extraordinarily great.

Solomon spoke to all of Israel — to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the ancestral families.

Then Solomon and the entire assembly with him went to the worship site at Gibeon, because that's where God's Tent of Meeting was — the one Moses, Yahweh's servant, had made in the wilderness.

Now, David had already brought the chest of God up from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made was there in front of Yahweh's dwelling, and Solomon and the assembly came to seek God there.

Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh, which was at the Tent of Meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask. What should I give you?"

Solomon said to God, "You showed enormous loyal love to my father David, and you've made me king in his place.

Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to my father David stand firm, because you've made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

Give me wisdom and knowledge to lead this people, because who could possibly govern this great people of yours?"

God said to Solomon, "Because this is what was in your heart — you didn't ask for wealth, riches, or honor, or for the death of those who hate you, and you didn't even ask for a long life — but instead asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I've made you king —

wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. And I will also give you wealth, riches, and honor unlike anything the kings before you had, and unlike anything those after you will have."

So Solomon came back from the worship site at Gibeon, from the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem. And he ruled over Israel.

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and also with the king in Jerusalem.

The king made silver and gold as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.

Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue. The king's traders purchased them from Kue at the going rate.

They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred pieces of silver and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And through them, they exported these to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.