⁴ The king went to Gibeon^(A) to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared^(B) to Solomon during the night in a dream,^(C) and God said, “Ask^(D) for whatever you want me to give you.”

⁶ Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful^(E) to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son^(F) to sit on his throne this very day.

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child^(G) and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,^(H) a great people, too numerous to count or number.^{(I) 9} So give your servant a discerning^(J) heart to govern your people and to distinguish^(K) between right and wrong. For who is able^(L) to govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked^(M) for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment^(N) in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked.^(O) I will give you a wise^(P) and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not^(Q) asked for—both wealth and honor^(R)—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal^(S) among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk^(T) in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”^{(U) 15} Then Solomon awoke^(V)—and he realized it had been a dream.^(W)

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings^(X) and fellowship offerings.^(Y) Then he gave a feast^(Z) for all his court.

¹¹ The word of the Lord came^(A) to Solomon: ¹² “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands^(B) and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise^(C) I gave to David your father. ¹³ And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon^(D) my people Israel.”

⁹ The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared^(A) to him twice. ¹⁰ Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,^(B) Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.^{(C) 11} So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees,^(D) which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear^(E) the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. ¹² Nevertheless, for the sake of David^(F) your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³ Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe^(G) for the sake^(H) of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”^(I)