⁴ The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the great high place. Upon its altar Solomon sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings. ⁵ In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said: Whatever you ask I shall give you. ⁶ Solomon answered: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you with fidelity, justice, and an upright heart; and you have continued this great kindness toward him today, giving him a son to sit upon his throne. ⁷ Now, Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed David my father; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act— ⁸ I, your servant, among the people you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹ Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil. For who is able to give judgment for this vast people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased by Solomon’s request. ¹¹ So God said to him: Because you asked for this—you did not ask for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies—but you asked for discernment to know what is right— ¹² I now do as you request. I give you a heart so wise and discerning that there has never been anyone like you until now, nor after you will there be anyone to equal you. ^13 (A)In addition, I give you what you have not asked for: I give you such riches and glory that among kings there will be no one like you all your days. ¹⁴ And if you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commandments, as David your father did, I will give you a long life. ¹⁵ Solomon awoke; it was a dream! He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, sacrificed burnt offerings and communion offerings, and gave a feast for all his servants.

Solomon’s Listening Heart.^[a]

²⁹ The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar for burnt offerings were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.^(A)