Now Solomon son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and highly exalted him. Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the heads of the families. And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God's Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. Now David had brought the ark of God 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 made by Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, was in Gibeon before the tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there. Solomon offered sacrifices there before the LORD on the bronze altar in the Tent of Meeting, where he offered a thousand burnt offerings. That night God appeared to Solomon and said, "Ask, and I will give it to you!" Solomon replied to God: "You have shown much loving devotion to my father David, and You have made me king in his place. Now, O LORD God, let 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. Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?" God said to Solomon, "Since this was in your heart instead of requesting riches or wealth or glory for yourself or death for your enemies—and since you have not even requested long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over whom I have made you king— therefore wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will also give you riches and wealth and honor unlike anything given to the kings before you or after you." So Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place in Gibeon before the Tent of Meeting, and he reigned over Israel.
Later, Solomon formed an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Solomon brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his palace and the house of the LORD, as well as the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built. And Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, "Ask, and I will give it to you!" Solomon replied, "You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day. And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David's place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in. Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number. Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?" Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this instead of requesting long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies—but you have asked for discernment to administer justice— behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you. Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal. So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days." Then Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. So he returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.
Significance
These are parallel accounts of God's theophany to Solomon at Gibeon, where the LORD offered "Ask, and I will give it to you!" and Solomon requested wisdom (chokmah) rather than riches or long life. The Chronicler's version emphasizes the Mosaic tabernacle's presence at Gibeon and Solomon's approach to the bronze altar, details that connect Solomon's worship to Mosaic precedent. Both accounts record God's pleased response and the grant of unasked-for wealth and honor, but the Chronicler omits 1 Kings 3's conditional "if you walk in My ways" clause, presenting the gift as unconditional grace for the temple-building king. The Chronicler likewise omits 1 Kings' qualifying notes — Solomon's marriage alliance with Pharaoh (1 Kgs 3:1) and his sacrificing "on the high places" (1 Kgs 3:2-3) — legitimizing the Gibeon worship instead by anchoring it in the Mosaic "Tent of Meeting" that stood there (2 Chr 1:3).
Found via
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type
Direct Quotation
Connection Method(s)
Redemptive-Historical Progression — The Chronicler re-presents the Gibeon theophany of 1 Kings 3:1-15 for the post-exilic community: the same "Ask, and I will give it to you!" exchange, wisdom request, and grant of unasked riches and honor, now anchored in Moses' Tent of Meeting and Bezalel's bronze altar at Gibeon (2 Chr 1:3-6) with Kings' qualifying notes omitted, carrying the account of the wise temple-building king forward along the line that culminates in One greater than Solomon.
