Solomon Asks for Wisdom

1:1 Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority, for the Lord his God was with him and magnified him greatly. 1:2 Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families. 1:3 Solomon and the entire assembly went to the worship center in Gibeon, for the tent where they met God was located there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 1:4 (Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 1:5 But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the Lord’s tabernacle. Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him there.) 1:6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord which was at the meeting tent, and he offered up a thousand burnt sacrifices. 1:7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me what I should give you.” 1:8 Solomon replied to God, “You demonstrated great loyalty to my father David and have made me king in his place. 1:9 Now, Lord God, may your promise to my father David be realized, for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. 1:10 Now give me wisdom and discernment so I can effectively lead this nation. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.” 1:11 God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this, and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, and because you did not ask for long life, but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king, 1:12 you are granted wisdom and discernment. Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you.” 1:13 Solomon left the meeting tent at the worship center in Gibeon and went to Jerusalem, where he reigned over Israel. Solomon’s Wealth 1:14 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 1:15 The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. 1:16 Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que. 1:17 They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Solomon begins his reign by worshiping the Lord and asking for wisdom to lead God’s people well. God answers by giving him wisdom, and also adds riches and honor beyond what he asked for.

This chapter opens by showing that Solomon’s kingship comes from the Lord’s favor, not from his own power. He gathers the leaders of Israel and goes to Gibeon, where the tabernacle and bronze altar still stand before the temple is built. There he offers many burnt offerings, showing public devotion and national worship.

That night God appears to Solomon and invites him to ask for whatever he wants. Solomon does not ask for wealth, revenge, long life, or personal greatness. Instead, he asks for wisdom and discernment so he can govern God’s people and make just decisions. God approves that request because Solomon asked for what was fitting for his calling. So God gives him wisdom and also adds riches, wealth, and honor.

The chapter ends with a brief picture of Solomon’s outward prosperity: many chariots and horses, abundant silver and gold, and a strong trade network. The passage presents this splendor as real, but it also leaves the reader with a quiet warning, since some of this royal excess stands in tension with God’s law for Israel’s kings.

• Solomon’s rule is a gift from God, not a human achievement.
• Public worship comes before successful rule.
• God welcomes Solomon’s request for wisdom and discernment.
• Wisdom is the right gift for a king who must judge God’s people.
• God’s generosity goes beyond what Solomon asked for.
• Solomon’s wealth and honor are real, but they are not the main point of the passage.
• Israel is still in the pre-temple period, with the tabernacle at Gibeon and the ark in Jerusalem.

• Ask first for the wisdom needed to serve God faithfully.
• Do not turn this passage into a promise that every believer will become rich.
• Remember that blessing must stay under God’s law.
• Value worship before leadership and service.
• Do not treat Solomon’s wealth as the highest sign of godliness.

This passage belongs to the story of the Davidic covenant and the united monarchy under Israel’s kings. Solomon is David’s son, and God is confirming the royal line by giving him wisdom for ruling God’s people. The tabernacle, altar, and ark show that Israel is still living under the Mosaic covenant and that the temple has not yet been built. In the larger Bible story, this chapter prepares for the temple and points ahead to the hope for a truly wise and faithful Davidic king, while remaining first and foremost about Solomon’s historical reign.

When God gives responsibility, ask him for wisdom to do the job well. Put worship before work, and remember that leadership is stewardship under God. Be thankful for any material blessing, but do not make riches or status your main goal. Look for faithfulness, discernment, and obedience as the marks of true success.

• Lite Commentary
• In-depth Commentary