- 2Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2I go the way of all the earth. Be strong therefore and show yourself a man. 3And keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself; 4that the Lord may continue his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If your children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you, said he, a man on the throne of Israel.
- 5Moreover, you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his belt that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. 6Do therefore according to your wisdom, and let not his graying head go down to the grave in peace.
- 7But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom your brother. 8And behold, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put you to death with the sword. 9Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do unto him, but his graying head bring down to the grave with blood.
- 10So David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty-three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 12Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was established greatly.
- 13And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. 14He said, moreover, I have somewhat to say unto you. And she said, Say on. 15And he said, You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. Nevertheless, the kingdom is turned about and has become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. 16And now I ask one petition of you; deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. 17And he said, Speak, I pray you, unto Solomon the king — for he will not say to you, Nay — that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife. 18And Bathsheba said, Well, I will speak for you unto the king.
- 19Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20Then she said, I desire one small petition of you: I pray you, do not say to me, Nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother, for I will not say to you, Nay. 21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother to wife. 22And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my elder brother — even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
- 23Then king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life. 24Now, therefore, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day. 25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he fell upon him that he died.
- 26And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Go to Anathoth, unto your own fields, for you are worthy of death; but I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you have been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. 27So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
- 28Then tidings came to Joab, for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 29And it was told to king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. 30And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus says the king: Come forth. And he said, Nay, but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
- 31And the king said unto him, Do as he has said and fall upon him, and bury him, that you may take away the innocent blood which Joab shed from me and from the house of my father. 32And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof — namely Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah. 33Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his seed for ever; but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne shall there be peace for ever from the Lord.
- 34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him, and slew him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the host, and Zadok the priest did the king put in the place of Abiathar.
- 36And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and go not forth from there to anywhere; 37for it shall be that on the day you go out and pass over the brook Kidron, you shall know for certain that you shall surely die. Your blood shall be upon your own head. 38And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. And Shimei dwelled in Jerusalem many days.
- 39And it came to pass at the end of three years that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, your servants are in Gath. 40And Shimei arose and saddled his ass and went to Gath, to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41And it was told to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come again.
- 42And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make you to swear by the Lord, and protested unto you, saying, Know for certain, on the day you go out and walk abroad anywhere, that you shall surely die? And you said unto me, The word that I have heard is good. 43Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I have charged you with? 44The king said moreover to Shimei, You know all the wickedness which your heart is privy to, that you did to David my father. Therefore, the Lord shall return your wickedness upon your own head, 45and king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever. 46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, who went out and fell upon him that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
- 3And the Lord was not pleased with Solomon, for he made alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter to wife, and brought her into the house of David until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about; and the Lord blessed Solomon for the people’s sake only.
- 2And the people sacrificed in high places because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until those days. 3And because the Lord blessed Solomon as he was walking in the statutes of David his father, he began to love the Lord; and he sacrificed and burned incense in high places, and he called on the name of the Lord. 4And the king went to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for Gibeon was in a great high place; and Solomon offered upon that altar in Gibeon a thousand burnt offerings.
- 5And the Lord God listened unto Solomon, and appeared unto him in a dream by night, and said, Ask what I shall give you. 6And Solomon said, You have shown unto your servant David, my father, great things according to your mercy when he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. And you have kept for him this great kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king, instead of David my father, over your people; and I know not how to lead them, to go out or come in 8before them. And your servant is as a little child in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this your people — so great a people?
- 10And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11And God said unto him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment, 12behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none made king over Israel like unto you before you, neither after you shall any arise like unto you. 13And I have also given you that which you have not asked — both riches and honor — so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto you all your days. 14And if you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, then I will lengthen your days. And you shall not walk in unrighteousness, as did your father David.
- 15And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
- 16Then there came two women that were harlots unto the king, and stood before him. 17And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. 18And it came to pass, the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also, and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19And this woman’s child died in the night because she laid on it. 20And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom I did bear. 22And the other woman said, Nay, but the living is my son and the dead is your son. And this said, No, but the dead is your son and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
- 23Then said the king, The one says, This is my son that lives, and your son is the dead; and the other says, Nay, but your son is the dead and my son is the living. 24And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other. 26Then spoke the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for she was moved with compassion for her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child and by no means slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor yours, but divide it. 27Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and by no means slay it; she is the mother thereof. 28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.
- 4So king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; 5and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend; 6and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
- 7And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel who provided provisions for the king and his household; each man, his month in a year, made provision. 8And these are their names: The son of Hur in Mount Ephraim; 9the son of Dekar in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elon-Bethhanan; 10the son of Hesed in Arubboth (to him pertained Socoh and all the land of Hepher); 11the son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor, who had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife; 12Baana the son of Ahilud (to him pertained Taanach, and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zarethan beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abel-Meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokmeam); 13the son of Geber in Ramoth-Gilead (to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars); 14Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim; 15Ahimaaz was in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife); 16Baana the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth; 17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah in Issachar; 18Shimei the son of Elah in Benjamin; 19Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead (in the country of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and of Og, king of Bashan) and he was the only officer who was in the land.
- 20Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating, and drinking, and making merry. 21And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt; they brought presents and served Solomon all the days of his life.
- 22And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal, 23ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer, and fattened fowl. 24For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the river; and he had peace on all sides round about him. 25And Judah and Israel dwelled safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 26And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. 27And those officers provided provisions for king Solomon and for all that came unto king Solomon’s table, every man in his month; they lacked nothing. 28Barley also, and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
- 29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding, exceedingly much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. 30And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country and all the wisdom of Egypt; 31for he was wiser than all men — than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all nations round about. 32And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand five. 33And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 34And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.
- 5And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram was ever a lover of David. 2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3You know how David my father could not build a house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence. 5And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke unto David my father, saying, Your son whom I will set upon your throne in your place, he shall build a house unto my name. 6Now therefore command that they hew cedar trees for me out of Lebanon, and my servants shall be with your servants. And unto you will I give hire for your servants, according to all that you shall appoint, for you know that there is not among us any that can skillfully hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
- 7And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given unto David a wise son over this great people. 8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which you sent to me for, and I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar and concerning timber of fir. 9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea, and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and you shall receive them. And you shall accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.
- 10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire, 11and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil; thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 12And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league together.
- 13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel, and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses — a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home — and Adoniram was over the levy. 15And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand hewers in the mountains, 16besides the chief of Solomon’s officers who were over the work — three thousand three hundred — who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. 18And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers; so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
- 6And it came to pass in the four hundred eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord. 2And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was sixty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits. 3And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house, and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house. 4And for the house, he made windows of narrow lights.
- 5And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the Holy of Holies. And he made chambers round about; 6the lowest chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad — for outside in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house. 7And the house, when it was being built, was built of stone made ready before it was brought there, so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was being built. 8The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house, and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third. 9So he built the house and finished it, and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar. 10And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high, and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
- 11And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, 12Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments, to walk in them, then will I perform my word with you which I spoke unto David your father. 13And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
- 14So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling; and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir. 16And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls, with boards of cedar; he even built them for it within, even for the Holy of Holies, even for the most holy place. 17And the house — that is, the temple — before it was forty cubits long. 18And the cedar of the house within was carved with gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen.
- 19And the Holy of Holies he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 20And the Holy of Holies in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold, and so covered the altar, which was of cedar.
- 21So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold. And he made a partition by the chains of gold before the Holy of Holies, and he overlaid it with gold. 22And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house; also the whole altar that was by the Holy of Holies he overlaid with gold.
- 23And within the Holy of Holies, he made two cherubim of olive tree, each ten cubits high. 24And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; from the outermost part of the one wing unto the outermost part of the other were ten cubits. 25And the other cherub was ten cubits; both the cherubim were of one measure and one size. 26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. 27And he set the cherubim within the inner house, and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubim, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall, and their wings touched one another in the middle of the house. 28And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
- 29And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, within and without. 30And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. 31And for the entering of the Holy of Holies, he made doors of olive tree. The lintel and doorposts were a fifth part of the wall. 32The two doors also were of olive tree, and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim and upon the palm trees. 33So also made he for the door of the temple doorposts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall. 34And the two doors were of fir tree; the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding, 35and he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work. 36And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.
- 37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Zif. 38And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.
- 7But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. 2He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was a hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars. 3And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row. 4And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks. 5And all the doors and doorposts were square with the windows, and light was against light in three ranks. 6And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and the porch was before them, and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them. 7Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment, and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other. 8And his house where he dwelled had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
- 9All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewn stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court. 10And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. 11And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewn stones, and cedars. 12And the great court round about was with three rows of hewn stones and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the Lord and for the porch of the house.
- 13And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass. And he was filled with wisdom and understanding, and skilled to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon and wrought all his work; 15for he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece, and a line of twelve cubits did encompass either of them about. 16And he made two chapiters of molten brass to set upon the tops of the pillars — the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits — 17and nets of checker work and wreaths of chain work for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars — seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
- 18And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network (to cover the chapiters that were upon the top) with pomegranates; and so did he for the other chapiter. 19And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily work — four cubits. 20And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, next to the belly which was by the network, and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about, upon the other chapiter. 21And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple. And he set up the right pillar and called the name thereof Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and called the name thereof Boaz. 22And upon the top of the pillars was lily work; so was the work of the pillars finished.
- 23And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other. It was round all about, and his height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits did encompass it round about. 24And under the brim of it round about there were gourds encompassing it, ten in a cubit, encompassing the sea round about; the gourds were cast in two rows when it was cast. 25It stood upon twelve oxen: three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. And the sea was set above upon them, and all their hindquarters were inward. 26And it was a hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies. It contained two thousand baths.
- 27And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it. 28And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges, 29and on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim. And upon the ledges there was a base above, and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. 30And every base had four brazen wheels and plates of brass, and the four corners thereof had supports. Under the basin were molten supports at the side of every addition. 31And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit, but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base — a cubit and a half — and also upon the mouth of it were engravings with their borders — square, not round.
- 32And under the borders were four wheels, and the axles of the wheels were joined to the base, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. 33And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel; their axles, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes were all molten. 34And there were four supports to the four corners of one base, and the supports were of the very base itself. 35And in the top of the base was there a round band of half a cubit high, and on the top of the base, the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same. 36For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about. 37After this manner he made the ten bases; all of them had one casting, one measure and one size.
- 38Then made he ten basins of brass. One basin contained forty baths, and every basin was four cubits, and upon every one of the ten bases, one basin. 39And he put five bases on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house, and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward toward the south. 40And Hiram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins.
- So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the Lord: 41The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars, 42and four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars; 43and the ten bases, and ten basins on the bases; 44and one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea; 45and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. And all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon for the house of the Lord, were of bright brass. 46In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. 47And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceedingly many, neither was the weight of the brass found out.
- 48And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the Lord: the altar of gold, and the table of gold whereupon the showbread was, 49and the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side and five on the left before the Holy of Holies, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, 50and the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold, and the hinges of gold — both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house (that is, of the temple).
- 51So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated — even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord.
- 8Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
- 4And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle — even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. 5And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the Holy of Holies of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim; 7for the cherubim spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 8And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the Holy of Holies, and they were not seen outside; and there they are unto this day. 9There was nothing in the ark save the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
- 10And it came to pass, when the priests had come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. 12Then spoke Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13I have surely built you a house to dwell in, a settled place for you to abide in for ever.
- 14And the king turned his face about and blessed all the congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood. 15And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth unto David my father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying, 16Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be therein, but I chose David to be over my people Israel. 17And it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
- 18And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in your heart to build a house unto my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son that shall come forth out of your loins, he shall build the house unto my name. 20And the Lord has performed his word that he spoke, and I am risen up in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 21And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
- 22And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven. 23And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you, in Heaven above or on earth beneath, who keep covenant and mercy with your servants that walk before you with all their heart, 24who have kept with your servant David, my father, that you promised him. You spoke also with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day.
- 25Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with your servant David, my father, that you promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, so that your children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as you have walked before me. 26And now, O God of Israel, let your word, I pray you, be verified which you spoke unto your servant David, my father.
- 27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and Heaven of heavens cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built? 28Yet have respect unto the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen unto the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you today, 29that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which you have said, My name shall be there — that you may listen unto the prayer which your servant shall make toward this place. 30And listen to the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they shall pray toward this place, and hear in Heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
- 31If any man trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before your altar in this house, 32then hear in Heaven, and do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked to bring his way upon his head, and justifying the righteous to give him according to his righteousness.
- 33When your people Israel are smitten down before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and shall return to you, and confess your name, and pray, and make supplication unto you in this house, 34then hear in Heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which you gave unto their fathers.
- 35When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin when you afflict them, 36then hear in Heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, that you teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon your land which you have given to your people for an inheritance.
- 37If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there is caterpillar, if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there be, 38whatever prayer and supplication are made by any man, or by all your people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house, 39then hear in Heaven, your dwelling place; and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart you know — for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men — 40that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave unto our fathers.
- 41Moreover, concerning a stranger that is not of your people Israel but comes out of a far country for your name’s sake — 42for they shall hear of your great name, and of your strong hand, and of your stretched out arm — when he shall come and pray toward this house, 43hear in Heaven, your dwelling place; and do according to all that the stranger calls to you for, that all people of the earth may know your name, to fear you as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.
- 44If your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever you shall send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which you have chosen and toward the house that I have built for your name, 45then hear in Heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
- 46If they sin against you — for there is no man that sins not — and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near, 47yet if they shall reconsider themselves in the land where they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto you in the land of them that carried them captives — saying, We have sinned and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness — 48and so return unto you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray unto you toward their land which you gave unto their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name, 49then hear their prayer and their supplication in Heaven, your dwelling place; and maintain their cause, 50and forgive your people that have sinned against you, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against you, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them.
- 51For they are your people and your inheritance whom you brought forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron, 52that your eyes may be open unto the supplication of your servant and unto the supplication of your people Israel, to listen unto them in all that they call for unto you. 53For you did separate them from among all the people of the earth to be your inheritance, as you spoke by the hand of Moses your servant when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
- 54And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56Blessed be the Lord, that has given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us, nor forsake us, 58that he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments which he commanded our fathers. 59And let these my words with which I have made supplication before the Lord be near unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require, 60that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else. 61Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
- 62And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings which he offered unto the Lord, twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered burnt offerings, and grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
- 65And at that time, Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation — from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt — before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. 66On the eighth day, he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant and for Israel his people.
- 9And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do, 2that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. 3And the Lord said unto him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before me. I have hallowed this house which you have built, to put my name there for ever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 4And if you will walk before me, as David your father walked in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my judgments, 5then I will establish the throne of your kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel.
- 6But if you shall at all turn from following me, you or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them. And this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight. And Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. 8And at this house, which is high, everyone that passes by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss, and they shall say, Why has the Lord done thus unto this land and to this house? 9And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them; therefore has the Lord brought upon them all this evil.
- 10And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king’s house — 11now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire — that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they pleased him not. 13And he said, What cities are these which you have given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day. 14And Hiram sent to the king one hundred twenty talents of gold.
- 15And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised: in order to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. 16For Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had gone up and taken Gezer, and burned it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelled in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the lower, 18and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land; 19and all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen; and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
- 20And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel — 21their children that were left after them in the land whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy — upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond-service unto this day. 22But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen, but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. 23These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred fifty, who bore rule over the people that wrought in the work.
- 24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her; then did he build Millo. 25And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord, and he burned incense upon the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the house.
- 26And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-Geber, which is beside Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27And Hiram sent in the navy, his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28And they came to Ophir and fetched from there gold, four hundred twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
- 10And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones. And when she had come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart. 3And Solomon told her all her questions; there was not anything hidden from the king which he told her not. 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.
- 6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. 7Nevertheless, I believed not the words until I came and my eyes had seen it, and behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard. 8Happy are your men, happy are these your servants who stand continually before you and that hear your wisdom. 9Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel for ever; therefore he made you king, to do judgment and justice. 10And she gave the king a hundred twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones; there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
- 11And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones. 12And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, harps also, and psalteries for singers; there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
- 13And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
- 14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 15besides that he had of the merchantmen, and of the trade of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 16And king Solomon made two hundred shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. 17And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
- 18Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the best gold. 19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind, and there were armrests on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 20And twelve lions stood there, on the one side and on the other upon the six steps; there was not the like made in any kingdom. 21And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold — none were of silver. It was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon, 22for the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram. Once in three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
- 23So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 24And all the earth sought to Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. 25And they brought every man his present — vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
- 26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots and with the king at Jerusalem. 27And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 28And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn (the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price). 29And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred fifty. And so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
- 11But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh — women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites, 2of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, You shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods; Solomon cleaved unto these in love. 3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, as David his father, and went not fully after the Lord. 7Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8And likewise did he for all his strange wives who burned incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
- 9And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice 10and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he kept not that which the Lord commanded; 11wherefore, the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely rend the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12Notwithstanding, in your days I will not do it, for David your father’s sake, but I will rend it out of the hand of your son. 13Nevertheless, I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to your son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
- 14And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was of the king’s seed in Edom. 15For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain after he had smitten every male in Edom — 16for six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom — 17that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, Hadad being yet a little child. 18And they arose out of Midian and came to Paran. And they took men with them out of Paran and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him provisions, and gave him land.
- 19And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath, his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh.
- 21And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to my own country. 22Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what have you lacked with me that, behold, you seek to go to your own country? And he answered, Nothing; nevertheless, let me go anyway.
- 23And God stirred him up another adversary: Rezon the son of Eliada, who fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24And he gathered men unto him and became captain over a band when David slew them of Zobah. And they went to Damascus and dwelled therein, and reigned in Damascus. 25And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad did. And he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
- 26And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. 27And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. 28And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon, seeing the young man, that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
- 29And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way, and he had clad himself with a new garment, and they two were alone in the field. 30And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him and rent it in twelve pieces. 31And he said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you — 32but he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel — because they 33have forsaken me and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and my statutes and my judgments.
- And his heart has become as David his father, and he repents not, as did David his father, that I may forgive him. 34Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose because he kept my commandment and my statutes in that day. 35But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give unto you ten tribes. 36And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me, to put my name there. 37And I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. 38And it shall be, if you will listen unto all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments as David my servant did in the day that I blessed him, I will be with you, and build you a sure house as I built for David, and give Israel unto you. And for the transgression of David, and also for the people, I have rent the kingdom; 39and for this I will afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
- 40Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
- 41And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 2