So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

But the ark of God had David brought up from Kiriath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

Now, O LORD God, let your promise unto David my father be established: for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this your people, that are so great?

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of your enemies, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king:

And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plentiful as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland for abundance.

And they acquired and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty: and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by the merchants.

And Solomon determined to build a house for the name of the LORD, and a house for his kingdom.

Behold, I build a house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.

And the house which I build will be great: for great is our God above all gods.

Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with your servants,

Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderfully great.

Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build a house for the LORD, and a house for his kingdom.

Now these are the things in which Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits according to the old cubit was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

And the greater room he lined with fir wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.

And he adorned the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.

He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with bronze.

And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;

And four hundred pomegranates on the two networks; two rows of pomegranates on each net, to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were upon the pillars.

The pots also, and the shovels, and the forks, and all their articles, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright bronze.

Thus Solomon made all these articles in great abundance: for the weight of the bronze could not be measured.

And Solomon made all the articles that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables on which the showbread was set;

And the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entrance of the house, the inner doors for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the furnishings, put he in the treasuries of the house of God.

Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles.

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, without regard to their divisions.

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

But I have built a house of habitation for you, and a place for your dwelling forever.

Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

But the LORD said to David my father, Since it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well in that it was in your heart:

Nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.

The LORD therefore has performed his word that he has spoken: for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

For Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, and five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you have taught them the good way, in which they should walk; and send rain upon your land, which you have given unto your people for an inheritance.

Then hear from heaven your dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you alone know the hearts of the children of men:)

That they may fear you, to walk in your ways, as long as they live in the land which you gave unto our fathers.

Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, but has come from a far country for your great name's sake, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm; if they come and pray in this house;

Then hear from the heavens, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all people of the earth may know your name, and fear you, as does your people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

If your people go out to war against their enemies by the way that you shall send them, and they pray unto you toward this city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name;

If they sin against you, (for there is no man who sins not,) and you are angry with them, and deliver them over to their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far or near;

If they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which you gave unto their fathers, and toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name:

Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshiped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures forever.

Moreover Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the grain offerings, and the fat.

And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shown unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice.

For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever: and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.

And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and shall observe my statutes and my judgments;

Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.

And Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities for the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.

As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel,

But of the children of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.

And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, to which the ark of the LORD has come.

And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and serve before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the gatekeepers also by their divisions at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.

And Huram sent him ships by the hands of his servants, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

However I believed not their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: for you exceed the fame that I heard.

Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you to set you on his throne, to be king for the LORD your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.

And the king made of the algum wood steps to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and lyres for the singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; for it was not counted as anything in the days of Solomon.

For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: once every three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem had all Israel come to make him king.

And the young men that were brought up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shall you answer the people that spoke unto you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it somewhat lighter for us; thus shall you say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's waist.

For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will add more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is from me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

For the Levites left their pastures lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

And he ordained himself priests for the high places, and for the goat idols, and for the calf idols which he had made.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city: and he gave them provisions in abundance. And he procured many wives for them.

So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor.

And now do you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their service:

And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.

And, behold, God himself is with us as our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight not against the LORD God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.

For he took away the altars of the foreign gods, and the high places, and broke down the images, and cut down the idol poles:

And he built fortified cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, so that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his army; and they carried away very much plunder.

And they defeated all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they plundered all the cities; for there was very much plunder in them.

Now for a long time Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

And nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city: for God did trouble them with all adversity.

Be you strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the sojourners with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they came over to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. In this you have done foolishly: therefore from now on you shall have wars.

Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

And they buried him in his own sepulcher, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet ointments and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer's art: and they made a very great fire in honor of him.

And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

And next to him was Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand prepared for war.