1 Kings 3:2-14

2At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the Lord had not yet been built.

3Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship.

4The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.

5That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

6Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.

7“Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.

8And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!

9Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.

11So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—

12I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!

13And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!

14And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”