Study Desk

While he was at Gibeon, the Lord appeared to him in a dream during the night. God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

Lord my God, now you have made me, your servant, king in my father's place. But I am like a little child; I don't know how to do what must be done.

So God said to him, "You did not ask for a long life, or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies. Since you asked for wisdom to make the right decisions,

When the people of Israel heard about King Solomon's decision, they respected him very much. They saw he had wisdom from God to make the right decisions.

God gave Solomon great wisdom so he could understand many things. His wisdom was as hard to measure as the grains of sand on the seashore.

"You remember my father David had to fight many wars with the countries around him, so he was never able to build a temple for worshiping the Lord his God. David was waiting until the Lord allowed him to defeat all his enemies.

But now the Lord my God has given me peace on all sides of my country. I have no enemies now, and no danger threatens my people.

"The Lord promised my father David, ‘I will make your son king after you, and he will build a temple for worshiping me.' Now, I plan to build that temple for worshiping the Lord my God.

Then he said, "Praise the Lord , the God of Israel. He has done what he promised to my father David. The Lord said,

"My father David wanted to build a temple for the Lord , the God of Israel.

"Now the Lord has kept his promise. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the Temple for the Lord , the God of Israel.

and said: " Lord , God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who truly follow you.

Now Lord , God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘If your sons are careful to obey me as you have obeyed me, there will always be someone from your family ruling Israel.'

Now, God of Israel, please continue to keep that promise you made to your servant David, my father.

"But, God, can you really live here on the earth? The sky and the highest place in heaven cannot contain you. Surely this house which I have built cannot contain you.

But please listen to my prayer and my request, because I am your servant. Lord my God, hear this prayer your servant prays to you today.

You chose them from all the nations on earth to be your very own people. This is what you promised through Moses your servant when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord God ."

May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us,

May the Lord our God remember this prayer day and night and do what is right for his servant and his people Israel day by day.

Then all the people of the world will know the Lord is the only true God.