Study Desk

Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "May God do so to me and more, if Adonijah has not asked for this against his own life.

Then the king said to Abiathar the religious leader, "Go to your own fields at Anathoth, for you should be put to death. But I will not have you killed at this time. Because you carried the special box of the Lord God in front of my father David. And you shared in all of my father's suffering."

So Solomon stopped Abiathar from being religious leader for the Lord any longer. This was done to keep the word of the Lord, which God had spoken about the family of Eli in Shiloh.

The Lord came to Solomon in a special dream in Gibeon during the night. God said, "Ask what you wish Me to give you."

Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child. I do not know how to start or finish.

God said to him, "You have asked this, and have not asked for a long life for yourself. You have not asked for riches, or for the life of those who hate you. But you have asked for understanding to know what is right. Because you have asked this,

When all Israel heard how the king had decided, they were afraid of him. For they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do what is right and fair.

God gave Solomon wisdom and much understanding and learning, as much as the sand beside the sea.

"You know that my father David was not able to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars all around him. The Lord had not yet put those who hated him under his feet.

But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is no trouble or anything bad happening.

So I plan to build a house for the name of the Lord my God. Because the Lord said to my father David, ‘I will set your son on your throne in your place. He will build the house for My name.'

Then as the king told them, they cut out large stones of much worth for the house of God to be built on.

All along the front of the House of God was a porch ten long steps long and five long steps wide. It was as long as the house was wide.

He said, "Thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He spoke with His mouth to my father David. And He has kept His promise with His hand, saying,

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

Now the Lord has kept His promise which He made. For I have taken my father David's place and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. And I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

He said, "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below. You are keeping Your agreement and are showing loving-kindness to Your servants who walk in Your ways with all their heart.

So now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep Your promise to my father David when You said to him, ‘You will not be without a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful to walk in My ways as you have walked.'

O God of Israel, let Your Word be made sure, which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.

"But is it true that God will live on the earth? See, heaven and the highest heaven are not big enough to hold You. How much less this house which I have built!