⁷In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. ⁸And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great kindness unto David my father, and hast made me king in his stead. =7.= _did God appear_] In Kings, _the LORD appeared in a dream_. ⁹Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. =9.= _thy promise_] i.e. that Solomon would be king after David, that he would build the Temple, and that his house would reign over Israel for ever (1 Chronicles xxii. 9 ff.). Part of this promise had come true, and Solomon now prays for the fulfilment of the remainder. It is, however, possible that the particular reference is to the first words of 1 Chronicles xxii. 12, which may be translated as a promise, _Surely the LORD will give thee wisdom and understanding_. ¹⁰Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? ¹¹And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: =10.= _go out and come in_] The phrase denotes the transaction of business of all kinds. _judge_] Although every village by its headmen dispensed its own justice to its inhabitants, yet enough cases too hard for local decision remained over to make the king’s judicial functions of very great importance; compare 2 Samuel xiv. 4 ff., xv. 2‒4. ¹²wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. =12.= _wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee_] The incident illustrates the truth that _To him that hath shall be given_; Solomon had wisdom enough to offer a wise prayer; increase of wisdom followed as the answer to the prayer. ¹³So Solomon came _from his journey_¹ to the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, unto Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel. ¹ The Septuagint and Vulgate have, _came from the high place_. =13.= from his journey _to the high place that was at Gibeon_] This clause yields no sense in the Hebrew and is probably a misplaced gloss. Read simply, =Then Solomon came to Jerusalem= (compare 1 Kings iii. 15), or, as margin following LXX., =came from the high place=.... =14‒17= (= 1 Kings x. 26‒29). SOLOMON’S HORSES AND CHARIOTS. ¹⁴And 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.