1 USolomoni indodana kaDavida waqina embusweni wakhe, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe wayelaye njalo wamenza waba mkhulu kakhulu.

2 Kwathi uSolomoni wakhuluma kubo bonke abako-Israyeli kusukela kubalawuli bezinkulungwane labalawuli bamakhulu, kusiya kubahluleli lakubo bonke abakhokheli bako-Israyeli, abazinhloko zezimuli 3 kwaze kwathi yena uSolomoni lebandla lonke baya endaweni ephakemeyo yokukhonzela eGibhiyoni, njengoba ithente lokuhlanganela likaNkulunkulu, elalenziwe nguMosi inceku kaThixo enkangala lalikuleyondawo. 4 UDavida wayeselethe ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lisuka eKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi elisa endaweni ayelilungisele yona, ngoba wayeselimisele ithente eJerusalema. 5 Kodwa i-alithari lethusi elalakhiwe nguBhezaleli indodana ka-Uri, indodana kaHuri, laliseGibhiyoni phambi kwethabanikeli likaThixo; ngakho uSolomoni lebandla lonke bahamba ukuyafuna intando yakhe khona. 6 USolomoni wasesiya e-Alithareni lethusi phambi kukaThixo ethenteni lokuhlanganela wafika wanikela iminikelo yokutshiswa eyinkulungwane phezu kwalo.

7 Ngalobobusuku uNkulunkulu wabonakala kuSolomoni wathi kuye: “Cela loba kuyini okufunayo ukuze ngikunike khona.”

8 USolomoni ephendula uNkulunkulu wathi: “Utshengisile umusa omkhulu kakhulu kubaba uDavida njalo mina usungibeke ngaba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe. 9 Khathesi, Thixo Nkulunkulu, gcwalisa isithembiso owasenza kubaba uDavida, ngoba ungenze inkosi phezu kwabantu abanengi okothuli lomhlabathi. 10 Nginika ukuhlakanipha lolwazi, ukuze ngikhokhele lababantu, ngoba ngubani ongabusa abantu bakho abanengi kangaka?”

11 UNkulunkulu wathi kuSolomoni, “Njengoba lesi kuyisifiso somoya wakho njalo kawucelanga impahla lenotho lodumo, lokubhubha kwalabo abakuzondayo, lokuthi awucelanga impilo ende kodwa ucele inhlakanipho lolwazi ukuze ubuse phezu kwabantu bami engikwenze waba yinkosi yabo, 12 ngenxa yalokho ngizakunika inhlakanipho lolwazi. Njalo ngizakunika impahla, lenotho lodumo, okungakaze kwenzakale emakhosini akwandulelayo njalo akuyikwenzakala lakumakhosi alandelayo.”

13 Ngakho uSolomoni waya eJerusalema esuka endaweni yokukhonzela eGibhiyoni, evela phambi kwethente lokuhlanganela. Wabusa phezu kuka-Israyeli.

14 USolomoni wabuthanisa izinqola zokulwa lamabhiza; wayelezinqola zokulwa ezingamakhulu alitshumi lane lamabhiza azinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, ayekugcina emizini yezinqola zezimpi okunye ekugcina yena eJerusalema. 15 Inkosi yandisa isiliva legolide eJerusalema kwangani ngamatshe, lezihlahla zomsedari zanda kwangani yizihlahla zomkhiwa wesikhamore emawatheni ezintaba. 16 Amabhiza kaSolomoni ayethengwe eGibhithe laseKhuwe, abathengi besikhosini babewathenga eKhuwe. 17 Bathenga inqola yempi eGibhithe ngamashekeli esiliva angamakhulu ayisithupha kanye lebhiza ngamashekeli alikhulu elilamatshumi amahlanu. Babuya bawedlulisa wonke bayawathengisela amakhosi amaHithi kanye lawama-Aramu.