A reading from the book of First Kings.

Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh, King of Egypt.

He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David

until he had finished building his own house,

and the house of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem.

The people were sacrificing at the high places, however,

because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

Solomon loved the Lord,

walking in the statutes of David his father,

only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.

And the king went to Gibian to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place.

Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

At Gibian, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, Ask what I shall give you.

And Solomon said, You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David, my father,

because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great

and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord, my God,

you have made your servant king in place of David, my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.

And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people,

too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.

Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between

good and evil, for who is able to govern this, your great people? It pleased the Lord that

Solomon had asked this, and God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for

...