Ngemva kobana uSolomoni abeyikosi yakwa-Israyeli, uJehova wambuza wathi: ‘Yini ongathanda ngikuphe yona? USolomoni wathi: ‘Ngisesemncani, begodu angazi bona ngenzani. Ngibawa ungiphe ukuhlakanipha, ngikwazi ukunakekela abantu bakho.’ UJehova wathi: ‘Ngebanga lokuthi ubawe ukuhlakanipha, ngizokwenza umuntu ohlakaniphe ukubadlula boke ephasini. Ngizokwenza nokuthi unjinge. Kanti nawungangilalela, uzakuphila isikhathi eside.’

USolomoni wathoma ukwakha ithempeli. Wasebenzisa igolide, isiliva, iingodo namatje. Iinkulungwana zabafazi namadoda abanamakghono zasebenza ekwakheni ithempeli. Ngemva kweminyaka elikhomba, ithempeli besele likulungele ukusetjenziselwa ukulotjha uJehova. Beline-aldari, kunomhlatjelo phezu kwalo. USolomoni waguqa phambi kwe-aldari wathandaza: ‘Maye Jehova, ithempeleli alisilikhulu begodu alisilihle ngokwaneleko bona lingaba ngelakho, kodwana sibawa wamukele ukulotjha kwethu ulalele nemithandazo yethu.’ UJehova wazizwa njani ngethempeli nomthandazo kaSolomoni? Msinyana ngemva kokuthandaza, umlilo wehla uvela emkayini, watjhisa umhlatjelo ogade uphezu kwe-aldari. UJehova walamukela ithempeli. Kuthe ama-Israyeli angabona isenzakalweso, athaba.

Ikosi uSolomoni yaziwa ngokuhlakanipha kwayo kiyo yoke indawo yakwa-Israyeli ngitjho neendaweni ezikude khulu. Abantu bebeza kuSolomoni ngemiraro yabo bafuna isizo. Kazi nendlovukazi yeTjheba yeza kuye izomlinga ngokuthi imhlome ngemibuzo ebudisi. Kuthe nayizwa iimpendulo zakaSolomoni, yathi: ‘Bengingabakholwa abantu nabangitjela ngawe, kodwana nje ngiyabona ukuthi uhlakaniphe ukudlula indlela abakuhlathulula ngayo. UZimakho, uJehova, ukubusisile.’ Ipilo beyimnandi esitjhabeni sakwa-Israyeli, begodu abantu bebathabile. Kodwana izinto besezizokutjhuguluka.