In I Kings, chapter 3, vers 5 the Lord appears to young Solomon while he sleeps and asks: "Ask! What shall I give you?" (New King James Version). And this is the best translation (and very literal) of the Hebrew text I came across.
The Lord has NOT given Solomon free choice of whatever (more like a genius out of the bottle from 1001 nights). He already knows what He has for Solomon, what His magnificent gift for the new, young king will be. The question is a test to check if Solomon understands what does it mean to be the king of Israel, to be the leader. Is Solomon ready to cooperate with the Lord and does he know what it means.
It turns out he does. Answering he gives first the historical background and moment he finds himself in - he has inherited the kingdom after the death of king David, the united for the first time kingdom of Israel and Judah. Thus he answers the Lord that the kingdom, the throne belongs to David, the people belong to God (3 times in 3 subsequent verses he says "Thy people") and he, Solomon, is to be servant of God and God's people.
He understands that being the leader is not about popularity (look at our populist governments), neither about owning people as king's private property. The throne of David, the people of God, the service and duty of Solomon. Knowing what he knows Solomon is able to answer the Lord what will He give Solomon. So few leaders anywhere in the world at any given time have understood what is leadership about, about caring for future, about service, about humble duty. Solomon was a great king indeed.
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