Kings III 3
1 And the wisdom of Solomon abounded exceedingly beyond the wisdom of all the ancients, and beyond all the wise men of Egypt: and he took the daughter of Pharao, and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord first, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
Solomon allied himself by marriage 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, the house of Yahweh, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 Nevertheless the people burnt incense on the high places, because a house had not yet been built to the Lord.
The people were sacrificing at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of Yahweh.
3 And Solomon loved the Lord, [so as] to walk in the ordinances of David his father; only he sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.
Solomon showed his love for Yahweh by walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
4 And he arose and went to Gabaon to sacrifice there, for that [was] the highest place, and great: Solomon offered a whole burnt offering of a thousand [victims] on the altar in Gabaon.
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place there. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and the Lord said to Solomon, Ask some petition for yourself.
Yahweh appeared at Gibeon to Solomon in a dream by night; he said, “Ask! What should I give you?”
6 And Solomon said, You have dealt very mercifully with your servant David my father according as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you, and you have kept for him this great mercy, to set his son upon his throne, as [it is] this day.
So Solomon said, “You have shown great covenant faithfulness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you in trustworthiness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart. You have kept for him this great covenant faithfulness and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.
7 And now, O Lord my God, you have appointed your servant in the room of David my father; and I am a little child, and know not my going out an my coming in.
Now Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father, though I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 But your servant [is] in the midst of your people, whom you have chosen, a great people, which as this day can’t be numbered.
Your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
9 You shall give therefore to your servant a heart to hear and to judge your people justly, and to discern between good and evil: for who will be able to judge this your great people?
So give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, so that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 And it was pleasing before the Lord, that Solomon asked this thing.
This request of Solomon pleased the Lord.
11 And the Lord said to him, Because you have asked this thing of me, and have not asked for yourself long life, and have not asked wealth, nor have asked the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to hear judgment;
So God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice.
12 behold, I have done according to your word: behold, I have given you an understanding and wise heart: there has not been [any one] like you before you, and after you there shall not arise one like you.
See, now I will do all you asked of me when you gave me your request. I give you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and no one like you will rise up after you.
13 And I have given you what you have not asked, wealth and glory, so that there has not been any one like you among kings.
I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.
14 And if you will walk in my way, to keep my commandments and my ordinances, as David your father walked, then will I multiply your days.
If you will walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15 And Solomon awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream: and he arose and came to Jerusalem, and stood before the altar that was in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord in Sion: and he offered whole burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace-offerings, and made a great banquet for himself and all his servants.
Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. He came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
16 Then there appeared two harlots before the king, and they stood before him.
Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
17 And the one woman said, Hear me, [my] lord; I and this woman lived in one house, and we were delivered in the house.
One woman said, “Oh, my master, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child with her in the house.
18 And it came to pass on the third day after I was delivered, this woman also was delivered: and we [were] together; and there was no one with us besides our two selves in the house.
It happened on the third day after I gave birth that this woman also gave birth. We were together. There was no one else with us in the house, but only the two of us in the house.
19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
Then this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him.
20 and she arose in the middle of the night, and took my son from my arms, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
So she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast.
21 and I arose in the morning to suckle my son, and he was dead: and, behold, I considered him in the morning, and, behold, it was not my son whom I bore.
When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, he was dead. But when I had looked at him carefully in the morning, he was not my son, whom I had borne.”
22 And the other woman said, No, but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] your son. So they spoke before the king.
Then the other woman said, “No, the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” The first woman said, “No, the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” This is how they spoke before the king.
23 and the king said to them, You say, This [is] my son, [even] the living [one], and this woman's son [is] the dead one: and you say, No, but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] your son.
Then the king said, “One of you says, 'This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,' and the other says, 'No, your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'”
24 And the king said, Fetch a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
The king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, Divide the live child, the suckling, in two; and give half of it to one, and half of it to the other.
Then the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to this woman and half to the other.”
26 And the woman whose the living child was, answered and said to the king, (for her bowels yearned over her son) and she said, I pray you, [my] lord, give her the child, and in nowise kill it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor hers; divide [it].
Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king, for her heart was full of compassion for her son, and she said, “Oh, my master, give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” But the other woman said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.”
27 Then the king answered and said, Give the child to her that said, 'Give it to her, and by no means kill it:' she [is] its mother.
Then the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother.”
28 and all Israel heard this judgment which the king judged, and they feared before the king; because they saw that the wisdom of God [was] in him, to execute judgment.
When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered, they feared the king, because they saw that the wisdom of God was in him for giving judgments.
