1 Kings 3
1 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.
Later, Solomon formed an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Solomon brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his palace and the house of the LORD, as well as the wall around Jerusalem.
2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of Yahweh.
The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built.
3 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.
And Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4 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.
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.
5 Yahweh appeared at Gibeon to Solomon in a dream by night; he said, “Ask! What should I give you?”
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”
6 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.
Solomon replied, “You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 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.
And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.
8 Your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.
9 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?”
Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
10 This request of Solomon pleased the Lord.
Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request.
11 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.
So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this instead of requesting long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies—but you have asked for discernment to administer justice—
12 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.
behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you.
13 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.
Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal.
14 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.”
So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days.”
15 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.
Then Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. So he returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.
16 Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
17 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.
One woman said, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was in the house.
18 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.
On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us.
19 Then this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him.
During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on him.
20 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.
So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom.
21 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.”
The next morning, when I got up to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. But when I examined him, I realized that he was not the son I had borne.”
22 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.
“No,” said the other woman, “the living one is my son and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine.” So they argued before the king.
23 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.'”
Then the king replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24 The king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword,
25 Then the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to this woman and half to the other.”
and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 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.”
Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother.”
Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.”
28 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.
When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
