1 Kings 3
1 And Solomon joineth in marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and taketh the daughter of Pharaoh, and bringeth her in unto the city of David, till he completeth to build his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into David’s city until he had finished building his own house, Yahweh’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 Only, the people are sacrificing in high places, for there hath not been built a house for the name of Jehovah till those days.
However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for Yahweh’s name.
3 And Solomon loveth Jehovah, to walk in the statutes of David his father — only, in high places he is sacrificing and making perfume —
Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
4 and the king goeth to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for it [is] the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings cause to ascend doth Solomon on that altar.
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 In Gibeon hath Jehovah appeared unto Solomon, in a dream of the night, and God saith, 'Ask — what do I give to thee?'
In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”
6 And Solomon saith, 'Thou hast done with Thy servant David my father great kindness, as he walked before Thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with Thee, and Thou dost keep for him this great kindness, and dost give to him a son sitting on his throne, as [at] this day.
Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.
7 And now, O Jehovah my God, Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I [am] a little child, I do not know to go out and to come in;
Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.
8 and Thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people, whom Thou hast chosen, a people numerous, that is not numbered nor counted for multitude,
Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.
9 and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 And the thing is good in the eyes of the Lord, that Solomon hath asked this thing,
This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 and God saith unto him, 'Because that thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thee many days, nor asked for thee riches, nor asked the life of thine enemies, and hast asked for thee discernment to understand judgment,
God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,
12 lo, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given to thee a heart, wise and understanding, that like thee there hath not been before thee, and after thee there doth not arise like thee;
behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.
13 and also, that which thou hast not asked I have given to thee, both riches and honour, that there hath not been like thee a man among the kings all thy days;
I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you for all your days.
14 and if thou dost walk in My ways to keep My statutes, and My commands, as David thy father walked, then I have prolonged thy 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 awaketh, and lo, a dream; and he cometh in to Jerusalem, and standeth before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings, and maketh peace-offerings. And he maketh a banquet for all his servants,
Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
16 then come in do two women, harlots, unto the king, and stand before him,
Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.
17 and the one woman saith, 'O, my lord, I and this woman are dwelling in one house, and I bring forth with her, in the house;
The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.
18 and it cometh to pass on the third day of my bringing forth, that this woman also bringeth forth, and we [are] together, there is no stranger with us in the house, save we two, in the house.
The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house.
19 And the son of this woman dieth at night, because she hath lain upon it,
This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.
20 and she riseth in the middle of the night, and taketh my son from beside me — and thy handmaid is asleep — and layeth it in her bosom, and her dead son she hath laid in my bosom;
She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 and I rise in the morning to suckle my son, and lo, dead; and I consider concerning it in the morning, and lo, it was not my son whom I did bear.'
When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead; but when I had looked at him in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom I bore.”
22 And the other woman saith, 'Nay, but my son [is] the living, and thy son the dead;' and this [one] saith, 'Nay, but thy son [is] the dead, and my son the living.' And they speak before the king.
The other woman said, “No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” The first one said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” They argued like this before the king.
23 And the king saith, 'This [one] saith, This [is] my son, the living, and thy son [is] the dead; and that [one] saith, Nay, but thy son [is] the dead, and my son the living.'
Then the king said, “One says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead one;’ and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”
24 And the king saith, 'Take for me a sword;' and they bring the sword before the king,
The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
25 and the king saith, 'Cut the living child into two, and give the half to the one, and the half to the other.'
The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.”
26 And the woman whose son [is] the living one saith unto the king (for her bowels yearned over her son), yea, she saith, 'O, my lord, give to her the living child, and put it not at all to death;' and this [one] saith, 'Let it be neither mine or thine — cut [it].'
Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill him!” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.”
27 And the king answereth and saith, 'Give ye to her the living child, and put it not at all to death; she [is] its mother.'
Then the king answered, “Give the first woman the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”
28 And all Israel hear of the judgment that the king hath judged, and fear because of the king, for they have seen that the wisdom of God [is] in his heart, to do judgment.
All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.
