3
1 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, the LORD’s
house, and the
wall around
Jerusalem.
2 However,
the people
sacrificed in the
high places,
because there was
not yet a
house built for
the LORD’s name.
3 Solomon loved
the LORD, walking
in the statutes
of David
his father, except
that he sacrificed
and burned incense
in the high
places.
4 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, the LORD
appeared to
Solomon in a
dream by night;
and God said, “Ask
for what I
should give you.”
6 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 Now,
LORD 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 Your
servant is among
your people which
you have chosen, a
great people, that
can’t be numbered
or counted for
multitude.
9 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 This
request pleased
the Lord, that
Solomon had asked
this thing.
11 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 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 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 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 Solomon
awoke; and behold,
it was a
dream. Then he
came to Jerusalem
and stood before
the ark of the
LORD’s covenant,
and offered up
burnt offerings,
offered peace
offerings, and
made a feast
for all his
servants.
16 Then
two women who were
prostitutes came
to the king,
and stood before
him.
17 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 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 This woman’s
child died in
the night, because
she lay on
it.
20 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 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 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 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 The
king said, “Get me
a sword.” So
they brought a
sword before the
king.
25 The
king said, “Divide
the living child
in two, and
give half to
the one, and
half to the
other.”
26 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 Then
the king answered,
“Give the first
woman the living
child, and definitely do
not kill him.
She is his mother.”
28 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.