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.
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 Nevertheless the people burnt incense on the high places, because a house had not yet been built to the Lord.
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 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.
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 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.
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 And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and the Lord said to Solomon, Ask some petition for yourself.
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to 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.
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 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.
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 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 here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.
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?
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 And it was pleasing before the Lord, that Solomon asked this thing.
Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request.
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 judgement;
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 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.
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 And I have given you what you have not asked, wealth and glory, so that there has not been any one like you amongst kings.
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 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.
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 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 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 there appeared two harlots before the king, and they stood before him.
At that time two 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, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was 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.
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 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over 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 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 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.
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 And the other woman said, No, but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] your son. So 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 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 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 And the king said, Fetch a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword,
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.
and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one 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 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 child to her that said, 'Give it to her, and by no means kill it:' she [is] its 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 and all Israel heard this judgement which the king judged, and they feared before the king; because they saw that the wisdom of God [was] in him, to execute judgement.
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.
