1 Kings 3

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

(2 Chronicles 1:1–13; Psalm 45:1–17; Psalm 72:1–20)

1Later, SolomonH8010 formed an allianceH2859 withH854 PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 by marryingH3947 his daughterH1323. Solomon brought herH935 toH413 the CityH5892 of DavidH1732 untilH5704 he had finishedH3615 buildingH1129 his palaceH1004 andH853 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, as well asH853 the wallH2346 aroundH5439 JerusalemH3389.

2The peopleH5971, howeverH7535, were still sacrificingH2076 on the high placesH1116 becauseH3588 a houseH1004 for the NameH8034 of the LORDH3068 had notH3808 yetH5704H1992H3117 been builtH1129. 3And SolomonH8010 lovedH157 the LORDH3068 and walkedH1980 in the statutesH2708 of his fatherH1 DavidH1732, except thatH7535 heH1931 sacrificedH2076 and burned incenseH6999 on the high placesH1116.

4Now the kingH4428 wentH1980 to GibeonH1391 to sacrificeH2076 thereH8033, forH3588 itH1931 was the greatH1419 high placeH1116. SolomonH8010 offeredH5927 a thousandH505 burnt offeringsH5930 onH5921 theH1931 altarH4196 there.

5One nightH3915 at GibeonH1391 the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 toH413 SolomonH8010 in a dreamH2472, and GodH430 saidH559, “AskH7592, and I will give itH5414 to you!”

6SolomonH8010 repliedH559, “YouH859 have shownH6213 muchH1419 loving devotionH2617 toH5973 Your servantH5650, my fatherH1 DavidH1732, becauseH834 he walkedH1980 before YouH6440 in faithfulnessH571, righteousnessH6666, and uprightnessH3483 of heartH3824H5973. And You have maintainedH8104 thisH2088 loving devotionH2617 by givingH5414 him a sonH1121 to sitH3427 onH5921 his throneH3678 thisH2088 very dayH3117.

7And nowH6258, O LORDH3068 my GodH430, YouH859 have made Your servantH5650 kingH4427 in my fatherH1 David’sH1732 placeH8478. But IH595 am only a littleH6996 childH5288, notH3808 knowingH3045 how to go outH3318 or come inH935. 8Your servantH5650 is here amongH8432 the peopleH5971 You have chosenH977, a peopleH5971H7227 too numerousH7230 to countH4487H3808 or numberH5608.

9Therefore giveH5414 Your servantH5650 an understandingH8085 heartH3820 to judgeH8199 Your peopleH5971 and to discernH995 betweenH996 goodH2896 and evilH7451. ForH3588 whoH4310 is ableH3201 to governH8199 thisH2088 greatH3515 people of YoursH5971?”

10Now itH1697 pleasedH3190H5869 the LordH1361 thatH3588 SolomonH8010 had made this requestH7592H2088. 11So GodH430 saidH559 to himH413, “SinceH3282 you have asked forH7592 thisH2088 instead ofH3808 requestingH7592 longH7227 lifeH3117 or wealthH6239 for yourself or deathH5315 for your enemiesH341—but you have askedH7592 for discernmentH995 to administerH8085 justiceH4941— 12beholdH2009, I will doH6213 what you have askedH1697H2009. I will giveH5414 you a wiseH2450 and discerningH995 heartH3820, so thatH834 there will neverH3808 have beenH1961 anotherH310 like youH3644, norH3808 will there ever beH6965.

13MoreoverH1571, I will giveH5414 you whatH834 you did notH3808 requestH7592—bothH1571 richesH6239 andH1571 honorH3519—so thatH834 during allH3605 your daysH3117 noH3808 manH376 in any kingdomH4428 will beH1961 your equalH3644. 14So ifH518 you walkH1980 in My waysH1870 and keepH8104 My statutesH2706 and commandmentsH4687, just asH834 your fatherH1 DavidH1732 didH1980, I will prolongH748 your daysH3117.”

15Then SolomonH8010 awokeH3364, and indeed it had beenH2009 a dreamH2472. So he returnedH935 to JerusalemH3389, stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LordH136, and offeredH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offeringsH8002H6213. Then he heldH6213 a feastH4960 for allH3605 his servantsH5650.

Solomon Judges Wisely

16At that timeH227 twoH8147 prostitutesH802H2181 cameH935 toH413 the kingH4428 and stoodH5975 before himH6440.

17OneH259 womanH802 saidH559, “PleaseH994, my lordH113, thisH2063 womanH802 and IH589 liveH3427 in the sameH259 houseH1004, and I gave birthH3205 while sheH5973 was in the houseH1004. 18On the thirdH7992 dayH3117 after I gave birthH3205, this womanH802H2063 alsoH1571 had a babyH3205. WeH587 were aloneH3162, withH854 noH369 oneH2114 in the houseH1004 butH2108 the twoH8147 of usH587H1004. 19During the nightH3915 thisH2063 woman’sH802 sonH1121 diedH4191 becauseH834 she rolled overH7901 on himH5921. 20So she got upH6965 in the middleH8432 of the nightH3915 and tookH3947 my sonH1121 from my sideH681 whileH519 I was asleepH3463. She laid himH7901 in her bosomH2436 and putH7901 her deadH4191 sonH1121 at my bosomH2436. 21The next morningH1242, when I got upH6965 to nurseH3243 my sonH1121, I discoveredH2009 he was deadH4191. But when I examined himH995H413, I realizedH2009 that he wasH1961 notH3808 the sonH1121 I had borneH3205.”

22“NoH3808H3588,” saidH559 the otherH312 womanH802, “the living oneH2416 is my sonH1121 and the dead oneH4191 is your sonH1121.”

But the first womanH2063 insistedH559, “NoH3808H3588, the dead oneH4191 is yoursH1121 and the living oneH2416 is mineH1121.” So they arguedH1696 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

23Then the kingH4428 repliedH559, “ThisH2063 woman saysH559, ‘My sonH1121 is aliveH2416 and yoursH1121 is deadH4191,’ but thatH2063 woman saysH559, ‘NoH3808H3588, your sonH1121 is deadH4191 and mineH1121 is aliveH2416.’”

24The kingH4428 continuedH559, “BringH3947 me a swordH2719.” So they brought himH935 a swordH2719, 25and the kingH4428 declaredH559, “CutH1504 the livingH2416 childH3206 in twoH8147 and giveH5414 halfH2677 to oneH259 and halfH2677 to the otherH259.”

26Then the womanH802 whoseH834 sonH1121 was aliveH2416 spokeH559 toH413 the kingH4428 becauseH3588 she yearnedH3648 with compassionH7356 forH5921 her sonH1121. “PleaseH994, my lordH113,” she saidH559, “giveH5414 her the livingH2416 babyH3205. Do notH408 kill himH4191!”

But the otherH2063 woman saidH559, “He will beH1961 neitherH3808 mine norH1571 yours. Cut him in twoH1504!”

27Then the kingH4428 gave his rulingH559H6030: “GiveH5414 the livingH2416 babyH3205 to the first woman. By no meansH3808 should you kill himH4191; sheH1931 is his motherH517.”

28When allH3605 IsraelH3478 heardH8085 of the judgmentH4941 the kingH4428 had givenH8199, they stood in aweH3372 ofH6440 him, forH3588 they sawH7200 thatH3588 the wisdomH2451 of GodH430 was in himH7130 to administerH6213 justiceH4941.