The First Book of the Kings

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- Chapter 3 -

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

And so the kingdom was confirmed in the hand of Solomon, and he was joined with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, by affinity. For he took his daughter, and he led her into the city of David, until he completed building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem all around.

But still the people immolated in the high places. For no temple had been built to the name of the Lord, even to that day.(a)

Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the precepts of David, his father, except that he immolated in the high places, and he burned incense.

And so, he went away to Gibeon, so that he might immolate there; for that was the greatest high place. Solomon offered upon that altar, at Gibeon, one thousand victims as holocausts.

Then the Lord appeared to Solomon, through a dream in the night, saying, “Request whatever you wish, so that I may give it to you.”

And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to your servant David, my father, because he walked in your sight in truth and justice, and with an upright heart before you. And you have kept your great mercy for him, and you have given him a son sitting upon his throne, just as it is this day.

And now, O Lord God, you have caused your servant to reign in place of David, my father. But I am a small child, and I am ignorant of my entrance and departure.

And your servant is in the midst of the people that you have chosen, an immense people, who are not able to be numbered or counted because of their multitude.

Therefore, give to your servant a teachable heart, so that he may be able to judge your people, and to discern between good and evil. For who will be able to judge this people, your people, who are so many?”

And the word was pleasing before the Lord, that Solomon had requested this kind of thing.

And the Lord said to Solomon: “Since you have requested this word, and you have not asked for many days or for wealth for yourself, nor for the lives of your enemies, but instead you have requested for yourself wisdom in order to discern judgment:

behold, I have done for you according to your words, and I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so much so that there has been no one like you before you, nor anyone who will rise up after you.

But also the things for which you did not ask, I have given to you, namely wealth and glory, so that no one has been like you among the kings in the all days before.

And if you will walk in my ways, and keep my precepts and my commandments, just as your father walked, I will lengthen your days.”

Then Solomon awakened, and he understood that it was a dream. And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and he offered holocausts and made victims of peace offerings, and he held a great feast for all his servants.

Solomon Judges Wisely

Then two women harlots went to the king, and they stood before him.

And one of them said: “I beg you, my lord, I and this woman were living in one house, and I gave birth, with her in the room.

Then, on the third day after I gave birth, she also gave birth. And we were together, with no other person with us in the house, only the two of us.

Then this woman’s son died in the night. For while sleeping, she smothered him.

And rising up in the silent depths of the night, she took my son from my side, while I, your handmaid, was sleeping, and she set him in her bosom. Then she placed her dead son in my bosom.

And when I had arisen in the morning, so that I might give milk to my son, he appeared to be dead. But gazing upon him more diligently in the light of day, I realized that he was not mine, whom I had born.”

And the other woman responded: “It is not such as you say. Instead, your son is dead, but mine is alive.” To the contrary, she said: “You are lying. For my son lives, and your son is dead.” And in this manner, they were contending before the king.

Then said the king: “This one says, ‘My son is alive, and your son is dead.’ And the other responds, ‘No, instead your son is dead, but mine lives.’ ”

Therefore the king said, “Bring a sword to me.” And when they had brought a sword before the king,

he said, “Divide the living infant in two parts, and give a half part to the one and a half part to the other.”

But the woman, whose son was alive, said to the king, for her heart was moved concerning her son, “I beg you, my lord, give the living infant to her, and do not kill him.” To the contrary, the other said, “Let it be neither for me, nor for you, instead divide it.”

The king responded and said: “Give the living infant to this woman, and do not kill it. For she is his mother.”

Then all of Israel heard about the judgment that the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to accomplish judgment.

Footnotes

(a)3:2 High places:That is, altars where they worshipped the Lord, but not according to the ordinance of the law; which allowed of no other places for sacrifice but the temple of God. Among these high places that of Gabaon was the chiefest, because there was the tabernacle of the testimony, which had been removed from Silo to Nobe and from Nobe to Gabaon.(Challoner)

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

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.

However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for the LORD’s name.

Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”

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.

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.

Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.

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?”

This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

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,

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.

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.

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.”

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.

Solomon Judges Wisely

Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.

The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her 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.

This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.

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.

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.”

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.

Then the king said, “One says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead;’ and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”

The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.

The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.”

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.”

Then the king answered, “Give the first woman the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”

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.