1 Kings 3
1. And Solomon made affinity * with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took * Pharaoh's daughter, and brought * her into the city of David, until he had made an end * of building * his own house,and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2. Only the people sacrificed * in high places, because there was no house built * unto the name of the LORD, until those days.
3. And Solomon loved * the LORD,walking * in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed * and burnt incense * in high places.
4. And the king went * to Gibeon to sacrifice * there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer * upon that altar.
5. In Gibeon the LORD appeared * to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said * , Ask * what I shall give * thee.
6. And Solomon said * , Thou hast shewed * unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked * before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept * for him this great kindness, that thou hast given * him a son to sit * on his throne, as it is this day.
7. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king * instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know * not how to go out * or come in * .
8. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen * , a great people, that cannot be numbered * nor counted * for multitude.
9. Give * therefore thy servant an understanding * heart to judge * thy people, that I may discern * between good and bad: for who is able * to judge * this thy so great a people?
10. And the speech pleased * the Lord, that Solomon had asked * this thing.
11. And God said * unto him, Because thou hast asked * this thing, and hast not asked * for thyself long life; neither hast asked * riches for thyself, nor hast asked * the life of thine enemies * ; but hast asked * for thyself understanding * to discern * judgment;
12. Behold, I have done * according to thy words: lo, I have given * thee a wise and an understanding * heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise * like unto thee.
13. And I have also given * thee that which thou hast not asked * , both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14. And if thou wilt walk * in my ways, to keep * my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk * , then I will lengthen * thy days.
15. And Solomon awoke * ; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came * to Jerusalem, and stood * before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up * burnt offerings, and offered * peace offerings, and made * a feast to all his servants.
16. Then came * there two women,that were harlots * , unto the king, and stood * before him.
17. And the one woman said * , O my lord, I and this woman dwell * in one house; and I was delivered of a child * with her in the house.
18. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered * , that this woman was delivered * also: and we were together;there was no stranger * with us in the house, save we two in the house.
19. And this woman's child died * in the night; because she overlaid * it.
20. And she arose * at midnight,and took * my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid * it in her bosom, and laid * her dead * child in my bosom.
21. And when I rose * in the morning to give my child suck * , behold, it was dead * : but when I had considered * it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear * .
22. And the other woman said * , Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead * is thy son. And this said * , No; but the dead * is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake * before the king.
23. Then said * the king, The one saith * , This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead * : and the other saith * , Nay; but thy son is the dead * , and my son is the living.
24. And the king said * , Bring * me a sword. And they brought * a sword before the king.
25. And the king said * , Divide * the living child in two, and give * half to the one, and half to the other.
26. Then spake * the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned * upon her son, and she said * , O my lord, give * her the living child * , and in no wise * slay * it. But the other said * , Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide * it.
27. Then the king answered * and said * , Give * her the living child * , and in no wise * slay * it: she is the mother thereof.
28. And 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 * judgment.
