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
.
Only the people sacrificed
in high places
, because there was no house
built
unto the name
of the LORD
, until those days
.
And Solomon loved
the LORD
, walking
in the statutes
of David
his father
: only he sacrificed
and burnt incense
in high places
.
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
.
In Gibeon the LORD
appeared
to Solomon
in a dream
by night
: and God
said
, Ask
what I shall give
thee.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
?
And the speech pleased
the Lord
, that Solomon
had asked
this thing
.
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
;
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.
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
.
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
.
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
.
Then came there two
women
, that were harlots
, unto the king
, and stood
before
him.
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
.
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
.
And this woman's child
died
in the night
; because she overlaid
it.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
And the king said
, Bring
me a sword
. And they brought
a sword
before
the king
.
And the king said
, Divide
the living
child
in two
, and give
half
to the one
, and half
to the other
.
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 .
Then the king answered
and said
, Give
her the living
child
, and in no wise
slay
it: she is the mother
thereof.
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
.