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 showed 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 honor: 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.
1 And Solomon H8010 made affinity H2859 with Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and took H3947 Pharaoh's H6547 daughter, H1323 and brought H935 her into the city H5892 of David, H1732 until he had made an end H3615 of building H1129 his own house, H1004 and the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the wall H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 round about. H5439
2 Only the people H5971 sacrificed H2076 in high places, H1116 because there was no house H1004 built H1129 unto the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 until those days. H3117
3 And Solomon H8010 loved H157 the LORD, H3068 walking H3212 in the statutes H2708 of David H1732 his father: H1 only he sacrificed H2076 and burnt incense H6999 in high places. H1116
4 And the king H4428 went H3212 to Gibeon H1391 to sacrifice H2076 there; for that H1931 was the great H1419 high place: H1116 a thousand H505 burnt offerings H5930 did Solomon H8010 offer H5927 upon that altar. H4196
5 In Gibeon H1391 the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 to Solomon H8010 in a dream H2472 by night: H3915 and God H430 said, H559 Ask H7592 what I shall give H5414 thee.
6 And Solomon H8010 said, H559 Thou hast shewed H6213 unto thy servant H5650 David H1732 my father H1 great H1419 mercy, H2617 according as he walked H1980 before H6440 thee in truth, H571 and in righteousness, H6666 and in uprightness H3483 of heart H3824 with thee; and thou hast kept H8104 for him this great H1419 kindness, H2617 that thou hast given H5414 him a son H1121 to sit H3427 on his throne, H3678 as it is this day. H3117
7 And now, O LORD H3068 my God, H430 thou hast made thy servant H5650 king H4427 instead of David H1732 my father: H1 and I am but a little H6996 child: H5288 I know H3045 not how to go out H3318 or come in. H935
8 And thy servant H5650 is in the midst H8432 of thy people H5971 which thou hast chosen, H977 a great H7227 people, H5971 that cannot be numbered H4487 nor counted H5608 for multitude. H7230
9 Give H5414 therefore thy servant H5650 an understanding H8085 heart H3820 to judge H8199 thy people, H5971 that I may discern H995 between good H2896 and bad: H7451 for who is able H3201 to judge H8199 this thy so great H3515 a people? H5971
10 And the speech H1697 pleased H3190 H5869 the Lord, H136 that Solomon H8010 had asked H7592 this thing. H1697
11 And God H430 said H559 unto him, Because thou hast asked H7592 this thing, H1697 and hast not asked H7592 for thyself long H7227 life; H3117 neither hast asked H7592 riches H6239 for thyself, nor hast asked H7592 the life H5315 of thine enemies; H341 but hast asked H7592 for thyself understanding H995 to discern H8085 judgment; H4941
12 Behold, I have done H6213 according to thy words: H1697 lo, I have given H5414 thee a wise H2450 and an understanding H995 heart; H3820 so that there was none like thee before H6440 thee, neither after H310 thee shall any arise H6965 like unto thee.
13 And I have also given H5414 thee that which thou hast not asked, H7592 both riches, H6239 and honour: H3519 so that there shall not be any H376 among the kings H4428 like unto thee all thy days. H3117
14 And if thou wilt walk H3212 in my ways, H1870 to keep H8104 my statutes H2706 and my commandments, H4687 as thy father H1 David H1732 did walk, H1980 then I will lengthen H748 thy days. H3117
15 And Solomon H8010 awoke; H3364 and, behold, it was a dream. H2472 And he came H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 and stood H5975 before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and offered up H5927 burnt offerings, H5930 and offered H6213 peace offerings, H8002 and made H6213 a feast H4960 to all his servants. H5650
16 Then came H935 there two H8147 women, H802 that were harlots, H2181 unto the king, H4428 and stood H5975 before H6440 him.
17 And the one H259 woman H802 said, H559 O H994 my lord, H113 I and this woman H802 dwell H3427 in one H259 house; H1004 and I was delivered of a child H3205 with her in the house. H1004
18 And it came to pass the third H7992 day H3117 after that I was delivered, H3205 that this woman H802 was delivered H3205 also: and we were together; H3162 there was no stranger H2114 with us in the house, H1004 save H2108 we two H8147 in the house. H1004
19 And this woman's H802 child H1121 died H4191 in the night; H3915 because she overlaid H7901 it.
20 And she arose H6965 at midnight, H8432 H3915 and took H3947 my son H1121 from beside H681 me, while thine handmaid H519 slept, H3463 and laid H7901 it in her bosom, H2436 and laid H7901 her dead H4191 child H1121 in my bosom. H2436
21 And when I rose H6965 in the morning H1242 to give my child H1121 suck, H3243 behold, it was dead: H4191 but when I had considered H995 it in the morning, H1242 behold, it was not my son, H1121 which I did bear. H3205
22 And the other H312 woman H802 said, H559 Nay; but the living H2416 is my son, H1121 and the dead H4191 is thy son. H1121 And this said, H559 No; but the dead H4191 is thy son, H1121 and the living H2416 is my son. H1121 Thus they spake H1696 before H6440 the king. H4428
23 Then said H559 the king, H4428 The one H2063 saith, H559 This is my son H1121 that liveth, H2416 and thy son H1121 is the dead: H4191 and the other H2063 saith, H559 Nay; but thy son H1121 is the dead, H4191 and my son H1121 is the living. H2416
24 And the king H4428 said, H559 Bring H3947 me a sword. H2719 And they brought H935 a sword H2719 before H6440 the king. H4428
25 And the king H4428 said, H559 Divide H1504 the living H2416 child H3206 in two, H8147 and give H5414 half H2677 to the one, H259 and half H2677 to the other. H259
26 Then spake H559 the woman H802 whose the living H2416 child H1121 was unto the king, H4428 for her bowels H7356 yearned H3648 upon her son, H1121 and she said, H559 O H994 my lord, H113 give H5414 her the living H2416 child, H3205 and in no wise H4191 slay H4191 it. But the other said, H559 Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide H1504 it.
27 Then the king H4428 answered H6030 and said, H559 Give H5414 her the living H2416 child, H3205 and in no wise H4191 slay H4191 it: she is the mother H517 thereof.
28 And all Israel H3478 heard H8085 of the judgment H4941 which the king H4428 had judged; H8199 and they feared H3372 the king: H6440 for they saw H7200 that the wisdom H2451 of God H430 was in him, H7130 to do H6213 judgment. H4941
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 Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Only the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Jehovah until those days.
3 And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the 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 Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great lovingkindness, 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 lovingkindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Jehovah 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 thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great 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 justice;
12 behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been 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 honor, 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 Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
16 Then there came two women that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
17 And the one woman said, Oh, 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 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 lay upon it.
20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy 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 looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom 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, Fetch 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 heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor thine; 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 justice.
1 And Solomon joineth in marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and taketh the daughter of Pharaoh, and bringeth her in unto the city of David, till he completeth to build his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Only, the people are sacrificing in high places, for there hath not been built a house for the name of Jehovah till those days.
3 And Solomon loveth Jehovah, to walk in the statutes of David his father -- only, in high places he is sacrificing and making perfume --
4 and the king goeth to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for it `is' the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings cause to ascend doth Solomon on that altar.
5 In Gibeon hath Jehovah appeared unto Solomon, in a dream of the night, and God saith, `Ask -- what do I give to thee?'
6 And Solomon saith, `Thou hast done with Thy servant David my father great kindness, as he walked before Thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with Thee, and Thou dost keep for him this great kindness, and dost give to him a son sitting on his throne, as `at' this day.
7 And now, O Jehovah my God, Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I `am' a little child, I do not know to go out and to come in;
8 and Thy servant `is' in the midst of thy people, whom Thou hast chosen, a people numerous, that is not numbered nor counted for multitude,
9 and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
10 And the thing is good in the eyes of the Lord, that Solomon hath asked this thing,
11 and God saith unto him, `Because that thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thee many days, nor asked for thee riches, nor asked the life of thine enemies, and hast asked for thee discernment to understand judgment,
12 lo, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given to thee a heart, wise and understanding, that like thee there hath not been before thee, and after thee there doth not arise like thee;
13 and also, that which thou hast not asked I have given to thee, both riches and honour, that there hath not been like thee a man among the kings all thy days;
14 and if thou dost walk in My ways to keep My statutes, and My commands, as David thy father walked, then I have prolonged thy days.'
15 And Solomon awaketh, and lo, a dream; and he cometh in to Jerusalem, and standeth before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings, and maketh peace-offerings. And he maketh a banquet for all his servants,
16 then come in do two women, harlots, unto the king, and stand before him,
17 and the one woman saith, `O, my lord, I and this woman are dwelling in one house, and I bring forth with her, in the house;
18 and it cometh to pass on the third day of my bringing forth, that this woman also bringeth forth, and we `are' together, there is no stranger with us in the house, save we two, in the house.
19 And the son of this woman dieth at night, because she hath lain upon it,
20 and she riseth in the middle of the night, and taketh my son from beside me -- and thy handmaid is asleep -- and layeth it in her bosom, and her dead son she hath laid in my bosom;
21 and I rise in the morning to suckle my son, and lo, dead; and I consider concerning it in the morning, and lo, it was not my son whom I did bear.'
22 And the other woman saith, `Nay, but my son `is' the living, and thy son the dead;' and this `one' saith, `Nay, but thy son `is' the dead, and my son the living.' And they speak before the king.
23 And the king saith, `This `one' saith, This `is' my son, the living, and thy son `is' the dead; and that `one' saith, Nay, but thy son `is' the dead, and my son the living.'
24 And the king saith, `Take for me a sword;' and they bring the sword before the king,
25 and the king saith, `Cut the living child into two, and give the half to the one, and the half to the other.'
26 And the woman whose son `is' the living one saith unto the king (for her bowels yearned over her son), yea, she saith, `O, my lord, give to her the living child, and put it not at all to death;' and this `one' saith, `Let it be neither mine or thine -- cut `it'.'
27 And the king answereth and saith, `Give ye to her the living child, and put it not at all to death; she `is' its mother.'
28 And all Israel hear of the judgment that the king hath judged, and fear because of the king, for they have seen that the wisdom of God `is' in his heart, to do judgment.
1 And Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had ended building his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Only, the people sacrificed on the high places; for there was no house built to the name of Jehovah, until those days.
3 And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father; only, he sacrificed and burned incense on the 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 up upon that altar.
5 In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewn unto thy servant David my father great loving-kindness, 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 loving-kindness, that thou hast given him a son who sits upon his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child: I know not to go out and to 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 to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy numerous people?
10 And the word pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said to 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 discernment to understand judgment;
12 behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there hath been none like unto 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 glory; 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 prolong 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 Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
16 Then came two women, harlots, to the king, and stood before him.
17 And the first woman said, Ah, my lord! I and this woman abode 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 I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also; and we were together; no stranger was with us in the house, only we two were in the house.
19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she had lain upon it.
20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; and I considered it in the morning, and behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.
22 And the other woman said, No, for the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this one said, No, but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
23 Then said the king, The one says, This that is living is my son, and thy son is the dead; and the other says, No, for 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 spoke the woman whose was the living child to the king, for her bowels yearned over her son, and she said, Ah, my lord! give her the living child, and in no wise put it to death. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine; divide it.
27 And the king answered and said, Give this one the living child, and in no wise put it to death: she is its mother.
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 justice.
1 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 Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Only the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Yahweh until those days.
3 Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer on that altar.
5 In Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give you.
6 Solomon said, You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, 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 loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I don't know how to go out or come in.
8 Your servant is in the midst of your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can't be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 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 your great people?
10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice;
12 behold, I have done according to your word: behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you.
13 I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you, all your days.
14 If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days.
15 Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream: and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
16 Then there came two women who were prostitutes, to the king, and stood before him.
17 The one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18 It happened the third day after 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 This woman's child died in the night, because she lay on it.
20 She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 When I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.
22 The other woman said, No; but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. This said, No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
23 Then said the king, The 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, and my son is the living.
24 The king said, Get me a sword. They brought a sword before the king.
25 The king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26 Then spoke the woman whose the living child was 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 it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it.
27 Then the king answered, Give her the living child, and in no way kill it: she is the mother of it.
28 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.
1 Solomon became the son-in-law of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter as his wife, keeping her in the town of David, till the house he was building for himself, and the house of the Lord and the wall round Jerusalem, were complete.
2 But all this time the people were making their offerings in the high places, because no house had been put up to the name of the Lord till those days.
3 And Solomon, in his love for the Lord, kept the laws of David his father; but he made offerings and let them go up in smoke on the high places.
4 And the king went to Gibeon to make an offering there, because that was the chief high place: it was Solomon's way to make a thousand burned offerings on that altar.
5 In Gibeon, Solomon had a vision of the Lord in a dream by night; and God said to him, Say what I am to give you.
6 And Solomon said, Great was your mercy to David my father, as his life before you was true and upright and his heart was true to you; and you have kept for him this greatest mercy, a son to take his place this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; and I am only a young boy, with no knowledge of how to go out or come in.
8 And your servant has round him the people of your selection, a people so great that they may not be numbered, and no account of them may be given.
9 Give your servant, then, a wise heart for judging your people, able to see what is good and what evil; for who is able to be the judge of this great people?
10 Now these words and Solomon's request were pleasing to the Lord.
11 And God said to him, Because your request is for this thing, and not for long life for yourself or for wealth or for the destruction of your haters, but for wisdom to be a judge of causes;
12 I have done as you said: I have given you a wise and far-seeing heart, so that there has never been your equal in the past, and never will there be any like you in the future.
13 And with this I have given you what you made no request for: wealth and honour, so that no king was ever your equal.
14 And if you go on in my ways, keeping my laws and my orders as your father David did, I will give you a long life.
15 And Solomon, awakening, saw that it was a dream; then he came to Jerusalem, where he went before the ark of the agreement of the Lord, offering burned offerings and peace-offerings; and he made a feast for all his servants.
16 Then two loose women of the town came and took their places before the king;
17 And one of them said, O my lord, I and this woman are living in the same house; and I gave birth to a child by her side in the house.
18 And three days after the birth of my child, this woman had a child: we were together, no other-person was with us in the house but we two only.
19 In the night, this woman, sleeping on her child, was the cause of its death.
20 And she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while your servant was sleeping; and she took it in her arms and put her dead child in my arms.
21 And when I got up to give my child the breast, I saw that it was dead; but in the morning, looking at it with care, I saw that it was not my son.
22 And the other woman said, No; but the living child is my son and the dead one yours. But the first said, No; the dead child is your son and the living one mine. So they kept on talking before the king.
23 Then the king said, One says, The living child is my son, and yours is the dead: and the other says, Not so; but your son is the dead one and mine is the living.
24 Then he said, Get me a sword. So they went and put a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, Let the living child be cut in two and one half given to one woman and one to the other.
26 Then the mother of the living child came forward, for her heart went out to her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the child; do not on any account put it to death. But the other woman said, It will not be mine or yours; let it be cut in two.
27 Then the king made answer and said, Give her the child, and do not put it to death; she is the mother of it.
28 And news of this decision which the king had made went through all Israel; and they had fear of the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to give decisions.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 3
Commentary on 1 Kings 3 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 3
This chapter relates the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoh's daughter, 1 Kings 3:1; his piety and devotion, 1 Kings 3:2; his prayer for wisdom and understanding, which was acceptable to God, who promised to grant his request, with an addition to it, 1 Kings 3:5; an instance and proof of the wisdom given him in determining a case between two harlots brought before him, which greatly raised his reputation, and gave him reverence among his people, 1 Kings 3:16.
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt,.... Pharaoh was a common name of the kings of Egypt, of whom no mention is made in Scripture from the times of Moses until this time; which may seem strange, when it is considered that that kingdom was a potent one, and near the land of Canaan; but it was governed by a race of kings in this period of time, of whom, as Diodorus SiculusF9Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 42. says, there is nothing worthy of relation. The name of this Pharaoh, according to EupolemusF11Apud. Euseb. Praeparet. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30, 31, 32. , an Heathen writer, was Vaphres; for he says, that David contracted a friendship with this king, and he relates some letters which passed between him and Solomon, concerning sending him workmen for the building of the temple, which are still preserved; but CalvisiusF12Chronolog. p. 191, 192. thinks it was Sesostris; what this affinity was is next observed:
and took Pharaoh's daughter: that is, married her; who, according to Ben Gersom, was proselyted first to the Jewish religion; which is very probable, or otherwise it can hardly be thought Solomon would marry her; and as the forty fifth psalm, Psalm 45:1, and the book of Canticles, supposed to be written on that occasion, seem to confirm; to which may be added, that it does not appear she ever enticed or drew him into idolatry; for, of all the idols his wives drew him into the worship of, no mention is made of any Egyptian deities. The Jews sayF13T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 56. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 21. 2. Rome was built the same day Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter, but without foundation: this was not Solomon's first wife; he was married to Naamah the Ammonitess before he was king, for he had Rehoboam by her a year before that for Solomon reigned only forty years, and Rehoboam, who succeeded him, was forty one years of age when he began to reign, 1 Kings 11:41;
and brought her into the city of David; the fort of Zion:
until he had made an end of building his own house: which was thirteen years in building, and now seems to have been begun, 1 Kings 7:1;
and the house of the Lord; the temple, which according: to the Jewish chronologyF14Seder Olam Rabba, c. 15. p. 41. , was begun building before his marriage of Pharaoh's daughter, and was seven years in building; and therefore this marriage must be in the fourth year of his reign; for then he began to build the temple, 1 Kings 6:37; and so it must be, since Shimei lived three years in Jerusalem before he was put to death, after which this marriage was, 1 Kings 2:37;
and the wall of Jerusalem round about; all which he built by raising a levy on the people, 1 Kings 9:15; and when these buildings were finished, he built a house for his wife, but in the mean while she dwelt in the city of David.
Only the people sacrificed in high places,.... On the tops of their houses, on hills and mountains, and particularly at the high place in Gibeon, where the tabernacle was:
because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until those days; to which they were obliged to repair as afterwards, and there offer their sacrifices, as the Lord had commanded, Deuteronomy 12:5.
And Solomon loved the Lord,.... The worship of the Lord, as the Targum: and which he showed by
walking in the statutes of David his father; in which his father walked, which were the statutes of the Lord, or which he exhorted him to walk in, and were the same, 1 Kings 2:3;
only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places; besides that at Gibeon, which it seems David did not.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there,.... About four or five miles from Jerusalem; See Gill on 1 Kings 2:28;
for that was the great high place; not that the place itself might be higher than others that were used; but here were the tabernacle of Moses, and the altar; so that it was a more dignified place, and more sacred because of them:
a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar; the brazen altar of burnt offerings there; not at one time, but on several days successively; though Jarchi says on one day; and which was a prodigious number, never was known the like, unless at the dedication of the temple, 1 Kings 8:63.
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night,.... This was not a common natural dream, but an extraordinary, divine, and supernatural one, a prophetic dream, a night vision, such as God used to speak in to his prophets; in which he had the full use of his reasoning powers, was under divine impressions, and in a spiritual frame of mind, and in the exercise of grace; it was not a mere dream that the Lord did appear to him, but he really did appear to him while sleeping and dreaming, by some display of his glory in some way or another:
and God said, ask what I shall give thee; he did not hereby dream that God said to him, but he really did say this; bid him ask what he would and it should be given him; he knew what he designed to give, but he would have it asked of him, as he will be inquired of by all his people to do that for them which he has intended and provided for them; and it is encouragement enough for them to ask, since he has promised to give.
And Solomon said,.... In his dream; not that he dreamt he said, when he did not; but he really said, as follows:
thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy; bestowed many favours and blessings upon him, both temporal and spiritual:
according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; in the truth of doctrine and worship, according to the revealed will and word of God, and which he observed with great strictness, living soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without failings and imperfections, yet with great integrity and sincerity; and this holy walk of his was not the cause of God's showing mercy to him, nor was it in proportion to that, but what he was influenced to by the mercy that was shown him:
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; a son to be his successor, meaning himself; which was an additional favour to all the rest, and was in reserve, and now bestowed, as time had made to appear.
And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father,.... Removed by death, in whose stead he reigned by the appointment of God, and through his overruling providence, notwithstanding the attempts made to prevent it, and therefore to God he ascribes it:
and I am but a little child; not in age and stature, but in knowledge and understanding; for though his father called him a wise man, and he was judged so by others, and really was one, yet in his own opinion and thought of himself such was his modesty and humility, that he was but a child as to his intellectual powers and capacity for government: some understand this of age; and the Jews commonly say he was but twelve years of age when he was anointed king, which they reckon thus; that he was born at the time that Ammon ravished Tamar, two years after which was Absalom's sheep shearing, when he slew Amnon, on which he fled to Geshur, and was there three years; here are five years; he returned thence and was at Jerusalem two years; lo, seven years; he rebelled and was slain, and after that there was a famine of three years, which make ten; and in the year following David numbered the people, which was nine or ten months in doing; the next year he died, which was the fortieth of his reign, in all twelve years; so reckon Jarchi and Kimchi; and Eupolemus, an Heathen writerF14Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praeparat. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30, 31, 32.) , is express for it, who says, that David, when he had reigned forty years, delivered up the kingdom to Solomon his son, being then twelve years of age, which he must receive from the tradition of the Jews; the same is said by several of the ancient fathers, as IgnatiusF15Epist. ad Magnesios, p. 141. Ed. Voss. and JeromF16Epist. Rufino & Vitali, fol. 24, 25. tom. 3. ; but this cannot be fact; for, if so, his son Rehoboam must be born to him when he was but eleven years of age; See Gill on 1 Kings 3:5; it is best therefore to interpret this of the sense he had of the weakness of his understanding, and of his incapacity for government, as the next clause explains it:
I know not how to go out or come in; in the administration of government, to execute his office as a king, in allusion to shepherds, as kings are sometimes called, going in and out before their sheep.
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen,.... To be his special and peculiar people above all people on the earth; this is not to be understood locally, though Jerusalem, where his palace was, was in the middle of the land; but of the exercise of his office, he being placed over the people, and among them, and having the care and inspection of them:
a great people, that cannot be numbered and counted for multitude; being for number as the stars in the sky, and as the sand upon the seashore, as had been promised.
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people,.... Not an understanding of things spiritual, nor of things natural, though both were given him, but of things political, what related to the civil government, that he might be able to judge or rule the people of Israel in the best manner:
that I may discern between good and bad; not merely between moral good and evil, of which he had a discernment; but between right and wrong in any case or controversy that came before him between man and man, that so he might be able to pass a right sentence, and do justice to every one:
for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? who are so very numerous, and have so many causes to be heard and and those many of them very intricate and difficult; so that no man is equal to such arduous work, unless he has more than an ordinary capacity given him by the Lord.
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Understanding in the affairs of civil government; since he had respect not to his own private benefit and advantage, but the good of the people he governed, and the honour and glory of God, who had set him over them, they being his chosen people, and whose vicegerent he was.
And God said unto him,.... Being yet in a dream:
because thou hast asked this thing; wisdom for government:
and hast not asked for thyself long life; which is naturally desired by men, and always reckoned a great temporal blessing, and especially to be wished for by a king living in great pomp and splendour:
neither hast asked riches for thyself; to support his grandeur; for though David his father had left him much, yet not for himself, but for the building of the temple:
nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; victory over them, and to have it in his power to take away their lives when he pleased; which kings, and especially tyrants, are desirous of, such as are ambitious, haughty, and revengeful:
but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; where the right of a cause lay, that so he might make a right judgment of it, and pass a righteous sentence, a sentence not to the injury of any.
Behold, I have done according to thy words,.... Expressed in his request: he not only promised he would grant him it, but he had already done it, or at least had begun to do it:
lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; had greatly increased his wisdom and understanding in things political, things respecting civil government, and also in things natural, in the knowledge of the things of nature as appears from 1 Kings 4:33; and of the arts and sciences:
so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee: which some restrain to kings, and to the kings of Israel; that there were none of the kings before him, as Saul and David, like him for wisdom, nor any of the kings of Judah and Israel after him; but it may include all men of all nations in the world, since he is said to be wiser than all men; and some other nations, and particular men of other nations, famous for wisdom, are expressly mentioned as inferior to him, 1 Kings 4:30; but then this must be understood of men since the fall; for Adam, doubtless, had a larger stock of knowledge and understanding in his state of innocence than ever Solomon had; and it must be restrained to political and natural knowledge; for, as for divine knowledge, Kimchi excepts Moses; and we may well except the apostles of Christ for spiritual and evangelical knowledge; and as for our Lord, the antitype of Solomon, he is greater than him in all kind of knowledge, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him, see Matthew 12:42.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked,.... That is, intended to give him, and now promised it, and was about to bestow it on him:
both riches and honour; the former through the presents and tribute of the nations about him, and his trading to foreign parts; and the latter chiefly through his wisdom, the fame of which was spread everywhere:
so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days; that is, none like him for riches and honour among all the kings of the neighbouring nations so long as he lived; though there might be kings in later times as rich, or richer than he, as Croesus, Alexander, &c. but then not so honourable as he; so, putting both together, there were no kings like him before or after, and especially if wisdom be added to them, as in 2 Chronicles 1:12.
And if thou wilt walk in my ways,.... Prescribed and directed to in his word,
to keep my statutes and my commandments; ceremonial, moral, and judicial:
as thy father David did walk; which Solomon himself had observed, 1 Kings 3:6; and whose walk was worthy of his imitation:
then I will lengthen thy days; the other promises of riches and honour are absolute, but this of long life conditional, depending upon his holy walk and conversation; and hence, because he failed in this the Jews observe he did not attain to long life, dying, as they suppose, at fifty two years of age; which is grounded on a wrong hypothesis, that he was but twelve years of age when he he began to reign, and he reigned forty years, as before observed.
And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream,.... Not that it was nothing but a dream, a natural one, a vain and empty one, but a divine and supernatural one, a dream of prophecy, as the Jews call it, or a prophetic dream; a true one, which had its fall accomplishment in him, the truth of which he perceived as soon as he awoke; for he found himself possessed of such a measure of wisdom and knowledge he never had before, which occasioned the thanksgiving and joy next expressed:
and he came to Jerusalem; from Gibeon, accompanied by his nobles and servants:
and stood before the ark of the covenant the Lord; which was in a tent David had pitched for it there, 2 Samuel 6:17; here he stood with holy reverence, as in the presence of the Lord, and as a servant of his, to minister to him, and as a worshipper of him, with a heart full of gratitude for the great things he had done for him, and promised to him:
and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings; by way of thankfulness for his quiet settlement in the for the Lord's appearance to him at Gibeon, and what he had already given, and promised to give:
and made a feast to all his servants; in a way of joy and gladness for the above layouts; this feast was either the part of the peace offerings he offered, which belonged to the offerer to eat with his friends, or this was a special feast made at his own palace for his courtiers.
Then came there two women that were harlots unto the king,.... The same day, as Abarbinel thinks, the night before which the Lord had appeared to Solomon; this came to pass through the providence of God, that there should be immediately an instance and proof of the wisdom and understanding the Lord had given to Solomon; these women, according to the Targum, were victuallers or inn keepers; and so Ben Gersom thinks they were sellers of food, as Rahab; though he observes it is possible they might, prostitute themselves: this may be said in their favour, that common prostitutes do not usually bear children, or, when they do, take no care of them, have no affection for them, and much less are fond of them, as these seem to be; but, on the other hand, no mention being made of their husbands, and living together in one house, and alone, and being impudent, brawling, and litigious, give great suspicion of the truth of the character they bear in our version and others:
and stood before him; to lay their case before him, and each plead their own cause; it may be, it had been tried in another court before, and could not be determined, and so was brought to the king; and, if so, the wisdom of Solomon was the more conspicuous, in deciding it in the manner he did.
And the one woman said,.... Who was the plaintiff:
O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; pointing to the defendant, who stood by her:
and I was delivered of a child with her in the house; she being present at the delivery, and she only, as it should seem.
And it came to pass, the third day after I was delivered,.... Of a child, as before expressed:
that this woman was delivered also; of another child; and being both of the same sex, both sons, as afterwards appears; and being so nearly of an age, it was difficult to distinguish them;
and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house,
save we two in the house; so that in this trial no evidences could be produced on either side.
And this woman's child died in the night,.... Whether the same night following the day it was born is not certain;
because she overlaid it; or laid upon it, being heavy through sleep, and not knowing what she did, turned herself upon it, and smothered it; because it had no previous illness, or any marks of any disease it could be thought to die of, and perhaps there might be some of its being overlaid.
And she arose at midnight,.... Perceiving what she had done, that she had overlaid her child, and it was dead; either through fear of punishment inflicted on persons thus negligent, or because of the disgrace of it, taking no more care of her child, she made use of the following stratagem:
and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept; this served to puzzle the cause, for how could she know what she did when she was asleep? this she could not prove, it was only conjecture:
and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom; where she found it in the morning; but still what proof was there that it was the other woman's, and not her own, that lay dead in her bosom?
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck,.... As she used to do:
behold, it was dead; her own child, as she thought at first:
but when I had considered it in the morning; it was towards morning, or just at break of day, when she arose to suckle it, and found it dead: but when it was broad day, and the light of the morning was increased, she more narrowly viewed it, and by its features, or some marks she had observed;
behold, it was not my son which I did bear: she was fully satisfied it was not her own child, but another.
And the other woman said,.... The defendant:
nay, but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son; she denied what the other said, but offered nothing in proof of it:
and this said; she who was the plaintiff replied in the same language:
no: but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son; without being able to add anything in confirmation of what she had deposed:
thus they spake before the king; several times, over and over again, what is before expressed, having nothing to produce on either side in proof of their assertions; so that it was very difficult to determine to whom the living child belonged.
Then said the king,.... As judge, summing up what had been said on both sides, which were only bare assertions without proof; the one affirming what the other denied, and the other denying what the other affirmed:
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; this he repeated to show to all present that no determination could be made by what had been said on each side, and that some other method must be taken.
And the king said, bring me a sword,.... The design of which might not at first appear to the court, and it might be thought strange, and greatly wondered at: what should be the meaning of it:
and they brought a sword before the king; his commands were obeyed.
And the king said,.... To one of his officers:
divide the living child in two; not that he meant it should be actually done, though it might at first be thought he really intended it, and so strike the minds of some with horror, as it did, however, the mother; but he ordered this, to try the affections of the women, and thereby come to the true knowledge of the affair; though, some think he knew it before by their countenances and manner of speech, but that he was desirous all present might see it, and be satisfied of it:
and give half to the one, and half to the other; since both claimed it.
Then spake the woman, whose the living child was, unto the king,.... In haste, and with great vehemency, lest the executioner should at once dispatch it:
(for her bowels yearned upon her son); not being able to bear to see his life taken away:
and she said, O my lord: or, "on meF17בי "in me", Montanus; so Abarbinel. , my lord"; let the sin, the lie that I have told, be on me, and the punishment of it; she rather chose to be reckoned a liar, and to endure any punishment such an offence deserved, than that her child should be cut asunder:
give her the living child, and in no wise slay it; being willing to part with her interest in it, rather than it should be put to death:
but the other said, let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it; for as she knew it was not her own, she had no affection for it, nor desire to have it; chose rather to be clear of the expense of keeping and nursing it, and would, by its being put to death, be avenged of her adversary, who had brought this cause before the king.
Then the king answered and said, give her the living child,
and in no wise slay it,.... That is, to her who desired it might not be slain, but rather be given to her who had no right to it:
she is the mother thereof; which might be strongly concluded from her compassion for it, her eagerness and earnestness to have its life spared, and from the indifference of the other, yea, from her cruelty and barbarity in moving to have it divided.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged,.... In the above case; the decision of it was divulged throughout the land, and the fame of it was spread everywhere:
and they feared the king; reverenced him as a wise, judicious, and faithful king, and feared to do anything of a criminal nature, as perceiving that he was so sagacious and penetrating, that he would discover it quickly, and bring them to shame and punishment:
for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment; that God had put more than ordinary wisdom into him, to make a right judgment in causes that came before him, and finish them in the most just and equitable manner.