Chapter 3

And Solomon made affinity¹⁰¹ with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took⁴ Pharaoh's daughter, and brought⁵⁵ her into the city of David, until he had made an end¹⁵ of building² his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

Only the people sacrificed¹⁸ in high places, because there was no house built⁸ unto the name of the LORD, until those days.

And Solomon loved⁴ the LORD, walking² in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed¹⁸ and burnt incense⁵⁶ in high places.

And the king went⁴ to Gibeon to sacrifice² there; for that [was] the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer⁵⁵ upon that altar.

In Gibeon the LORD appeared⁸ to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said,⁴ Ask³ what I shall give⁴ thee.

And Solomon said,⁴ Thou hast shewed¹ unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked¹ before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept⁴ for him this great kindness, that thou hast given⁴ him a son to sit⁶ on his throne, as [it is] this day.

And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king⁵² instead of David my father: and I [am but] a little child: I know⁴ not [how] to go out² or come in.²

And thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen,¹ a great people, that cannot be numbered¹¹ nor counted¹¹ for multitude.

Give¹ therefore thy servant an understanding⁶ heart to judge² thy people, that I may discern⁵³ between good and bad: for who is able⁴ to judge² this thy so great a people?

And the speech pleased^{4 5869} the Lord, that Solomon had asked¹ this thing.

And God said⁴ unto him, Because thou hast asked¹ this thing, and hast not asked¹ for thyself long life; neither hast asked¹ riches for thyself, nor hast asked¹ the life of thine enemies;⁶ but hast asked¹ for thyself understanding⁵³ to discern² judgment;

Behold, I have done¹ according to thy words: lo, I have given¹ thee a wise and an understanding¹² heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise⁴ like unto thee.

And I have also given¹ thee that which thou hast not asked,¹ both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

And if thou wilt walk⁴ in my ways, to keep² my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk,¹ then I will lengthen⁵² thy days.

And Solomon awoke;⁴ and, behold, [it was] a dream. And he came⁴ to Jerusalem, and stood⁴ before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up⁵⁵ burnt offerings, and offered⁴ peace offerings, and made⁴ a feast to all his servants.

Then came⁴ there two women, [that were] harlots,⁶ unto the king, and stood⁴ before him.

And the one woman said,⁴ O my lord, I and this woman dwell⁶ in one house; and I was delivered of a child⁴ with her in the house.

And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered,² that this woman was delivered⁴ also: and we [were] together; [there was] no stranger⁵ with us in the house, save we two in the house.

And this woman's child died⁴ in the night; because she overlaid¹ it.

And she arose⁴ at midnight, ³⁹¹⁵ and took⁴ my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid⁵⁵ it in her bosom, and laid⁵² her dead⁵ child in my bosom.

And when I rose⁴ in the morning to give my child suck,⁵³ behold, it was dead:¹ but when I had considered¹¹³ it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.¹

And the other woman said,⁴ Nay; but the living [is] my son, and the dead⁵ [is] thy son. And this said,⁶ No; but the dead⁵ [is] thy son, and the living [is] my son. Thus they spake¹⁷ before the king.

Then said⁴ the king, The one saith,⁶ This [is] my son that liveth, and thy son [is] the dead:⁵ and the other saith,⁶ Nay; but thy son [is] the dead,⁵ and my son [is] the living.

And the king said,⁴ Bring³ me a sword. And they brought⁵⁵ a sword before the king.

And the king said,⁴ Divide³ the living child in two, and give³ half to the one, and half to the other.

Then spake⁴ the woman whose the living child [was] unto the king, for her bowels yearned⁸ upon her son, and she said,⁴ O my lord, give³ her the living child,⁷ and in no wise⁵³ slay⁵⁵ it. But the other said,⁶ Let it be neither mine nor thine, [but] divide³ [it].

Then the king answered⁴ and said,⁴ Give³ her the living child,⁷ and in no wise⁵³ slay⁵⁵ it: she [is] the mother thereof.

And all Israel heard⁴ of the judgment which the king had judged;¹ and they feared^{4 6440} the king: for they saw¹ that the wisdom of God [was] in him, to do² judgment.