1And 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 . 2Only the people sacrificed in the high places , because there was no house built for the name of Jehovah until those days . 3And Solomon loved Jehovah , walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places . 4And 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 . 5In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night ; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee . 6And 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 . 7And 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 . 8And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people , that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude . 9Give 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 ? 10And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing . 11And 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 ; 12behold , 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 . 13And 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 . 14And 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 . 15And 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 .
God's Response to Solomon
16Then there came two women that were harlots, unto the king , and stood before him . 17And 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 . 18And 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 . 19And this woman’s child died in the night , because she lay upon it . 20And 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 . 21And 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 . 22And 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 . 23Then 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 . 24And the king said, Fetch me a sword . And they brought a sword before the king . 25And the king said, Divide the living child in two , and give half to the one , and half to the other . 26Then 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 . 27Then the king answered and said , Give her the living child , and in no wise slay it : she is the mother thereof . 28And 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 .