FIRST
KINGS
1 Kings Chapter 3
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¶ Then Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of
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But the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no temple raised up
to the name of the LORD, until that time.
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And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father:
however he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
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And the king went to
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¶ In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream
by night: and God said, Ask what you want from me.
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And Solomon said, You have shown your servant David my father great mercy,
according as he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in
uprightness of heart toward you; and you have reserved for him this great
kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is
this day.
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And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my
father: although I am but a youth: with no experience in leadership.
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And your servant is in the midst of your people which
you have chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for
multitude.
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Therefore give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is
able to judge this great people of yours?
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Now it pleased the Lord, that Solomon had requested this.
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And God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for long
life; or riches for yourself, nor have asked for the life of your enemies; but
have asked understanding for yourself to determine judgment;
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Behold, I have done according to your words: I have given you a wise and
understanding heart; so that there has never been anyone like you before, and
no one like you shall ever arise again.
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And I have also given you what you did not ask for, both riches, and
honor: so that there shall not be any like you among the kings for as long as
you live.
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And if you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as
your father David did, then I will lengthen your days.
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Then Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he went to
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¶ Later two women, who were harlots, came to
the king, and stood before him.
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And one woman said, O my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I
gave birth to a child while she was in the house.
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And on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth: and we were
alone; there was no one else with us in the house.
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And this woman’s child died during the night; because she lay on it.
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And she arose in the middle of the night, 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.
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And when I rose in the morning to nurse my child, it was dead: but when I could
see it clearly in the morning, I could see that was not my son, to which I gave
birth.
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But the other woman said, No; the living child is my son, and the dead one
is your son. And the other said, No; but the dead one is your son,
and the living one is my son. That is how they argued before the king.
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Then the king said, One of you says, My son is the one
who lives, and your son is dead: and the other says, No; your son is
dead, and my son is the one living.
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And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
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And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and
half to the other.
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Then, because her heart yearned for her son, the woman whose son was alive said
to the king O my lord, give her the living child, and do not kill it. But the
other one said, Let it be neither mine or yours, but divide it.
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Then the king replied saying, Give her the living child, and do not kill it:
for she is its mother.
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And all