1 N ow Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall all around Jerusalem.

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into David’s city, until he had finished building his own house, Yahweh’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem.

2 M eanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days.

However the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for Yahweh’s name.

3 A nd Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father; except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

4 N ow the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

5 A t Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”

6 A nd Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.

7 N ow, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.

Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.

8 A nd Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.

Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.

9 T herefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

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 great people of yours?”

10 T he speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 T hen God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,

God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice;

12 b ehold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.

behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.

13 A nd I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.

I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you for all your days.

14 S o if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

15 T hen Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. Solomon’s Wise Judgment

Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

16 N ow two women who were harlots came to the king, and stood before him.

Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.

17 A nd one woman said, “O my lord, this woman and I dwell in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house.

The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.

18 T hen it happened, the third day after I had given birth, that this woman also gave birth. And we were together; no one was with us in the house, except the two of us in the house.

The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house.

19 A nd this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him.

This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.

20 S o she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21 A nd when I rose in the morning to nurse my son, there he was, dead. But when I had examined him in the morning, indeed, he was not my son whom I had borne.”

When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.”

22 T hen the other woman said, “No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” And the first woman said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king.

The other woman said, “No; but the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” The first one said, “No; but the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king.

23 A nd the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one’; and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”

Then the king said, “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 one, and my son is the living one.’”

24 T hen the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.

The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.

25 A nd the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.”

The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.”

26 T hen the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him. ”

Then the woman whose the living child was spoke 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 him!” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.”

27 S o the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.”

Then the king answered, “Give her the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”

28 A nd all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

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.