1 S olomon 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.

Then Solomon made a marriage agreement with Pharaoh the king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David. She stayed there until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem.

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

The people were still giving their different gifts on altars, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

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

Now Solomon loved the Lord. He walked in the Laws of his father David. But he gave gifts and burned special perfume on different altars.

4 T he 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 give a gift on the altar in worship at Gibeon, for that was where the most important altar was. Solomon gave a thousand burnt gifts on that altar.

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

The Lord came to Solomon in a special dream in Gibeon during the night. God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

6 S olomon 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.

Then Solomon said, “You have shown great loving-kindness to Your servant David my father because he was faithful and right and good and pure in heart before You. And You have kept for him this great and lasting love. You have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.

7 N ow, 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.

Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child. I do not know how to start or finish.

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

Your servant is among Your people which You have chosen. They are many people. There are too many people to number.

9 G ive 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?”

So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and know the difference between good and bad. For who is able to judge Your many people?”

10 T his request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.

11 G od 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;

God said to him, “You have asked this, and have not asked for a long life for yourself. You have not asked for riches, or for the life of those who hate you. But you have asked for understanding to know what is right. Because you have asked this,

12 b ehold, 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.

I have done what you said. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart. No one has been like you before, and there will be no one like you in the future.

13 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.

I give you what you have not asked, also. I give you both riches and honor. So there will be no king like you all your days.

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

And if you walk in My ways and keep My Laws and Word as your father David did, I will allow you to live a long time.”

15 S olomon 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.

Solomon awoke, and saw it was a dream. He came to Jerusalem and stood before the Lord’s special box of the agreement. There he gave burnt gifts and peace gifts, and made a special supper for all his servants. Solomon’s Wisdom

16 T hen two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.

Then two women who sold the use of their bodies came to the king and stood in front of him.

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

One of the women 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.

18 T he 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.

On the third day after I gave birth, this woman gave birth to a child also. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house. There were only the two of us.

19 T his woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.

This woman’s son died during the night, because she lay on him.

20 S he 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.

So she got up in the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her arms, and her dead son in my arms.

21 W hen 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.”

When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, I saw that he was dead. But when I came nearer and looked, I saw that he was not my son who was born to me.”

22 T he 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.

Then the other woman said, “No! The living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman said, “No! The dead one is your son and the living one is my son.” They spoke this way in front of the king.

23 T hen 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.’”

Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one.’ The other says, ‘No! Your son is the dead one. My son is the living one.’”

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

And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword to the king.

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

And the king said, “Divide the living child in two. Give half to the one woman and half to the other.”

26 T hen 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.”

Then the mother of the living child had much pity for her son and said to the king, “O, my lord, give her the living child. Do not kill him.” But the other woman said, “He will not be mine or yours. Divide him.”

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

Then the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child. Do not kill him. She is his mother.”

28 A ll 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.

When all Israel heard how the king had decided, they were afraid of him. For they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do what is right and fair.