(KJV) 1 Kings 3¹

⥃Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom ^{[ 2 Chronicles 1:1–13 † Psalms 45:1–17 † Psalms 72:1–20 ]}

[1] And Solomon made affinity² with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took³ Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city⁴ of David, until he had made an end of building his own⁵ house, and the house⁶ of the Lord, and the wall⁷ of Jerusalem round about.⁸ [2] Only the people⁹ sacrificed in high places, because there was no¹⁰ house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days. [3] And Solomon loved¹¹ the Lord, walking¹² in the statutes of David his father: only he¹³ sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. [4] And the king went to Gibeon¹⁴ to sacrifice there; for that [was] the great high place: a thousand¹⁵ burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

[5] In Gibeon the Lord¹⁶ appeared to Solomon in a dream¹⁷ by night: and God said, Ask what¹⁸ I shall give thee. [6] And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant¹⁹ David my father great²⁰ mercy²¹, according²² 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 kindness, that²³ thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as [it is] this day. [7] And now, O Lord my God, thou hast²⁴ made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I [am but] a little²⁵ child: I know not [how] to go²⁶ out or come in. [8] And thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people²⁷ which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot²⁸ be numbered nor counted for multitude. [9] Give therefore²⁹ thy servant an understanding³⁰ heart to judge³¹ thy people, that I may discern³² between good and bad: for who is able³³ to judge this thy so great a people? [10] And the speech pleased³⁴ the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. [11] And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not³⁵ asked for thyself long life³⁶; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern³⁷ judgment; [12] Behold, I have done³⁸ according to thy words: lo, I have given³⁹ thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither⁴⁰ after thee shall any arise like unto thee. [13] And I⁴¹ have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches⁴², and honour: so that there shall not be⁴³ any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. [14] And if thou⁴⁴ wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy⁴⁵ father David did walk, then I will lengthen⁴⁶ thy days. [15] And Solomon awoke⁴⁷; and, behold, [it was] a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before⁴⁸ the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings⁴⁹, and made a feast⁵⁰ to all his servants.

⥃Solomon Judges Wisely

[16] Then came there two women⁵¹, [that were] harlots⁵², unto the king, and stood⁵³ before him. [17] And the one woman said, O my lord⁵⁴, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. [18] And it came to pass the third day after that 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. [19] And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. [20] And she arose at midnight⁵⁵, and took⁵⁶ my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. [21] And when I rose in the morning to give⁵⁷ my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. [22] And the other woman said, Nay⁵⁸; 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. [23] Then 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. [24] And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. [25] And the king said, Divide⁵⁹ the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. [26] Then spake the woman whose the living child [was] unto the king, for her bowels⁶⁰ yearned⁶¹ upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her⁶² the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, [but] divide [it]. [27] Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she [is] the mother thereof. [28] And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared⁶³ the king: for they saw that the wisdom⁶⁴ of God [was] in him⁶⁵, to do⁶⁶ judgment.