M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 3
3
1Shlomo formed an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter. He brought her into the City of David, [where she lived] until he had finished building his own palace, the house of Adonai and the wall around Yerushalayim. 2The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of Adonai. 3Shlomo loved Adonai, living according to the regulations set forth by David his father; nevertheless, he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.
4One time the king went to Giv‘on to sacrifice there, because that was the main high place. Shlomo offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. 5At Giv‘on Adonai appeared to Shlomo in a dream at night; God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” 6Shlomo said, “You showed your servant David my father much grace, as he lived before you honestly and righteously, having an upright heart with you. You preserved this great grace for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as is the case today. 7So now, Adonai my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; but I am a mere child — I don’t know how to lead! 8Moreover your servant is among your people, whom you chose, a great people so numerous that they cannot be counted. 9Therefore, give your servant an understanding heart able to administer justice to your people, so that I can discern between good and bad — for who is equal to judging this great people of yours?”
10What Shlomo had said in making this request pleased Adonai. 11God said to him, “Because you have made this request instead of asking long life or riches for yourself, or your enemies’ death, but rather asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; 12I am doing what you requested. I am giving you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever again be anyone like you. 13I am also giving you what you didn’t ask for, riches and honor greater than that of any other king throughout your life. 14More than that, if you will live according to my ways, obeying my laws and mitzvot like your father David, I will give you a long life.”
15Shlomo awoke and found it had been a dream. But he went to Yerushalayim, stood before the ark for the covenant of Adonai and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings. He also made a feast for all his servants.
16After this, there came to the king two women who were prostitutes. After presenting themselves to him, 17one of the women said, “My lord, I and this woman live in the same house; and when she was in the house, I gave birth to a baby. 18Three days after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were there together; there was no one else with us in the house except the two of us. 19During the night this woman’s child died, because she rolled over on top of it. 20So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from next to me, while your servant was sleeping, and put it in her arms; and she laid her dead child in my arms. 21When I awoke in the morning to feed my child from my breast, there it was, dead. But when I took a closer look later in the morning, why, it wasn’t my son at all — not the one I gave birth to!” 22The other woman broke in, “No! The living one is my son, and the dead one is your son!” The first one said, “No! The dead one is your son and the living one is my son!” This is how they spoke in the presence of the king.
23Then the king said, “This woman says, ‘The living one is my son; your son is the dead one’; while the other says, ‘No, the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.’ 24Bring me a sword,” said the king. They brought a sword to the king. 25The king said, “Cut the living child in two; give half to the one and half to the other.” 26At this, the woman to whom the living child belonged addressed the king, because she felt so strongly toward her son: “Oh, my lord, give her the living child; you mustn’t kill it!” But the other one said, “It will be neither yours nor mine. Divide it up!” 27Then the king answered, “Give the living child to the first woman, don’t kill it, because she is its mother.” 28All Isra’el heard of the decision the king had made and held the king in awe, for they saw that God’s wisdom was in him, enabling him to render justice properly.
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M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 3: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 Kings 3
3
1 AND SOLOMON made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the City of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 But the people sacrificed [to God] in the high places [as the heathen did to their idols], for there was no house yet built to the Name of the Lord.
3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking [at first] in the statutes and practices of David his father, only he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon [near Jerusalem, where stood the tabernacle and the bronze altar] to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. One thousand burnt offerings Solomon offered on that altar.
5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, Ask what I shall give you.
6 Solomon said, You have shown to Your servant David my father great mercy and loving-kindness, according as he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart with You; and You have kept for him this great kindness and steadfast love, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a lad [in wisdom and experience]; I know not how to go out (begin) or come in (finish).
8 Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people who cannot be counted for multitude.
9 So give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge and rule this Your great people? [James 1:5.]
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
11 God said to him, Because you have asked this and have not asked for long life or for riches, nor for the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to recognize what is just and right,
12 Behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise, discerning mind, so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall any arise after you equal to you.
13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings equal to you all your days.
14 And if you will go My way, keep My statutes and My commandments as your father David did, then I will lengthen your days.
15 Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. He came to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
16 Then two women who had become mothers out of wedlock came and stood before the king.
17 And one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18 And the third day after I was delivered, this woman also was delivered. And we were together; no stranger was with us, just we two in the house.
19 And this woman's child died in the night because she lay on him.
20 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me while your handmaid slept and laid him in her bosom and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 And when I rose to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I had considered him in the morning, behold, it was not the son I had borne.
22 But the other woman said, No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son! And this one said, No! But the dead son is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
23 The king said, One says, This is my son that is alive and yours is the dead one. The other woman says, No! But your son is the dead one and mine is the living one.
24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword to the king.
25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other.
26 Then the mother of the living child said to the king, for she yearned over her son, O my lord, give her the living baby, and by no means slay him. But the other said, Let him not be mine or yours, but divide him.
27 Then the king said, Give her [who pleads for his life] the living baby, and by no means slay him. She is the child's mother.
28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had made, and they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.
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