1 Kings 3

1Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He 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.Cross-references: 2Sam 5:7 · 1Ki 6:1 · 1Ki 9:15 · 1Ki 9:24 · 1Ki 11:1 · 1Chr 11:7 · +5 more

2However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for Yahweh’s name.Cross-references: Lev 17:3 · Lev 26:30 · Deut 12:2 · 1Ki 5:3 · 1Ki 22:43 · 1Chr 17:4 · +3 more

3Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.Cross-references: Deut 6:5 · Deut 10:12 · Deut 30:6 · Deut 30:16 · Deut 30:20 · 2Sam 12:24 · +30 more

4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.Cross-references: Josh 9:3 · Josh 10:2 · 1Ki 8:63 · 1Ki 9:2 · 1Chr 16:39 · 1Chr 21:29 · +7 more

5In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”Cross-references: Gen 28:12 · Num 12:6 · 1Ki 9:2 · 1Ki 11:9 · 2Chr 1:7 · Job 33:14 · +11 more

6Solomon 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.Cross-references: Num 12:7 · 2Sam 7:5 · 2Sam 7:8 · 2Sam 12:7 · 2Sam 22:47 · 1Ki 1:48 · +13 more

7Now, 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.Cross-references: Num 27:17 · Deut 31:2 · 1Sam 18:16 · 2Sam 5:2 · 1Chr 29:1 · Job 32:6 · +11 more

8Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.Cross-references: Gen 13:16 · Gen 15:5 · Gen 22:17 · Ex 19:5 · Deut 7:6 · 1Sam 12:22 · +4 more

9Give 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?”Cross-references: Ex 3:11 · Ex 4:10 · 2Sam 14:17 · 1Ki 3:28 · 1Chr 22:12 · 1Chr 29:19 · +26 more

10This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.Cross-references: Prov 15:8

11God 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,Cross-references: 1Ki 3:9 · Ps 4:6 · Prov 16:31 · Matt 20:21 · Rom 8:26 · James 4:2

12behold, 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.Cross-references: 1Ki 2:6 · 1Ki 2:9 · 1Ki 3:28 · 1Ki 4:29 · 1Ki 5:12 · 1Ki 10:3 · +13 more

13I 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.Cross-references: 1Ki 4:21 · 1Ki 10:23 · Ps 84:11 · Prov 3:16 · Matt 6:33 · Rom 8:32 · +2 more

14If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”Cross-references: Deut 5:16 · Deut 25:15 · 1Ki 2:3 · 1Ki 3:3 · 1Ki 3:6 · 1Ki 9:4 · +15 more

15Solomon 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.Cross-references: Gen 31:54 · Gen 40:20 · Gen 41:7 · Lev 3:1 · Lev 7:11 · 2Sam 6:17 · +10 more

16Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.Cross-references: Ex 18:13 · Ex 18:16 · Lev 19:29 · Num 27:2 · Deut 23:17 · Josh 2:1 · +1 more

17The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.Cross-references: Gen 43:20 · Rom 13:7

18The 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.

19This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.

20She 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.Cross-references: Job 24:13 · Ps 139:11 · Matt 13:25 · John 3:20

21When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead; but when I had looked at him in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom I bore.”Cross-references: Gen 21:7 · 1Sam 1:23 · Lam 4:3

22The 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.” They argued like this before the king.Cross-references: 1Ki 3:23

23Then the king said, “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.’”

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

25The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.”Cross-references: Prov 25:8

26Then 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.”Cross-references: Gen 43:30 · Ps 39:3 · Isa 49:15 · Jer 31:20 · Hos 11:8 · Rom 1:31 · +4 more

27Then the king answered, “Give the first woman the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”

28All 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.Cross-references: Ex 14:31 · Josh 4:14 · 1Sam 12:18 · 1Ki 3:9 · 1Chr 29:24 · Ezra 7:25 · +10 more