1 Kings 3 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Solomon’s Marriage and Sacrifices

1 Then Solomon ^H8010 [fn]formed ^H2859 a ^H2859 marriage ^H2859 alliance ^H2859 with Pharaoh ^H6547 king ^H4428 of Egypt ^H4714, and took ^H3947 Pharaoh’s ^H6547 daughter ^H1323 and brought ^H935 her to the city ^H5892 of David ^H1732 until ^H5704 he had completed ^H3615 building ^H1129 his own house ^H1004 and the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068 and the wall ^H2346 around ^H5439 Jerusalem ^H3389.

2 The people ^H5971 were still ^H7534 sacrificing ^H2076 on the high ^H1116 places ^H1116 because ^H3588 there was no ^H3808 house ^H1004 built ^H1129 for the name ^H8034 of Yahweh ^H3068 until ^H5704 those ^H1992 days ^H3117.

3 And Solomon ^H8010 loved ^H157 Yahweh ^H3068, walking ^H1980 in the statutes ^H2708 of his father ^H1 David ^H1732, except ^H7534 he sacrificed ^H2076 and burned ^H6999 incense ^H6999 on the high ^H1116 places ^H1116. 4 And the king ^H4428 went ^H1980 to Gibeon ^H1391 to sacrifice ^H2076 there ^H8033, for that was the great ^H1419 high ^H1116 place ^H1116; Solomon ^H8010 offered ^H5927 one thousand ^H505 burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930 on that altar ^H4196. 5 In Gibeon ^H1391, Yahweh ^H3068 appeared ^H7200 to Solomon ^H8010 in a dream ^H2472 at night ^H3915; and God ^H430 said ^H559, “Ask ^H7592 what ^H4100 I should give ^H5414 to you.”

God Gives Wisdom to Solomon

6 Then Solomon ^H8010 said ^H559, “You have shown ^H6213 great ^H1419 lovingkindness ^H2617 to Your slave ^H5650 David ^H1732 my father ^H1, according ^H834 to how he walked ^H1980 before ^H6440 You in [fn]truth ^H571 and righteousness ^H6666 and uprightness ^H3483 of heart ^H3824 toward ^H5973 You; and You have kept ^H8104 for him this ^H2088 great ^H1419 lovingkindness ^H2617, that You have given ^H5414 him a son ^H1121 to sit ^H3427 on his throne ^H3678, as it is this ^H2088 day ^H3117. 7 So now ^H6258, O Yahweh ^H3068 my God ^H430, You have made ^H4427 Your slave ^H5650 king ^H4427 in ^H8478 place ^H8478 of ^H8478 my father ^H1 David ^H1732, yet I am but a little ^H6996 child ^H5288; I do not know ^H3045 how to go ^H3318 out ^H3318 or come ^H935 in ^H935. 8 And Your slave ^H5650 is in the midst ^H8432 of Your people ^H5971 which ^H834 You have chosen ^H977, a numerous ^H7227 people ^H5971 who ^H834 are too ^H4480 many ^H7230 to be numbered ^H4487 or counted ^H5608. 9 So give ^H5414 Your slave ^H5650 a listening ^H8085 heart ^H3820 to judge ^H8199 Your people ^H5971 to discern ^H995 between ^H996 good ^H2896 and evil ^H7451. For who ^H4310 is ^H3201 able ^H3201 to [fn]judge ^H8199 this ^H2088 glorious ^H3515 people ^H5971 of Yours?”

10 [fn]And it was pleasing ^H3190 in the sight ^H5869 of the Lord ^H136 that Solomon ^H8010 had asked ^H7592 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697. 11 And God ^H430 said ^H559 to him, “Because ^H3282 H834 you have asked ^H7592 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697 and have not asked ^H7592 for yourself [fn]long ^H7227 life ^H3117, nor ^H3808 have asked ^H7592 riches ^H6239 for yourself, nor ^H3808 have you asked ^H7592 for the life ^H5315 of your enemies ^H340, but have asked ^H7592 for yourself discernment ^H995 to listen ^H8085 to justice ^H4941, 12 behold ^H2009, I have done ^H6213 according to your words ^H1697. Behold ^H2009, I have given ^H5414 you a wise ^H2450 and discerning ^H995 heart ^H3820, so ^H834 that ^H834 there has been ^H1961 no ^H3808 one like ^H3644 you before ^H6440 you, nor ^H3808 shall one like ^H3644 you arise ^H6965 after ^H310 you. 13 I have also ^H1571 given ^H5414 you what ^H834 you have not asked ^H7592, both ^H1571 riches ^H6239 and honor ^H3519, so ^H834 that ^H834 there will not be any ^H376 among the kings ^H4428 like ^H3644 you all ^H3605 your days ^H3117. 14 Now if ^H518 you walk ^H1980 in My ways ^H1870, keeping ^H8104 My statutes ^H2706 and commandments ^H4687, as your father ^H1 David ^H1732 walked ^H1980, then I will prolong ^H748 your days ^H3117.”

15 Then Solomon ^H8010 awoke ^H3364, and behold ^H2009, it was a dream ^H2472. And he came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389 and stood ^H5975 before ^H6440 the ark ^H727 of the covenant ^H1285 of the Lord ^H136, and offered ^H5927 burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930 and made ^H6213 peace ^H8002 offerings ^H8002, and made ^H6213 a feast ^H4960 for all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650.

Solomon Wisely Judges

16 Then ^H227 two ^H8147 women ^H802 who were harlots ^H2181 came ^H935 to the king ^H4428 and stood ^H5975 before ^H6440 him.

17 And the one ^H259 woman ^H802 said ^H559, “Oh ^H994, my lord ^H113, [fn]this ^H2088 woman ^H802 and I live ^H3427 in the same ^H259 house ^H1004; and I gave ^H3205 birth ^H3205 to ^H3205 a ^H3205 child ^H3205 while ^H5973 she was in the house ^H1004. 18 And it happened ^H1961 on the third ^H7992 day ^H3117 after I gave ^H3205 birth ^H3205, that this ^H2088 woman ^H802 also ^H1571 gave ^H3205 birth ^H3205 to ^H3205 a ^H3205 child ^H3205, and we were together ^H3162. There ^H369 was ^H369 no ^H369 stranger ^H2114 with us in the house ^H1004, only ^H2108 the two ^H8147 of us in the house ^H1004. 19 And this ^H2088 woman’s ^H802 son ^H1121 died ^H4191 in the night ^H3915 because ^H834 she lay ^H7901 on him. 20 So she arose ^H6965 in the middle ^H8432 of the night ^H3915 and took ^H3947 my son ^H1121 from beside ^H681 me while your maidservant ^H519 slept ^H3463, and laid ^H7901 him in her bosom ^H2436, and laid ^H7901 her dead ^H4191 son ^H1121 in my bosom ^H2436. 21 When I rose ^H6965 in the morning ^H1242 to nurse ^H3243 my son ^H1121, behold ^H2009, he was dead ^H4191; but when I looked ^H995 at him carefully ^H995 in the morning ^H1242, behold ^H2009, he was not my son ^H1121, whom ^H834 I had borne ^H3205.” 22 Then the other ^H312 woman ^H802 said ^H559, “No ^H3808! For the living ^H2416 one ^H2416 is my son ^H1121, and the dead ^H4191 one is your son ^H1121.” But [fn]the first ^H2088 woman ^H2088 said ^H559, “No ^H3808! For the dead ^H4191 one is your son ^H1121, and the living ^H2416 one ^H2416 is my son ^H1121.” Thus they spoke ^H1696 before ^H6440 the king ^H4428.

23 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “[fn]The one ^H2088 says ^H559, ‘This ^H2088 is my son ^H1121 who is living ^H2416, and your son ^H1121 is the dead ^H4191 one’; and [fn]the other ^H2088 says ^H559, ‘No ^H3808! For your son ^H1121 is the dead ^H4191 one, and my son ^H1121 is the living ^H2416 one ^H2416.’” 24 And the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “Get ^H3947 me a sword ^H2719.” So they brought ^H935 a sword ^H2719 before ^H6440 the king ^H4428. 25 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “Divide ^H1504 the living ^H2416 child ^H3206 in two ^H8147, and give ^H5414 half ^H2677 to the one ^H259 and half ^H2677 to the other ^H259.” 26 Then the woman ^H802 whose ^H834 son ^H1121 was the living ^H2416 one ^H2416 spoke ^H559 to the king ^H4428, for [fn]she was deeply stirred ^H3648 with compassion ^H7356 over ^H5921 her son ^H1121 and said ^H559, “Oh ^H994, my lord ^H113, give ^H5414 her the living ^H2416 child ^H3205, and by no ^H408 means ^H4191 put ^H4191 him to ^H4191 death ^H4191.” But the other ^H2088 said ^H559, “He shall be neither ^H1571 H3808 mine nor ^H3808 yours; divide ^H1504 him!” 27 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “Give ^H5414 [fn]the first woman the living ^H2416 child ^H3205, and by no ^H3808 means ^H4191 put ^H4191 him to ^H4191 death ^H4191. She is his mother ^H517.” 28 Then all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 heard ^H8085 of the judgment ^H4941 which ^H834 the king ^H4428 had [fn]handed ^H8199 down ^H8199, and they feared ^H3372 the king ^H4428, for they saw ^H7200 that the wisdom ^H2451 of God ^H430 was in him to do ^H6213 justice ^H4941.