1Kings:3

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* Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt ; he 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 . * The people were sacrificing at the high places , however , because no house had yet been built for the name of the LORD . * Solomon loved the LORD , walking in the statutes of David his father ; only , he sacrificed and burnt incense at the high places . * And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there , for that was the great high place ; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings upon that altar . * At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night ; and God said , "Ask what I shall give you ." * And Solomon said , "Thou hast shown great and steadfast love to thy servant David my father , because he walked before thee in faithfulness , in righteousness , and in uprightness of heart toward thee ; and thou hast kept for him this great and steadfast love , and hast given him a son to sit on his throne this day . * And now , O LORD my God , thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father , although I am but a little child ; I do not know how to go out or come in . * And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen , a great people , that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude . * Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people , that I may discern between good and evil ; for who is able to govern this thy great people ?" * It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this . * And God said to him , "Because you have asked this , and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies , but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right , * behold , I now do according to your word . Behold , I give you a wise and discerning mind , so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you . * I give you also what you have not asked , both riches and honor , so that no other king shall compare with you , all your days . * And if you will walk in my ways , keeping my statutes and my commandments , as your father David walked , then I will lengthen your days ." * And Solomon awoke , and behold , it was a dream . Then he came to Jerusalem , and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD , and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings , and made a feast for all his servants . * Then two harlots came to the king , and stood before him . * The one woman said , "Oh , my lord , this woman and I dwell in the same house ; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house . * Then on the third day after I was delivered , this woman also gave birth ; and we were alone ; there was no one else with us in the house , only we two were in the house . * And this woman 's son died in the night , because she lay on it . * And she arose at midnight , and took my son from beside me , while your maidservant slept , and laid it in her bosom , and laid her dead son in my bosom . * When I rose in the morning to nurse my child , behold , it was dead ; but when I looked at it closely in the morning , behold , it was not the child that I had borne ." * But the other woman said , "No , the living child is mine , and the dead child is yours ." The first said , "No , the dead child is yours , and the living child is mine ." Thus they spoke before the king . * Then the king said , "The one says , `This is my son that is alive , and your son is dead '; and the other says , `No ; but your son is dead , and my son is the living one .'" * And the king said , "Bring me a sword ." So a sword was brought before the king . * And the king said , "Divide the living child in two , and give half to the one , and half to the other ." * Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king , because her heart yearned for her son , "Oh , my lord , give her the living child , and by no means slay it ." But the other said , "It shall be neither mine nor yours ; divide it ." * Then the king answered and said , "Give the living child to the first woman , and by no means slay it ; she is its mother ." * And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered ; and they stood in awe of the king , because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him , to render justice .

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