1 Kings Chapter 3
Other Translations
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
2
Nevertheless the people burnt incense on the high places, because a house had not yet been built to the Lord.
3
And Solomon loved the Lord, [so as] to walk in the ordinances of David his father; only he sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.
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And he arose and went to Gabaon to sacrifice there, for that [was] the highest place, and great: Solomon offered a whole-burnt-offering of a thousand [victims] on the altar in Gabaon.
5
And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and the Lord said to Solomon, Ask some petition for thyself.
6
And Solomon said, Thou hast dealt very mercifully with thy servant David my father according 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 mercy, to set his son upon his throne, as [it is] this day.
7
And now, O Lord my God, thou hast appointed thy servant in the room of David my father; and I am a little child, and know not my going out and my coming in.
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But thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people, whom thou hast chosen, a great people, which cannot be numbered.
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Thou shalt give therefore to thy servant a heart to hear and to judge thy people justly, and to discern between good and evil: for who will be able to judge this thy great people?
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And it was pleasing before the Lord, that Solomon asked this thing.
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And the Lord said to him, Because thou hast asked this thing of me, and hast not asked for thyself long life, and hast not asked wealth, nor hast asked the lives of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to hear judgment;
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behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee an understanding and wise heart: there has not been [any one] like thee before thee, and after thee there shall not arise one like thee.
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And I have given thee what thou hast not asked, wealth and glory, so that there has not been any one like thee among kings.
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And if thou wilt walk in my way, to keep my commandments and my ordinances, as David thy father walked, then will I multiply thy days.
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And Solomon awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream: and he arose and came to Jerusalem, and stood before the altar that was in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord in Sion: and he offered whole-burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace-offerings, and made a great banquet for himself and all his servants.
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Then there appeared two harlots before the king, and they stood before him.
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And the one woman said, Hear me, [my] lord; I and this woman dwelt in one house, and we were delivered in the house.
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And it came to pass on the third day after I was delivered, this woman also was delivered: and we [were] together; and there was no one with us besides our two selves in the house.
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And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
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And she arose in the middle of the night, and took my son from my arms, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
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And I arose in the morning to suckle my son, and he was dead: and, behold, I considered him in the morning, and, behold, it was not my son whom I bore.
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And the other woman said, No, but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] thy son. So they spoke before the king.
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And the king said to them, Thou sayest, This [is] my son, [even] the living [one], and this woman's son [is] the dead one: and thou sayest, No, but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] thy son.
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And the king said, Fetch a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
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And the king said, Divide the live child, the suckling, in two; and give half of it to one, and half of it to the other.
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And the woman whose the living child was, answered and said to the king, (for her bowels yearned over her son) and she said, I pray thee, [my] lord, give her the child, and in nowise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor hers; divide [it].
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Then the king answered and said, Give the child to her that said, ‘Give it to her, and by no means slay it:’ she [is] its mother.
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And all Israel heard this judgment which the king judged, and they feared before the king; because they saw that the wisdom of God [was] in him, to execute judgment.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Solomon 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, the LORD’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2
However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for the LORD’s name.
3
Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
4
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5
In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”
6
Solomon 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.
7
Now, LORD 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.
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Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.
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Give 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?”
10
This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11
God 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,
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behold, 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.
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I 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.
14
If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15
Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
16
Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.
17
The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.
18
The 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.
19
This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.
20
She 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.
21
When 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.”
22
The 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.
23
Then 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.’”
24
The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
25
The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.”
26
Then 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.”
27
Then the king answered, “Give the first woman the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”
28
All 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.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).