1 Kings

Solomon’s Vision

Solomon entered into a marriage alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his palace, the Lord’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem.

Meantime, the people were sacrificed at the high places because the house for the Name of the Lord had not yet been built.

This is why Solomon also sacrificed and burnt incense at a high place, although he loved the Lord and followed the commands of David, his father.

The king used to sacrifice at Gibeon, the great high place; on the altar there, he had offered a thousand burnt offerings.

It was in Gibeon, during the night, that the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said: “Ask what you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered: “You have shown your servant David, my father, a great and steadfast love because he served you faithfully and was righteous and sincere towards you. You have given him proof of your steadfast love in making a son of his sit on his throne this day.

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David, my father, although I am a young boy who does not know how to undertake anything.

Meantime, your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen—a people so great that they can neither be numbered nor counted.

Give me an understanding mind in governing your people so that I may discern between good and evil. For who can govern this multitude of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had made this request.

And he told him: “Because you have requested this rather than long life or wealth or even vengeance on your enemies; indeed, because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,

I shall grant you your request. I now give you a wise and discerning mind like no one has had before you, nor anyone after you shall ever have.

I will also give you what you have not asked for, both wealth and fame; and no king shall be your equal during your lifetime.

Moreover, if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commands, as your father David did, I shall give you long life.”

Solomon awoke and knew that this was a dream. So he went to Jerusalem and, standing before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt and peace offerings and gave a feast for all his servants.

Solomon’s Judgment

Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.

One of the two women said: “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was there with me.

Three days after my child was born, this woman also gave birth. We were alone, and there was no one in the house but the two of us.

Then this woman’s son died during the night because she lay on him.

So during the night, she got up, took my son from my side while I slept, and laid him beside her and her dead son beside me.

When I got up in the morning to nurse my child, I saw it was dead. But when I looked at it closely in the morning, I saw it was not my child.”

The other woman said: “No, the living child is mine; the dead child is yours.” The first replied: “Not so; the dead child is yours; the living child is mine.” And they quarreled this way in the king’s presence.

The king said: “One says: ‘This is my son who is alive; your son is dead’; the other says: ‘That is not so, your son is dead; my son is the live one.’”

And the king said:“Bring me a sword.”When they brought the king a sword,

he gave this order: “Divide the child in two and give half to one, half to the other.”

Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king out of pity for her son: “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, but spare its life.” The other woman said: “It shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide it!”

Then the king spoke: “Give the living child to the first woman and spare his life. She is its mother.”

When all Israel heard of the king’s judgment, they revered him, seeing that God’s wisdom was in him to render justice.