1 Kings 3; 1 Kings 4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalms 72

1 Solomon and Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, agreed to help each other. So Solomon got married to Pharaoh's daughter. He brought her to the City of David. She stayed there until he finished building his palace, the LORD's temple, and the wall that was around Jerusalem.

2 But the people continued to offer sacrifices at the high places where they worshiped. That's because a temple hadn't been built yet where the LORD would put his Name.

3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord. He did it by obeying the laws his father David had taught him. But Solomon offered sacrifices at the high places. He also burned incense there.

4 King Solomon went to the city of Gibeon to offer sacrifices. That's where the most important high place was. He offered 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar that was there.

5 The LORD appeared to Solomon at Gibeon. He spoke to him in a dream during the night. God said, "Ask for anything you want me to give you."

6 Solomon answered, "You have been very kind to my father David, your servant. That's because he was faithful to you. He did what was right. His heart was honest. And you have continued to be very kind to him. You have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

7 "LORD my God, you have now made me king. You have put me in the place of my father David. But I'm only a little child. I don't know how to carry out my duties.

8 I'm here among the people you have chosen. They are a great nation. They are more than anyone can count.

9 So give me a heart that understands. Then I can rule over your people. I can tell the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Who can possibly rule over this great nation of yours?"

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for that.

11 So God said to him, "You have not asked to live for a long time. You have not asked to be wealthy. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. Instead, you have asked for understanding. You want to do what is right and fair when you judge people. Because that is what you have asked for,

12 I will give it to you. I will give you a wise and understanding heart. So here is what will be true of you. There has never been anyone like you. And there never will be.

13 "And that is not all. I will give you what you have not asked for. I will give you riches and honor. As long as you live, no other king will be as great as you are.

14 Live the way I want you to. Obey my laws and commands, just as your father David did. Then I will let you live for a long time."

15 Solomon woke up. He realized he had been dreaming. He returned to Jerusalem. He stood in front of the ark of the LORD's covenant. He sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings. Then he gave a big dinner for all of his officials.

16 Two prostitutes came to the king. They stood in front of him.

17 One of them said, "My master, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me.

18 Three days after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone. There wasn't anyone in the house but the two of us.

19 "During the night this woman's baby died. It happened because she was lying on top of him.

20 So she got up in the middle of the night. She took my son from my side while I was asleep. She put him by her breast. Then she put her dead son by my breast.

21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son. But he was dead! I looked at him closely in the morning light. And I saw that it wasn't my baby."

22 The other woman said, "No! The living baby is my son. The dead one belongs to you." But the first woman said, "No! The dead baby is yours. The living one belongs to me." So they argued in front of the king.

23 The king said, "One of you says, 'My son is alive. Your son is dead.' The other one says, 'No! Your son is dead. Mine is alive.' "

24 He continued, "Bring me a sword." So a sword was brought to him.

25 Then he gave an order. He said, "Cut the living child in two. Give half to one woman and half to the other."

26 The woman whose son was alive was filled with deep concern for her son. She said to the king, "My master, please give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" But the other woman said, "Neither one of us will have him. Cut him in two!"

27 Then the king made his decision. He said, "Give the living baby to the first woman. Don't kill him. She's his mother."

28 All of the people of Israel heard about the decision the king had given. That gave them great respect for him. They saw that God had given him wisdom. They knew that Solomon would do what was right and fair when he judged people.

1 So King Solomon ruled over the whole nation of Israel.

2 Here are the names of his chief officials. Azariah was the priest. He was the son of Zadok.

3 Elihoreph and Ahijah were secretaries. They were the sons of Shisha. Jehoshaphat kept the records. He was the son of Ahilud.

4 Benaiah was the commander in chief. He was the son of Jehoiada. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

5 Azariah was in charge of the local officials. He was the son of Nathan. Zabud was a priest. He was the king's personal adviser. He was the son of Nathan.

6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace. Adoniram was in charge of those who were forced to work for the king. He was the son of Abda.

7 Solomon also had 12 local governors over the whole land of Israel. They provided supplies for the king and the royal family. Each governor had to provide supplies for one month out of each year.

8 Here are their names and areas. Ben-Hur's area was the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Ben-Deker's area was Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh and Elon Bethhanan.

10 Ben-Hesed's area was Arubboth. Socoh and the whole land of Hepher were included in his area.

11 Ben-Abinadab's area was Naphoth Dor. He got married to Solomon's daughter Taphath.

12 Baana's area was Taanach, Megiddo and the whole territory of Beth Shan. Beth Shan was next to Zarethan below Jezreel. Baana's area reached from Beth Shan all the way to Abel Meholah. It also went across to Jokmeam. Baana was the son of Ahilud.

13 Ben-Geber's area was Ramoth Gilead. The settlements of Jair, the son of Manasseh, were included in his area in Gilead. The area of Argob in Bashan was also included. That area had 60 large cities that had high walls around them. The city gates were made secure with heavy bronze bars.

14 Ahinadab's area was Mahanaim. He was the son of Iddo.

15 Ahimaaz's area was Naphtali. He had gotten married to Basemath. She was Solomon's daughter.

16 Baana's area was Asher and Aloth. He was the son of Hushai.

17 Jehoshaphat's area was Issachar. He was the son of Paruah.

18 Shimei's area was Benjamin. He was the son of Ela.

19 Geber's area was Gilead. He was the only governor over the area. He was the son of Uri. Gilead had been the country of Sihon and Og. Sihon had been king of the Amorites. Og had been king of Bashan.

20 There were many people in Judah and Israel. In fact, they were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate, drank and were happy.

21 Solomon ruled over all of the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines. He ruled as far as the border of Egypt. All of those countries brought the gifts he required them to bring him. And Solomon ruled over those countries for his whole life.

22 Here are the supplies Solomon required every day.

23 ten head of cattle that had been fed by hand 20 head of cattle that had been fed on grasslands 100 sheep and goats deer, antelopes and roebucks the finest birds

24 Solomon ruled over all of the kingdoms that were west of the Euphrates River. He ruled from Tiphsah all the way to Gaza. And he had peace and rest on every side.

25 While Solomon was king, Judah and Israel lived in safety. They were secure from Dan all the way to Beersheba. Each man had his own vine and fig tree.

26 Solomon had 4,000 spaces where he kept his chariot horses. He had a total of 12,000 horses.

27 The local officials provided supplies for King Solomon. They provided them for all who ate at the king's table. Each official provided supplies for one month every year. The officials made sure the king had everything he needed.

28 They also brought barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses. Each of them brought the amounts that were required of them. They brought them to the proper places.

29 God made Solomon very wise. His understanding couldn't even be measured. It was like the sand on the seashore. People can't measure that either.

30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all of the people of the east. It was greater than all of the wisdom of Egypt.

31 Solomon was wiser than any other man. He was wiser than Ethan, the Ezrahite. He was wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda. They were the sons of Mahol. Solomon became famous in all of the nations that were around him.

32 He spoke 3,000 proverbs. He wrote 1,005 songs.

33 He explained all about plants. He knew everything about them, from the cedar trees in Lebanon to the hyssop plants that grow out of walls. He taught about animals and birds. He also taught about reptiles and fish.

34 The kings of all of the world's nations heard about how wise Solomon was. So they sent their people to listen to him.

1 Solomon was the son of David. Solomon made his position secure over his kingdom. The LORD his God was with him. He made Solomon very great.

2 Solomon spoke to the whole community of Israel. He spoke to the commanders of thousands of men and commanders of hundreds. He spoke to the judges and all of the leaders in Israel. He spoke to the leaders of Israel's families.

3 Solomon and the whole community went to the high place at Gibeon. That's because God's Tent of Meeting was there. The LORD's servant Moses had made the tent in the desert.

4 David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim. He had brought it to the place he had prepared for it. He had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem.

5 But the bronze altar that Bezalel had made was in Gibeon. Bezalel was the son of Uri. Uri was the son of Hur. The altar was in front of the LORD's holy tent. So Solomon and the whole community asked the LORD for advice there.

6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar in front of the LORD at the Tent of Meeting. Solomon sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar.

7 That night God appeared to Solomon. He said to him, "Ask for anything you want me to give you."

8 Solomon answered God, "You were very kind to my father David. Now you have made me king in his place.

9 LORD God, let the promise you gave to my father David come true. You have made me king. My people are like the dust of the earth. They can't be counted.

10 Give me wisdom and knowledge. Then I'll be able to lead these people. Without your help, who would be able to rule this great nation of yours?"

11 God said to Solomon, "I am glad that those are the things you really want. You have not asked for wealth, riches or honor. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. You have not asked to live for a long time. Instead, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge. You want to be able to rule my people wisely. I have made you king over them.

12 "So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you wealth, riches and honor. You will have more than any king before you ever had. And no king after you will have as much."

13 Then Solomon left the high place at Gibeon. He went from the Tent of Meeting there to Jerusalem. And he ruled over Israel.

14 Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept some of them in the chariot cities. He kept others with him in Jerusalem.

15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar wood as common there as sycamore-fig trees in the western hills.

16 Solomon got horses from Egypt and Kue. The king's buyers purchased them from Kue.

17 They could get a chariot from Egypt for 15 pounds of silver. They could get a horse for less than four pounds of silver. They sold horses and chariots to all of the Hittite and Aramean kings.

1 God, give the king the ability to judge fairly. He is your royal son. Help him to do what is right.

2 Then he will rule your people in the right way. He will be fair to those among your people who are hurting.

3 The mountains and the hills will produce rich crops, because the people will do what is right.

4 The king will stand up for those who are hurting. He will save the children of those who are in need. He will crush those who beat others down.

5 He will rule as long as the sun shines and the moon gives its light. He will rule for all time to come.

6 He will be like rain falling on the fields. He will be like showers watering the earth.

7 Godly people will do well as long as he rules. They will have more than they need as long as the moon lasts.

8 He will rule from ocean to ocean. His kingdom will reach from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

9 The desert tribes will bow down to him. His enemies will lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of places far away will bring him gifts. The kings of Sheba and Seba will give him presents.

11 All kings will bow down to him. All nations will serve him.

12 People who are in need will cry out, and he will save them. He will save those who are hurting. They don't have anyone else who can help them.

13 He will take pity on those who are weak and in need. He will save them from death.

14 He will save them from people who beat others down. He will save them from people who do mean things to them. Their lives are very special to him.

15 May he live a long time! May gold from Sheba be given to him. May people always pray for him. May they ask the LORD to bless him all day long.

16 Let there be plenty of grain everywhere in the land. May it sway in the wind on the tops of the hills. Let crops grow well, like those in Lebanon. Let them grow like the grass of the field.

17 May the king's name be remembered forever. May his fame last as long as the sun shines. All nations will be blessed because of him. They will call him blessed.

18 Give praise to the LORD God, the God of Israel. Only he can do wonderful things.

19 Give praise to his glorious name forever. May his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, end here.