Parallel Bible results for "1 kings 3"

1 Kings 3

Good News Translation GNT

1 Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he had finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem.

2 A temple had not yet been built for the Lord, and so the people were still offering sacrifices at many different altars.

3 Solomon loved the Lord and followed the instructions of his father David, but he also slaughtered animals and offered them as sacrifices on various altars.

4 On one occasion he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most famous altar was. He had offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past.

5 That night the Lord appeared to him in a dream and asked him, "What would you like me to give you?"

6 Solomon answered, "You always showed great love for my father David, your servant, and he was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. And you have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place.

7 O Lord God, you have let me succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and don't know how to rule.

8 Here I am among the people you have chosen to be your own, a people who are so many that they cannot be counted.

9 So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?"

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this,

11 and so he said to him, "Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies,

12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before or will ever have again.

13 I will also give you what you have not asked for: all your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king.

14 And if you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life."

15 Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of the Lord's Covenant Box and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. After that he gave a feast for all his officials.

16 One day two prostitutes came and presented themselves before King Solomon.

17 One of them said, "Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there.

18 Two days after my child was born, she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house - no one else was present.

19 Then one night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it.

20 She got up during the night, took my son from my side while I was asleep, and carried him to her bed; then she put the dead child in my bed.

21 The next morning, when I woke up and was going to nurse my baby, I saw that it was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child."

22 But the other woman said, "No! The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours!" The first woman answered back, "No! The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine!" And so they argued before the king.

23 Then King Solomon said, "Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one."

24 He sent for a sword, and when it was brought,

25 he said, "Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it."

26 The real mother, her heart full of love for her son, said to the king, "Please, Your Majesty, don't kill the child! Give it to her!" But the other woman said, "Don't give it to either of us; go on and cut it in two."

27 Then Solomon said, "Don't kill the child! Give it to the first woman - she is its real mother."

28 When the people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision, they were all filled with deep respect for him, because they knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.

World English Bible WEB

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.

8 Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.

9 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,

12 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.

13 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.