所罗门求智慧

所罗门娶了埃及法老的女儿,与法老结盟。他在自己的王宫、耶和华的殿和耶路撒冷的城墙完工之前,让她一直住在大卫城。 那时候,用来尊崇耶和华之名的殿还没有建成,以色列人仍然在丘坛献祭。 所罗门爱耶和华,遵行他父亲大卫的律例,只是仍然在丘坛献祭烧香。

有一次,所罗门王上基遍献了一千头祭牲作燔祭,因为那里有最重要的丘坛。 在基遍,耶和华晚上在梦中向所罗门显现,对他说:“你想要什么,只管向我求。”

所罗门说:“你的仆人——我父大卫本着诚实、公义、正直的心在你面前行事,你就向他大施恩慈,并且一如既往地以厚恩待他,让他儿子今天继承他的王位。 我的上帝耶和华啊,你让仆人继承我父亲大卫的王位,但仆人还年幼无知,不懂得如何治理国家。 仆人住在你所拣选的子民中,这些子民多得不可胜数。 求你赐我智慧治理你的子民,并能辨别是非;不然,我又怎能治理你这众多的子民呢?” 10 主喜悦所罗门的祈求, 11 对他说:“既然你不为自己求寿、求财富,也不求灭绝仇敌,只求有智慧治理我的子民, 12 我必应允你,赐给你空前绝后的智慧和悟性。 13 你没有求富贵和尊荣,但我会一并赐给你,使你有生之年在列王中无人能比。 14 你若像你父亲大卫一样遵行我的道,遵守我的律例和诫命,我必使你长寿。”

15 所罗门醒来,发现是在做梦。他回到耶路撒冷,站在耶和华的约柜前献上燔祭和平安祭,又宴请群臣。

智断死婴案

16 一天,两个妓女到王面前告状。 17 其中一个说:“我主啊,我跟这女人同住,我生了一个男孩,当时她也在场。 18 我生产后三天,她也生了一个男孩。我们住在一起,除了我们二人,屋里没有别人。 19 一天晚上,她不小心压死了自己的孩子。 20 她半夜起来,趁我熟睡的时候抱走了我身边的孩子,放在她怀中,把她的死孩子放在我怀中。 21 天快亮的时候,我起来给孩子喂奶,发现孩子死了。天亮后,我仔细察看孩子,发现孩子不是我生的。” 22 另一个女人说:“不对!活孩子是我的,死孩子是你的。”第一个女人说:“不对!死孩子是你的,活孩子是我的。”两个女人在王面前争吵起来。 23 王见她们二人都说活孩子是自己的,死孩子是对方的, 24 就命人拿刀来。侍从把刀拿来后, 25 王下令将那活孩子劈成两半,让她们各得一半。 26 活孩子的母亲心疼自己的孩子,就说:“我主啊,把孩子给她吧,千万不要杀他!”但另一个女人却说:“孩子不归我,也不归你,把他劈开吧!”

27 王说:“不可杀这孩子,把他交给刚才为孩子求情的女人吧!她是孩子的母亲。” 28 以色列人听见王这样断案,都敬畏他,因为他们知道他有上帝所赐的智慧,可以秉公执法。

Solomon Requests Wisdom(A)

Now (B)Solomon made [a]a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her (C)to the City of David until he had finished building his (D)own house, and (E)the house of the Lord, and (F)the wall all around Jerusalem. (G)Meanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. And Solomon (H)loved the Lord, (I)walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

Now (J)the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, (K)for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. (L)At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon (M)in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

(N)And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he (O)walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You (P)have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a (Q)little child; I do not know how (R)to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You (S)have chosen, a great people, (T)too numerous to be numbered or counted. (U)Therefore give to Your servant an [b]understanding heart (V)to judge Your people, that I may (W)discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have (X)not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 (Y)behold, I have done according to your words; (Z)see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also (AA)given you what you have not asked: both (AB)riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So (AC)if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, (AD)as your father David walked, then I will (AE)lengthen[c] your days.”

15 Then Solomon (AF)awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and (AG)made a feast for all his servants.

Solomon’s Wise Judgment

16 Now two women who were harlots came to the king, and (AH)stood before him. 17 And one woman said, “O my lord, this woman and I dwell in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house. 18 Then it happened, the third day after I had given birth, that this woman also gave birth. And we were together; [d]no one was with us in the house, except the two of us in the house. 19 And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. 20 So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning to nurse my son, there he was, dead. But when I had examined him in the morning, indeed, he was not my son whom I had borne.”

22 Then the other woman said, “No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.”

And the first woman said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.”

Thus they spoke before the king.

23 And the king said, “The 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 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.”

26 Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for (AI)she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!”

But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.

27 So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.”

28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the (AJ)wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 3:1 an alliance
  2. 1 Kings 3:9 Lit. hearing
  3. 1 Kings 3:14 prolong
  4. 1 Kings 3:18 Lit. no stranger

Solomon asks for wisdom

Solomon made an agreement with Pharaoh, who was the king of Egypt.[a] Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter. He brought her to live in the City of David.[b] She lived there until Solomon could finish building his own house, the Lord's temple, and the wall around Jerusalem.

Because there was not yet a temple where people could give honour to the Lord, they offered sacrifices at altars in other places.

Solomon loved the Lord and he obeyed the rules of his father David. But he offered sacrifices and he burned incense at altars in country places.[c] The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices there.[d] That was the place where the most important altar was. Solomon offered burnt offerings a thousand times on the altar there. One night in Gibeon, the Lord showed himself to Solomon in a dream. God said, ‘Ask me to give you whatever you want.’

Solomon answered, ‘You always showed your faithful love to your servant, my father David. He served you faithfully as a good, honest man. You have continued to show your faithful love to him even now. You have given him a son to rule as king on his throne. Lord my God, I am only a young man. I have not learned how to rule well. But you have now made me become king, as my father David was king.[e] I am here as your servant to lead the people that you have chosen for yourself. It is a great nation and it has too many people to count. So please give me a wise mind that understands things well. Then I will be able to rule your people properly. I will know the difference between right things and wrong things. I will only be able to rule this great nation of your people if you do that for me.’

10 The Lord God was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11-12 So God said to him, ‘You have not asked me to give you a long life, or to make you very rich. You have not asked me to punish your enemies with death. Instead you have asked for a wise mind so that you can rule well. Because of that, I will give you what you have asked for. Yes, I now give to you a wise mind that understands things well. You will be wiser than anyone who has already lived and wiser than anyone who will live after you.

13 I will give you even more than this. I will make you rich and famous, even though you did not ask for that. As long as you live, there will be no other king who is greater than you. 14 And if you serve me faithfully, I will also give you a long life. But you must obey my rules and my commands, as your father David did.’

15 Then Solomon woke up. He realized that it was a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and he stood in front of the Lord's Covenant Box. He offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God there. Then he gave a feast for all his officers.

Solomon shows that he is wise

16 Two women who were prostitutes came to meet with the king. They stood in front of him to tell him their problem.

17 One woman said, ‘My lord I live in the same house with this woman. I gave birth to a baby while she lived there with me. 18 Three days later, she also gave birth to a baby. We were alone in the house. Only the two of us were there, no one else. 19 But in the night, this woman lay on her son and he died. 20 So she got up during the night and she took my son from my side. I was still asleep. She put my son beside her. She put her dead son beside me. 21 When I got up in the morning to feed my son, I saw that he was dead! So I looked carefully at him in the morning light. Then I realized that he was not my son. He was not the son that I had given birth to!’

22 Then the other woman said, ‘No, that is not true! It is my son who is alive. Your son is dead!’

But the first woman answered, ‘No! The dead baby is your son. My son is alive!’

They continued to argue like that in front of the king.

23 Then the king said, ‘One of you says, “My son is alive and your son is dead.” But the other one says, “No! Your son is dead and my son is alive.” ’

24 So the king said, ‘Bring a sword to me!’ So they brought a sword to the king. 25 Then the king commanded, ‘Cut the child who is alive into two pieces. Give one piece to one woman and the other piece to the other woman.’

26 Then the mother of the child who was alive spoke to the king. She loved her son very much. So she said to the king, ‘My lord, please do not kill the baby! Instead, give him to the other woman.’

But the other woman said, ‘Neither of us should have him. Cut him in two pieces!’

27 So King Solomon said, ‘Do not kill the child! Give him to the first woman. She is his mother.’ 28 Everybody in Israel heard about what the king had decided. So they respected the king's authority. They realized that God had given him wisdom to judge fairly.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 In this kind of agreement, their countries agreed to be friends of each other. There should be no wars between them.
  2. 3:1 Solomon's wife lived in her own house in the City of David. She lived there for 13 years, until Solomon built his palace. See 1 Kings 7:1.
  3. 3:3 ‘country places’ or ‘high places’. These were places where there was an altar for people to worship their gods. Sometimes they were on a hill.
  4. 3:4 Gibeon was about 10 kilometres north-west of Jerusalem.
  5. 3:7 There was not yet a temple in Jerusalem with an altar to offer sacrifices to God. When they built the temple, it was the only right place for people to make sacrifices to God.

Chapter 3

Early Promise of Solomon’s Reign.[a] (A)Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He married the daughter of Pharaoh and brought her to the City of David, until he should finish building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people were sacrificing on the high places, however, for up to that time no house had been built for the name of the Lord. Although Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, he offered sacrifice and burned incense on the high places.

The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the great high place. Upon its altar Solomon sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said: Whatever you ask I shall give you. Solomon answered: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you with fidelity, justice, and an upright heart; and you have continued this great kindness toward him today, giving him a son to sit upon his throne. Now, Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed David my father; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act— I, your servant, among the people you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil. For who is able to give judgment for this vast people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased by Solomon’s request. 11 So God said to him: Because you asked for this—you did not ask for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies—but you asked for discernment to know what is right— 12 I now do as you request. I give you a heart so wise and discerning that there has never been anyone like you until now, nor after you will there be anyone to equal you. 13 (B)In addition, I give you what you have not asked for: I give you such riches and glory that among kings there will be no one like you all your days. 14 And if you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commandments, as David your father did, I will give you a long life. 15 Solomon awoke; it was a dream! He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, sacrificed burnt offerings and communion offerings, and gave a feast for all his servants.

Solomon’s Listening Heart.[b] 16 Later, two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One woman said: “By your leave, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth in the house while she was present. 18 On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were alone; no one else was in the house with us; only the two of us were in the house. 19 This woman’s son died during the night when she lay on top of him. 20 So in the middle of the night she got up and took my son from my side, as your servant was sleeping. Then she laid him in her bosom and laid her dead son in my bosom. 21 I rose in the morning to nurse my son, and he was dead! But when I examined him in the morning light, I saw it was not the son I had borne.” 22 The other woman answered, “No! The living one is my son, the dead one is yours.” But the first kept saying, “No! the dead one is your son, the living one is mine!” Thus they argued before the king. 23 Then the king said: “One woman claims, ‘This, the living one, is my son, the dead one is yours.’ The other answers, ‘No! The dead one is your son, the living one is mine.’” 24 The king continued, “Get me a sword.” When they brought the sword before the king, 25 he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other.” 26 [c]The woman whose son was alive, because she was stirred with compassion for her son, said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby—do not kill it!” But the other said, “It shall be neither mine nor yours. Cut it in two!” 27 The king then answered, “Give her the living baby! Do not kill it! She is the mother.” 28 When all Israel heard the judgment the king had given, they were in awe of him, because they saw that the king had in him the wisdom of God for giving right judgment.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1–15 The third major unit of the Solomon story depicts the bright beginning of his reign. It includes the narrator’s remarks about Solomon’s marriage and his building projects, and a divine appearance to Solomon. Compare 11:1–13, where the same themes recur, but in negative fashion. The story of the divine appearance is told also in 2 Chr 1:1–13.
  2. 3:16–5:14 The fourth major unit of the Solomon story shows how Solomon used the three gifts that the Lord gave him in 3:12–13: a listening heart (3:16–28), riches (4:1–5:8), universal renown (5:9–14). In each case his gifts benefited the populace, from the lowest classes (3:16–28) to his whole people (4:20; 5:5) to the whole world (5:9–14). Compare 9:26–10:29, where the same three gifts all redound to the benefit of Solomon himself.
  3. 3:26–27 The true mother reveals herself by an uncommon and tender word for the child, “baby.” With this, and the woman’s willingness to give up her child, Solomon realizes that she is the true mother, and quotes her words exactly in rendering his judgment.

Solomon Asks for Wisdom(A)

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married(B) his daughter.(C) He brought her to the City of David(D) until he finished building his palace(E) and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places,(F) because a temple had not yet been built for the Name(G) of the Lord. Solomon showed his love(H) for the Lord by walking(I) according to the instructions(J) given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.(K)

The king went to Gibeon(L) to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared(M) to Solomon during the night in a dream,(N) and God said, “Ask(O) for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful(P) to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son(Q) to sit on his throne this very day.

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child(R) and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,(S) a great people, too numerous to count or number.(T) So give your servant a discerning(U) heart to govern your people and to distinguish(V) between right and wrong. For who is able(W) to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked(X) for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment(Y) in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked.(Z) I will give you a wise(AA) and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not(AB) asked for—both wealth and honor(AC)—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal(AD) among kings. 14 And if you walk(AE) in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”(AF) 15 Then Solomon awoke(AG)—and he realized it had been a dream.(AH)

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings(AI) and fellowship offerings.(AJ) Then he gave a feast(AK) for all his court.

A Wise Ruling

16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”

22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”

24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved(AL) out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom(AM) from God to administer justice.