1 Kings 3

1 Later, Solomon formed an alliance [made affinity] with Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] king of Egypt by marrying [taking as wife] his daughter [the daughter of Pharaoh, a royal princess]. Solomon brought her to the City of David [the city of the king, Jerusalem] until he had finished [completed, made an end of] building [constructing, establishing] his palace [his own house, royal residence] and the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], as well as the wall [barrier, fortification] around [surrounding, enclosing] Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital city]. word study 2 The people [a nation], however, were still sacrificing [offering worship, making atonement] on the high places [elevated areas, cultic platforms] because a house [a dwelling place, a temple] for the Name [fame, renown, reputation] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had not yet been built [constructed, established]. word study 3 And Solomon [a king of Israel] loved [to have affection for, to cherish] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and walked [to move, to live] in the statutes [ordinances, divine laws] of his father [ancestor, paternal figure] David, except [only, but] that he sacrificed [to slaughter, to offer] and burned incense [to make perfume, to worship] on the high places [elevations, cultic platforms]. word study 4 Now the king [ruler, monarch] went to Gibeon [a Levitical city, el-Jib] to sacrifice [offer, slaughter] there, for it was the great [large, esteemed] high place [cultic platform, elevation]. Solomon [successor of David] offered a thousand [large number, multitude] burnt offerings [steps to the altar, ascensions] on the altar [place of sacrifice, worship] there. word study 5 One night [in the darkness, a period of rest] at Gibeon [a Levitical city, el-Jib] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared [was seen, looked after] to Solomon [a king of Israel] in a dream [a prophetic vision, a nocturnal revelation], and God [Elohim, the supreme God] said, “Ask [to inquire, seek information], and I will give [bestow, grant] it to you [as a gift, a blessing]!” word study 6 Solomon replied, “You have shown much [great, abundant] loving devotion [kindness, mercy] to Your servant [slave, one who serves], my father David, because he walked [lived, conducted himself] before You in faithfulness [truth], righteousness [uprightness, moral integrity], and uprightness [integrity, moral rectitude] of heart [mind, will, emotions]. And You have maintained [preserved, kept] this loving devotion [great kindness, loyal love] by giving him a son [descendant, heir] to sit on his throne [seat of power, royal authority] this very day [at this present time]. word study 7 And now [at this present time], O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] my God [Elohim, the supreme Deity], You have made Your servant [one who serves and obeys] king in my father [ancestor, forefather] David’s place. But I am only a little child [youth, inexperienced], not knowing [lacking understanding or wisdom] how to go out or come in [to lead or rule]. word study 8 Your servant [a humble slave, devoted to God] is here among the people [a great nation, chosen by God] You have chosen [selected, set apart], a people [a multitude, a great crowd] too numerous [abundant, countless] to count [to number, to enumerate] or number [to reckon, to calculate]. word study 9 Therefore give Your servant [faithful attendant, devoted follower] an understanding [discerning, wise] heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect] to judge [govern, vindicate] Your people [nation, community] and to discern [distinguish, separate] between [in the midst of] good [pleasant, beneficial] and evil [bad, harmful]. For who [what person, which one] is able [has the power, is capable] to govern [judge, rule] this great [numerous, mighty] people [Amaw, a large group] of Yours [belonging to You, under Your care]?” word study 10 Now it pleased [was good in the eyes of, delighted] the Lord [Adonay, the reverenced God] that Solomon [the king of Israel] had made [asked for, requested] this [specific, particular] request [thing, matter]. word study 11 So God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] said to him, “Since you have asked [sought, inquired] for this instead of requesting [pleading for] long life [many days, a prolonged existence] or wealth [riches, abundance] for yourself or death [the life, destruction] for your enemies—but you have asked [inquired, sought] for discernment [understanding, wisdom] to administer [to hear, judge] justice [righteous judgment]— word study 12 behold [look, take notice], I will do [accomplish, fulfill] what you have asked [requested, pleaded for]. I will give [bestow, grant] you a wise [intelligent, discerning] and discerning [understanding, perceptive] heart [mind, spirit], so that there has never been [existed, lived] nor will ever be [arise, come into existence] another [anyone, person] like you [similar to you, your equal]. word study 13 Moreover, I will give you what you did [ask for] not request—both riches [wealth, abundant treasures] and honor [glory, high esteem]—so that during all your days [the entirety of your life] no man [human, individual] in any kingdom [royal realm, domain] will be your equal [like you, comparable to you]. word study 14 So if you walk [conduct your life, follow] in My ways [path, journey] and keep [obey, guard] My statutes [decrees, laws] and commandments [orders, instructions], just as your father [ancestor, predecessor] David did, I will prolong [lengthen, extend] your days [lifetime, years].” word study 15 Then Solomon [the king of peace] awoke, and indeed it had been a [prophetic, God-given] dream [a vision from God]. So he returned to Jerusalem [the city of peace], stood before the ark [a chest or box] of the covenant [a promise or agreement] of the Lord [the supreme Master], and offered burnt offerings [a sacrifice completely consumed by fire] and peace offerings [a voluntary sacrifice to show thanks]. Then he held a feast [a banquet or celebration] for all his servants [those who serve or attend him]. word study 16 At that time [earlier, in a past situation] two [a pair, dual] prostitutes [harlots, women of loose morals] came [approached, entered] to the king [the royal ruler, monarch] and stood [took their position, remained] before him [in his presence, face to face]. word study 17 One woman [the first mother] said, “Please [if it please you, I beg of you], my lord [master, ruler], this woman [the other mother] and I [as a witness] live in the same house [dwelling place, shared residence], and I gave birth [was delivered of a child, brought forth] while she was in the house [at home, in our dwelling]. word study 18 On the third [following, after a sequence of two] day after I gave birth [was delivered, brought forth a child], this woman [the female, wife, or mother] also [too, in addition] had a baby [child, offspring]. We [together, as a unit] were alone [by ourselves, with no other person], with no one [nothing, no stranger] in the house [dwelling place, home] but [except, other than] the two [a pair, dual] of us [together, in unity]. word study 19 During the [dark and silent] night this woman’s [female person, wife] son [descendant, male child] died [to perish, come to an end] because she [in her sleep, unintentionally] rolled over [lay upon, overlaid] on him [the child, her baby]. word study 20 So she got up [at midnight, in the dead of night] in the middle of the night [the time of darkness, adversity] and took my son [my child, my offspring] from my side [beside me, near me] while I was asleep [sleeping, in a state of unawareness]. She laid him [her living child] in her bosom [her chest, a place of intimacy] and put her dead son [her lifeless child, her deceased offspring] at my bosom [my chest, a place of closeness]. word study 21 The next morning [at the break of day, in the morning light], when I got up to nurse [to suckle, give milk to] my son [child, descendant], I discovered he was dead [lifeless, deceased]. But when I examined [considered, looked at carefully] him, I realized that he was not [certainly not, by no means] the son [child, offspring] I had borne [given birth to, brought forth].” word study 22 “No,” said the other woman [a different one, another], “the living one [having life, alive] is my son [child, descendant] and the dead one [lifeless, deceased] is your son.” But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one [deceased, without life] is yours and the living one [full of life, alive] is mine.” So they argued [spoke, communicated] before the king [ruler, sovereign]. word study 23 Then the king [the ruler, monarch] replied, “This woman says, ‘My son [child, descendant] is alive [living, having life] and yours is dead [deceased, lifeless],’ but that woman says, ‘No [not, none], your son [child, offspring] is dead [deceased, lifeless] and mine is alive [living, having life].’” word study 24 The king [ruler, monarch] continued, “Bring [take, fetch] me a sword [cutting instrument, knife].” So they brought [came, approached] him a sword [before him, into his presence], word study 25 and the king [ruler, monarch] declared, “Cut [divide, separate] the living [alive, breathing] child [youth, young one] in two [into halves] and give [bestow, grant] half [one part, a portion] to one [a single person, an individual] and half [the other part, a share] to the other [the second person, another].” word study 26 Then the woman [mother, female parent] whose son [child, descendant] was alive [living, with physical life] spoke to the king [ruler, monarch] because she yearned [felt deep compassion, had strong emotions] with compassion [tender love, pity] for her son. “Please [I beg of you, if it pleases you], my lord [master, ruler],” she said, “give her the living baby [child, infant]. Do not [on no account, never] kill him [take his life, destroy him]!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine [belonging to me] nor yours [belonging to you]. Cut him in two [divide him, separate him]!” word study 27 Then the king [ruler, monarch] gave his ruling [judgment, verdict]: “Give [hand over, entrust] the living [breathing, alive] baby [child, infant] to the first woman [mother, female parent]. By no means [in no way, under no circumstances] should you kill [slay, put to death] him; she [the woman, his mother] is his mother [parent, caregiver].” word study 28 When all [every single one] Israel heard of the judgment [decision, verdict] the king had given, they stood in awe [fear, reverence] of him, for they saw that the wisdom [divine insight, skill] of God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] was in him to administer [to do, make] justice [righteous judgment]. word study