| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying Pharaoh's daughter. Solomon brought her to live in the city of David until he finished building his palace, the LORD's temple, and the wall surrounding Jerusalem. | 1Later, Solomon formed an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Solomon brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his palace and the house of the LORD, as well as the wall around Jerusalem. |
| 2However, the people were sacrificing on the high places, because until that time a temple for the LORD's name had not been built. | 2The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built. |
| 3Solomon loved the LORD by walking in the statutes of his father David, but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. | 3And Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. |
| 4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered 1,000 burnt offerings on that altar. | 4Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. |
| 5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask. What should I give you?" | 5One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!” |
| 6And Solomon replied, "You have shown great and faithful love to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today." | 6Solomon replied, “You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day. |
| 7 LORD my God, You have now made Your servant king in my father David's place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. | 7And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in. |
| 8Your servant is among Your people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. | 8Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number. |
| 9So give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" | 9Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?” |
| 10Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. | 10Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request. |
| 11So God said to him, "Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to understand justice, | 11So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this instead of requesting long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies—but you have asked for discernment to administer justice— |
| 12I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. | 12behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you. |
| 13In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no man in any kingdom will be your equal during your entire life. | 13Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal. |
| 14If you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life." | 14So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days.” |
| 15Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord's covenant, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants. | 15Then Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. So he returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants. |
| 16Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. | 16At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. |
| 17One woman said, "Please my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was in the house. | 17One woman said, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was in the house. |
| 18On the third day after I gave birth, she also had a baby and we were alone. No one else was with us in the house; just the two of us were there. | 18On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us. |
| 19During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. | 19During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on him. |
| 20She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while your servant was asleep. She laid him at her breast, and she put her dead son in my arms. | 20So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom. |
| 21When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. That morning, when I looked closely at him I realized that he was not the son I gave birth to."" | 21The next morning, when I got up to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. But when I examined him, I realized that he was not the son I had borne.” |
| 22No," the other woman said. "My son is the living one; your son is the dead one." The first woman said, "No, your son is the dead one; my son is the living one." So they argued before the king. | 22“No,” said the other woman, “the living one is my son and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine.” So they argued before the king. |
| 23The king replied, "This woman says, 'This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,' but that woman says, 'No, your son is dead, and my son is alive.'" | 23Then the king replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’ ” |
| 24The king continued, "Bring me a sword." So they brought the sword to the king. | 24The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword, |
| 25Solomon said, "Cut the living boy in two and give half to one and half to the other." | 25and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” |
| 26The woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she felt great compassion for her son. "My lord, give her the living baby," she said, "but please don't have him killed!" But the other one said, "He will not be mine or yours. Cut him in two!" | 26Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!” |
| 27The king responded, "Give the living baby to the first woman, and don't kill him. She is his mother." | 27Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.” |
| 28All Israel heard about the judgment the king had given, and they stood in awe of the king because they saw that God's wisdom was in him to carry out justice. | 28When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice. |
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