New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city.

1וַיִּתְחַתֵּ֣ן שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶת־ פַּרְעֹ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־ בַּת־ פַּרְעֹ֗ה וַיְבִיאֶ֙הָ֙ אֶל־ עִ֣יר דָּוִ֔ד עַ֣ד כַּלֹּת֗וֹ לִבְנ֤וֹת אֶת־ בֵּיתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְאֶת־ חוֹמַ֥ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם סָבִֽיב׃

2At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the LORD had not yet been built.

2רַ֣ק הָעָ֔ם מְזַבְּחִ֖ים בַּבָּמ֑וֹת כִּ֠י לֹא־ נִבְנָ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵֽם׃ פ

3Solomon loved the LORD and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship.

3וַיֶּאֱהַ֤ב שְׁלֹמֹה֙ אֶת־ יְהוָ֔ה לָלֶ֕כֶת בְּחֻקּ֖וֹת דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑יו רַ֚ק בַּבָּמ֔וֹת ה֥וּא מְזַבֵּ֖חַ וּמַקְטִֽיר׃

4The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.

4וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ גִּבְעֹ֙נָה֙ לִזְבֹּ֣חַ שָׁ֔ם כִּ֥י הִ֖יא הַבָּמָ֣ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֶ֤לֶף עֹלוֹת֙ יַעֲלֶ֣ה שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה עַ֖ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ הַהֽוּא׃

5That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

5בְּגִבְע֗וֹן נִרְאָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בַּחֲל֣וֹם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים שְׁאַ֖ל מָ֥ה אֶתֶּן־ לָֽךְ׃

6Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.

6וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אַתָּ֨ה עָשִׂ֜יתָ עִם־ עַבְדְּךָ֙ דָוִ֣ד אָבִי֮ חֶ֣סֶד גָּדוֹל֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ הָלַ֨ךְ לְפָנֶ֜יךָ בֶּאֱמֶ֧ת וּבִצְדָקָ֛ה וּבְיִשְׁרַ֥ת לֵבָ֖ב עִמָּ֑ךְ וַתִּשְׁמָר־ ל֗וֹ אֶת־ הַחֶ֤סֶד הַגָּדוֹל֙ הַזֶּ֔ה וַתִּתֶּן־ ל֥וֹ בֵ֛ן יֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־ כִּסְא֖וֹ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

7“Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.

7וְעַתָּה֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י אַתָּה֙ הִמְלַ֣כְתָּ אֶֽת־ עַבְדְּךָ֔ תַּ֖חַת דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ נַ֣עַר קָטֹ֔ן לֹ֥א אֵדַ֖ע צֵ֥את וָבֹֽא׃

8And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!

8וְעַ֨בְדְּךָ֔ בְּת֥וֹךְ עַמְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחָ֑רְתָּ עַם־ רָ֕ב אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־ יִמָּנֶ֛ה וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃

9Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

9וְנָתַתָּ֨ לְעַבְדְּךָ֜ לֵ֤ב שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶֽת־ עַמְּךָ֔ לְהָבִ֖ין בֵּֽין־ ט֣וֹב לְרָ֑ע כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לִשְׁפֹּ֔ט אֶת־ עַמְּךָ֥ הַכָּבֵ֖ד הַזֶּֽה׃

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

10וַיִּיטַ֥ב הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י כִּ֚י שָׁאַ֣ל שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃

11So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—

11וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֵלָ֗יו יַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁאַ֜לְתָּ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה וְלֹֽא־ שָׁאַ֨לְתָּ לְּךָ֜ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְלֹֽא־ שָׁאַ֤לְתָּ לְּךָ֙ עֹ֔שֶׁר וְלֹ֥א שָׁאַ֖לְתָּ נֶ֣פֶשׁ אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁאַ֧לְתָּ לְּךָ֛ הָבִ֖ין לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

12I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!

12הִנֵּ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתִי כִּדְבָרֶ֑יךָ הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ נָתַ֣תִּי לְךָ֗ לֵ֚ב חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּמ֙וֹךָ֙ לֹא־ הָיָ֣ה לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֹא־ יָק֥וּם כָּמֽוֹךָ׃

13And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!

13וְגַ֨ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ שָׁאַ֙לְתָּ֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ גַּם־ עֹ֖שֶׁר גַּם־ כָּב֑וֹד אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־ הָיָ֨ה כָמ֥וֹךָ אִ֛ישׁ בַּמְּלָכִ֖ים כָּל־ יָמֶֽיךָ׃

14And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”

14וְאִ֣ם ׀ תֵּלֵ֣ךְ בִּדְרָכַ֗י לִשְׁמֹ֤ר חֻקַּי֙ וּמִצְוֺתַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלַ֖ךְ דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יךָ וְהַאַרַכְתִּ֖י אֶת־ יָמֶֽיךָ׃ ס

15Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet. Solomon Judges Wisely

15וַיִּקַ֥ץ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה חֲל֑וֹם וַיָּב֨וֹא יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֣ד ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־ אֲדֹנָ֗י וַיַּ֤עַל עֹלוֹת֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁלָמִ֔ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־ עֲבָדָֽיו׃ פ

16Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.

16אָ֣ז תָּבֹ֗אנָה שְׁתַּ֛יִם נָשִׁ֥ים זֹנ֖וֹת אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דְנָה לְפָנָֽיו׃

17“Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house.

17וַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הָֽאַחַת֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י אֲנִי֙ וְהָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את יֹשְׁבֹ֖ת בְּבַ֣יִת אֶחָ֑ד וָאֵלֵ֥ד עִמָּ֖הּ בַּבָּֽיִת׃

18Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house.

18וַיְהִ֞י בַּיּ֤וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ לְלִדְתִּ֔י וַתֵּ֖לֶד גַּם־ הָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ יַחְדָּ֗ו אֵֽין־ זָ֤ר אִתָּ֙נוּ֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת זוּלָתִ֥י שְׁתַּֽיִם־ אֲנַ֖חְנוּ בַּבָּֽיִת׃

19“But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it.

19וַיָּ֛מָת בֶּן־ הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָ֑יְלָה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁכְבָ֖ה עָלָֽיו׃

20Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her.

20וַתָּקָם֩ בְּת֨וֹךְ הַלַּ֜יְלָה וַתִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־ בְּנִ֣י מֵֽאֶצְלִ֗י וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙ יְשֵׁנָ֔ה וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵ֖הוּ בְּחֵיקָ֑הּ וְאֶת־ בְּנָ֥הּ הַמֵּ֖ת הִשְׁכִּ֥יבָה בְחֵיקִֽי׃

21And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”

21וָאָקֻ֥ם בַּבֹּ֛קֶר לְהֵינִ֥יק אֶת־ בְּנִ֖י וְהִנֵּה־ מֵ֑ת וָאֶתְבּוֹנֵ֤ן אֵלָיו֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֛ה לֹֽא־ הָיָ֥ה בְנִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלָֽדְתִּי׃

22Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.” “No,” the first woman said, “the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours.” And so they argued back and forth before the king.

22וַתֹּאמֶר֩ הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הָאַחֶ֜רֶת לֹ֣א כִ֗י בְּנִ֤י הַחַי֙ וּבְנֵ֣ךְ הַמֵּ֔ת וְזֹ֤את אֹמֶ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א כִ֔י בְּנֵ֥ךְ הַמֵּ֖ת וּבְנִ֣י הֶחָ֑י וַתְּדַבֵּ֖רְנָה לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

23Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other.

23וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֹ֣את אֹמֶ֔רֶת זֶה־ בְּנִ֥י הַחַ֖י וּבְנֵ֣ךְ הַמֵּ֑ת וְזֹ֤את אֹמֶ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א כִ֔י בְּנֵ֥ךְ הַמֵּ֖ת וּבְנִ֥י הֶחָֽי׃ פ

24All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king.

24וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ קְח֣וּ לִי־ חָ֑רֶב וַיָּבִ֥אוּ הַחֶ֖רֶב לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

25Then he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!”

25וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ גִּזְר֛וּ אֶת־ הַיֶּ֥לֶד הַחַ֖י לִשְׁנָ֑יִם וּתְנ֤וּ אֶֽת־ הַחֲצִי֙ לְאַחַ֔ת וְאֶֽת־ הַחֲצִ֖י לְאֶחָֽת׃

26Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”

26וַתֹּ֣אמֶר הָאִשָּׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־ בְּנָ֨הּ הַחַ֜י אֶל־ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כִּֽי־ נִכְמְר֣וּ רַחֲמֶיהָ֮ עַל־ בְּנָהּ֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֗י תְּנוּ־ לָהּ֙ אֶת־ הַיָּל֣וּד הַחַ֔י וְהָמֵ֖ת אַל־ תְּמִיתֻ֑הוּ וְזֹ֣את אֹמֶ֗רֶת גַּם־ לִ֥י גַם־ לָ֛ךְ לֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה גְּזֹֽרוּ׃

27Then the king said, “Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!”

27וַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר תְּנוּ־ לָהּ֙ אֶת־ הַיָּל֣וּד הַחַ֔י וְהָמֵ֖ת לֹ֣א תְמִיתֻ֑הוּ הִ֖יא אִמּֽוֹ׃

28When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice.

28וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ כָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶת־ הַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁפַ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּֽרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּ֣י רָא֔וּ כִּֽי־ חָכְמַ֧ת אֱלֹהִ֛ים בְּקִרְבּ֖וֹ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ ס

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.