King Solomon Asks for Wisdom

1 And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

• NIV Translation refers this to be an alliance. An alliance implies that this was a politically motivated decision. Regardless, this was an unwise decision as God had instructed them not to marry outsiders.
• King David also married an outsider, the daughter of the Talmai, king of Geshur.
• King David and King Solomon are not infallible, just because they made certain choices doesn’t mean that those choices were right.

2 Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.

• King David wanted to build the temple for God but he was instructed by God that his son, Solomon would be the one to build the temple because he had shed too much blood and fought many wars.
• And so, he made extensive preparations for the building of the temple before his death. This was because at the time, King Solomon young and expreienced.
• See ‘Preparations for the Temple’ in 1 Chronicles 22:2-19

3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

• “only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places” implies that this wasn’t the right thing for him to do. Though we know from v2 that at this point that the temple is yet to be built.
• This warrants more research as I’m not sure what was the right thing to do i.e. … where’s the tabernacle at this point? … where’s the Ark? … where was OK for him to perform sacrifices?

4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that [was] the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

• A thousand burnt offering shows us how grand Solomon’s sacrifice was yet, we should keep in mind obedience is better than sacrifice. At this point we know from v3 that “Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father”.

5 ∂ In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

• The following events occur in a dream, this is the method God chose to reveal Himself to King Solomon. He is asked by God to ask for anything! We should note that we have the same priviledge through Christ:
  • Matthee 7:7
  • John 15:7
  • 1 John 5:14

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as [it is] this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I [am but] a little child: I know not [how] to go out or come in.

• King Solomon humbly approaches God, giving credit to His mercy and acknowledging that God is faithful when/if we walk in his statues.

8 And thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

• The Israelites had increased greatly and King Solomon knew that he needed understanding and justice to govern effectively. He knows his source is the LORD.

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

• God was pleased by what King Solomon asked for as well as what he didn’t ask for. He asked regarding character and not possessions.

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

• God eventually granted his desires and more! Our focus should be the God and the rest will follow. See Matthew 6:33,34.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

• It wasn’t a free pass, there was an obligation on his part. King David knew this as well and in his final exhortation to his son Solomon, he made sure to stress the importance of obedience. See 1 Kings 2:4.

15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, [it was] a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

The Case of the Two Prostitutes

16 ∂ Then came there two women, [that were] harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

• Regardless of their profession, the king made time to attend to their need.

17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. 18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we [were] together; [there was] no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19 And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] thy son. And this said, No; but the dead [is] thy son, and the living [is] my son. Thus they spake before the king. 23 Then said the king, The one saith, This [is] my son that liveth, and thy son [is] the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son [is] the dead, and my son [is] the living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child [was] unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, [but] divide [it]. 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she [is] the mother thereof. 28 And 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 judgment.

• An amazing example of King Solomon’s wise judgements.

1. Where should King Solomon have offered his sacrifices instead of the high places mentioned in v3?