1Solomon marrieth Pharaoh's daughter. 2High places being in use, he sacrificeth at Gibeon. 5God appeareth to him in a dream there, and leaveth to his choice what to ask; he asketh wisdom, and obtaineth with it riches and honour. 16His judgment between the two harlots maketh his wisdom renowned.
1AND Solomon made affinitya with Pharaoh king of Egypt, andb1took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the 2city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the 3house of the LORD, 4and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
a relationship by marriage
b 1 Kings 7:8.
1 Namely, to wife.
2 See 1 Kings 2:10. Here Solomon had his royal palace or habitation, from which he removed when he had built another dwelling place in Jerusalem. See 1 Kings 7:1, 8.
3 See 1 Kings 6. Understand an house set apart for the outward worship of God, wherein the ark, a sign of God presence, was to be placed, and wherein God would dwell by His Spirit and Word. Hence the temple is called also the Lord’s dwelling, 2 Chron. 6:2.
4 See 1 Kings 9:15, 19.
25Only the people sacrificed 6in high places, because there was noc house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.
5 That is, although things went generally well in Solomon’s reign, yet there was this fault against the lawful worship of God, that they offered upon the high places and on strange altars; and not merely in the tent of the congregation and on the altar of the Lord. In this case they took too much liberty, choosing yet other places and altars to offer sacrifice unto the Lord; which was expressly forbidden them, Lev. 17:3, 4, against which they likewise often sinned at other times. See 1 Kings 22:44; 2 Kings 14:4; 2 Chron. 33:17.
6 What these high places were, see Lev. 26 on verse 30. Although there be spoken of the high places on which they offered unto idols, but here of those, on which they offered sacrifice unto the Lord; also 2 Chron. 33:17.
c Deut. 12:5.
3And Solomon loved the LORD, walking 7in the statutes of David his father: 8only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
7 That is, according to the precept and message which he had given him, in his lifetime, and especially just before he died.
8 That is, he followed the common trespass of his people; and though God did in some sort wink at it, as long as the temple was not yet ordained for the outward worship of God; yet we read not that ever David did it, who without doubt offered by the ark and on the altar of Moses. For, in that he offered sacrifice in the threshing-floor of Araunah, the same was done by God’s extraordinary command, 2 Sam. 24:18.
4And thed king went to 9Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the 10great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
d 2 Chron. 1:3.
9 A city belonging to the Levites, situated in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 9:3; 18:25; 21:17, where was the tent of the congregation, as also the altar which Bezaleel had made in the wilderness, 2 Chron. 1:3, 5, for which cause they had made there an high place on which they offered. So they had likewise an high place at Jerusalem where the ark of the Lord was, verse 15; 2 Chron. 1:4.
10 That is, of great esteem and very famous, because the tent of the congregation and the altar of burnt offering were there.
5¶In Gibeone the LORD appeared to Solomon 11in a dream 12by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
e 1 Kings 9:2.
11 Understand not a natural, but a Divine dream, which remained firm in his memory, with an assurance that it was extraordinarily caused by God; from which arose an actual experience and feeling of the singular wisdom, which God in a wonderful manner had poured out upon him. Compare Gen. 28 on verse 12.
12 Namely, the same night, after that he had sacrificed. Compare 2 Chron. 1:7.
6And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee 13in 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.
13 That is, in believing, confessing, and defending the true doctrine, and in leading a godly and virtuous life, as well in his person as in his office; and all this from an upright zeal, without hypocrisy of spirit.
7And now,f 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 14to go out or come in.
f 2 Chron. 1:8.
14 See Deut. 31 on verse 2.
8Andg thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a 15great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
g 2 Chron. 1:9.
15 Or, manifold.
9Give therefore thy servant an 16understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy 17so great a people?
16 Hebr. an hearing heart, that is, which can apprehend wisdom. Also hearing is often taken for understanding. See Gen. 11 on verse 7 and the exposition here below, verse 11.
17 That is, many in number and great in power. Compare Gen. 50:9 and see the annotation.
10And the speech 18pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
18 Or, was good in the eyes of the Lord. See Gen. 19 on verse 8.
11Andh God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself 19long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the 20life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding 21to discern judgment;
h 2 Chron. 1:11.
19 Also below verse 13 all thy days, for your entire life. Thus a long life is called lengthening of days, verse 14, likewise multiplying of days, Job 29:18, etc.
20 That is, their life, to deprive them of it.
21 That is, to be able to discern between good and bad, right and wrong, when he would hear the disputes, that would be brought before him to judge.
12Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo,i I have given thee 22a wise and an understanding heart; so 23that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
i Eccl. 1:16.
22 2 Chron. 1:10, 12 wisdom and knowledge. Understand here by wisdom, a firm and grounded knowledge of all Divine and human laws, according to which a king ought to live and reign, to please God and to preserve his people. Knowledge or understanding, is a faculty of the spirit, infused into him by God in an extraordinary manner, to use wisdom aright, and to practice the same according to the laws or judgments. Compare Job 12:12; 28:12; Prov. 1:2.
23 Understand this in respect: 1. of kings, princes, and rulers, among whom he was exceedingly eminent in wisdom; 2. of natural, political, and civil things, of which properties, workings, and occurrences he has effectively obtained; 3. of the manner how he attained to so great a wisdom, namely, not by human instruction and industry, but by Divine inspiration and secret illumination of the Spirit.
13Andj 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 24all thy days.
j Mat. 6:33; Eph. 3:20.
24 That is, in all thy lifetime.
14And 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.
15And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the 25ark of the covenant of the LORD, and 26offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his 27servants.
25 Which David had set in the fort of Zion, 2 Sam. 6:17.
26 Namely, to thank God: 1. For that favorable appearance, wherein He offered him the choice, of asking anything of Him; 2. For the liberal promise, which He made there unto him; 3. For the apprehension of the fulfillment thereof; 4. For the prosperous confirmation of his kingdom.
27 See Gen. 20 on verse 8.
16¶Then came there two women, that were 28harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
28 See of the Hebrew word, Joshua 2 on verse 1.
17And the one woman said, 29O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
29 Also verse 26. See Gen. 43 on verse 20.
18And 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.
19And this woman's child died in the night; because she 30overlaid it.
30 Namely, such that she had pressed her child to death in her sleep.
20And 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.
21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had 31considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
31 The Hebrew word signifies often, to consider and observe a thing very diligently, Job 37:14; Psalm 119:95; Isa. 43:18.
22And 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.
23Then 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.
24And the king said, 32Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
32 Hebr. Take me a sword, that is, taking bring me. See of this phrase, Gen. 12 on verse 15.
25And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her 33bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise 34slay it. But the other said, Let 35it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
33 Understand hereby the natural affection and stirring, which a motherly heart has, when she sees her child in any distress or danger. See of this phrase, Gen. 43 on verse 30.
34 Hebr. slaying slay it not. Also in the following verse.
35 Hebr. also mine, also thine let it not be.
27Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the 36wisdom of God was 37in him, to do judgment.
36 That is, a most excellent and extraordinary wisdom, given him of God.
37 Hebr. in the midst of him. See Job 20 on verse 14.