וַיִתְחַתֵּן שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת פַּרְעֹה וַיְבִיאֶהָ אֶל עִיר דָּוִד עַד כַּלֹּתוֹ לִבְנוֹת אֶת בֵּיתוֹ וְאֶת בֵּית ה' וְאֶת חוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם סָבִיב

Solomon forged marital ties with Pharaoh king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh’s daughter as a wife. At the time, Egypt was a powerful empire. Solomon’s marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter signified the new king’s importance and served as proof of his elevated status in international affairs. Later, Pharaoh would provide Solomon with military assistance as well (9:16). And in the meantime, he brought her to the City of David, until he had concluded building his house, and the House of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem all around, after which she lived in his palace.

רַק הָעָם מְזַבְּחִים בַּבָּמוֹת כִּי לֹא נִבְנָה בַיִת לְשֵׁם ה' עַד הַיָּמִים הָהֵם

At that time the people would still bring offerings to God at the shrines, because a house had not been built to the name of the Lord until those days. At certain stages in history, it was permitted to offer sacrifices on private altars when there was no Temple.

וַיֶּאֱהַב שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת ה' לָלֶכֶת בְּחֻקּוֹת דָּוִד אָבִיו רַק בַּבָּמוֹת הוּא מְזַבֵּחַ וּמַקְטִיר

Solomon loved the Lord, following the practices of David his father in all realms of life; however, he still would bring offerings and burn incense at the shrines. Although that was not unlawful at the time, this is an indirect criticism of Solomon for delaying the construction of the Temple.

וַיֵּלֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ גִּבְעֹנָה לִזְבֹּחַ שָׁם כִּי הִיא הַבָּמָה הַגְּדוֹלָה אֶלֶף עֹלוֹת יַעֲלֶה שְׁלֹמֹה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ הַהוּא

The king went to Givon to sacrifice there, as that was the great shrine, the central altar until the Temple was built in Jerusalem. He went there not to merely pay a visit or offer a modest sacrifice, as Solomon would offer up one thousand burnt offerings on that altar, to express his closeness to God.

בְּגִבְעוֹן נִרְאָה ה' אֶל שְׁלֹמֹה בַּחֲלוֹם הַלָּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים שְׁאַל מָה אֶתֶּן לָךְ

In Givon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; God said: Request what I should give you. What gift do you wish to receive?

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁלֹמֹה אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ עִם עַבְדְּךָ דָוִד אָבִי חֶסֶד גָּדוֹל כַּאֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִצְדָקָה וּבְיִשְׁרַת לֵבָב עִמָּךְ וַתִּשְׁמָר לוֹ אֶת הַחֶסֶד הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה וַתִּתֶּן לוֹ בֵן יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה

Solomon said: You have performed great kindness with Your servant David, my father, as he went before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; and You have kept for him this great kindness, and You have granted him a son sitting on his throne as it is this day. What more can I request, after I have received the privilege of being king of Israel?

וְעַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהָי אַתָּה הִמְלַכְתָּ אֶת עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת דָּוִד אָבִי וְאָנֹכִי נַעַר קָטֹן לֹא אֵדַע צֵאת ובֹא

Now, Lord my God, You have crowned Your servant king in place of David my father, and I am but a small lad. Since I have no prior experience in leadership, I consider myself a child in this regard. Some contend that Solomon was indeed a child, as he was only twelve at the time, or slightly older. I do not know going or coming before the people, to lead them.

וְעַבְדְּךָ בְּתוֹךְ עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרְתָּ עַם רָב אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמָּנֶה וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר מֵרֹב

Your servant is in the midst of Your people; I am an inseparable member of the nation that You chose, a great people that cannot be tallied or counted from abundance.

וְנָתַתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת עַמְּךָ לְהָבִין בֵּין טוֹב לְרָע כִּי מִי יוּכַל לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת עַמְּךָ הַכָּבֵד הַזֶּה

Therefore, may you give Your servant an attentive heart, in order to judge capably, to guide, rule, and lead Your people, to discern between good and evil, as who is able to judge this complex and multifaceted people of Yours? Profound wisdom is required in order to judge such a large and diverse population.

וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי ה' כִּי שָׁאַל שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה

The matter was good in the eyes of the Lord, that Solomon had requested this matter.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֵלָיו יַעַן אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתָּ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְלֹא שָׁאַלְתָּ לְּךָ יָמִים רַבִּים וְלֹא שָׁאַלְתָּ לְּךָ עֹשֶׁר וְלֹא שָׁאַלְתָּ נֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבֶיךָ ושָׁאַלְתָּ לְּךָ הָבִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מִשְׁפָּט

God said to him: Because you have requested this matter, and you did not request for yourself abundant days, and you did not request for yourself wealth, and you did not request the life of your enemies, that you will always defeat your adversaries, but instead of all that, you requested for yourself the capacity of discernment to attend to justice,

הִנֵּה עָשִׂיתִי כִּדְבָרֶיךָ הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לְךָ לֵב חָכָם וְנָבוֹן אֲשֶׁר כָּמוֹךָ לֹא הָיָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְאַחֲרֶיךָ לֹא יָקוּם כָּמוֹךָ

behold, I have acted in accordance with your words; behold, I have granted you a wise and discerning heart, that there has not been anyone like you before you, and after you no one will arise like you.

וְגַם אֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁאַלְתָּ נָתַתִּי לָךְ גַּם עֹשֶׁר גַּם כָּבוֹד אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיָה כָמוֹךָ אִישׁ בַּמְּלָכִים כָּל יָמֶיךָ

Also, I have granted you and added for you that which you did not request, both riches and honor, that there has not been anyone like you among the kings, for all your days.

וְאִם תֵּלֵךְ בִּדְרָכַי לִשְׁמֹר חֻקַּי וּמִצְוֹתַי כַּאֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ דָּוִיד אָבִיךָ וְהַאֲרַכְתִּי אֶת יָמֶיךָ

Furthermore, if you follow My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, I will extend your days. Riches and honor are granted to you unconditionally, but whether or not you live a long life depends on your future behavior.

וַיִּקַץ שְׁלֹמֹה וְהִנֵּה חֲלוֹם וַיָּבוֹא יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיַּעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' וַיַּעַל עֹלוֹת וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁלָמִים וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל עֲבָדָיו

Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. In gratitude for these great promises, he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and he offered up burnt offerings, prepared peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

אָז תָּבֹאנָה שְׁתַּיִם נָשִׁים זֹנוֹת אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה לְפָנָיו

Then, after the feast and thanksgiving, two women prostitutes came to the king for judgment and stood before him.

וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הָאַחַת בִּי אֲדֹנִי אֲנִי וְהָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת יֹשְׁבֹת בְּבַיִת אֶחָד וָאֵלֵד עִמָּהּ בַּבָּיִת

The one woman said: Please, my lord, I and this woman, who came here with me, live in one house, and I gave birth with her in the house.

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְלִדְתִּי וַתֵּלֶד גַּם הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת וַאֲנַחְנוּ יַחְדָּו אֵין זָר אִתָּנוּ בַּבַּיִת זוּלָתִי שְׁתַּיִם אֲנַחְנוּ בַּבָּיִת

It was on the third day after my giving birth that this woman too gave birth, and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, other than the two of us in the house.

וַיָּמָת בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת לָיְלָה אֲשֶׁר שָׁכְבָה עָלָיו

The son of this woman died at night, because she accidentally lay upon him. While sleeping with the baby, she accidentally turned over on him, thereby suffocating him to death.

וַתָּקָם בְּתוֹךְ הַלַּיְלָה וַתִּקַּח אֶת בְּנִי מֵאֶצְלִי וַאֲמָתְךָ יְשֵׁנָה וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵהוּ בְּחֵיקָהּ וְאֶת בְּנָהּ הַמֵּת הִשְׁכִּיבָה בְחֵיקִי

She arose during the night and, seeing that her child was dead, she took my son from beside me, while I, your maidservant, was asleep, and she laid him in her bosom, and she laid her dead child in my bosom.

וָאָקֻם בַּבֹּקֶר לְהֵינִיק אֶת בְּנִי וְהִנֵּה מֵת וָאֶתְבּוֹנֵן אֵלָיו בַּבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה לֹא הָיָה בְנִי אֲשֶׁר יָלָדְתִּי

I arose in the morning to nurse my son, and behold, I discovered that he was dead; but when I examined him later in the morning, behold, I realized that it was not my son to whom I had given birth.

וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הָאַחֶרֶת לֹא כִי בְּנִי הַחַי וּבְנֵךְ ַמֵּת וְזֹאת אֹמֶרֶת לֹא כִי בְּנֵךְ הַמֵּת וּבְנִי הֶחָי וַתְּדַבֵּרְנָה לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ

The other woman said: No, for my son is the living and your son is the dead. But this one said: No, rather, your son is the dead and my son is the living; and they spoke before the king. Each woman voiced the arguments in favor of her claim.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ זֹאת אֹמֶרֶת זֶה בְּנִי הַחַי וּבְנֵךְ הַמֵּת; וְזֹאת אֹמֶרֶת לֹא כִי בְּנֵךְ הַמֵּת וּבְנִי הֶחָי

The king said: I hear that this one says: This is my living son, and your son is the dead one; and that one says: No, rather, your son is the dead, and my son is the living.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ קְחוּ לִי חָרֶב וַיָּבִאוּ הַחֶרֶב לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ

The king said: Bring me a sword. They brought a sword before the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ גִּזְרוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד הַחַי לִשְׁנָיִם וּתְנוּ אֶת הַחֲצִי לְאַחַת וְאֶת הַחֲצִי לְאֶחָת

The king said: Since there is no way to prove which woman is telling the truth, let us compromise: Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other.

וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר בְּנָהּ הַחַי אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמֶיהָ עַל בְּנָהּ וַתֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲדֹנִי תְּנוּ לָהּ אֶת הַיָּלוּד הַחַי וְהָמֵת אַל תְּמִיתֻהוּ וְזֹאת אֹמֶרֶת גַּם לִי גַם לָךְ לֹא יִהְיֶה גְּזֹרוּ

The woman whose son was the living one, the real mother, said to the king, because her mercy was aroused toward her son when the king commanded to kill him, and she said: Please, my lord, give her the living baby, and do not put him to death. But that one, the other woman, was saying: It shall be neither mine nor yours; cut the child in two.

וַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר תְּנוּ לָהּ אֶת הַיָּלוּד הַחַי וְהָמֵת לֹא תְמִיתֻהוּ הִיא אִמּוֹ

The king responded and said: Give her the living baby, to the woman who reacted like a mother immediately upon my suggestion, and do not put him to death; she is his mother. The reactions of the two women prove that the one who has mercy on the child is the true mother, whereas the other one attempted to kidnap him.

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר שָׁפַט הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּרְאוּ מִפְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי רָאוּ כִּי חָכְמַת אֱלֹהִים בְּקִרְבּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט

All Israel heard of the judgment that the king had adjudicated, and they feared the king, as they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice. This ruling did not prove Solomon’s legal expertise; rather, it reflected his wisdom as a judge who could discover the hidden details of a case. Solomon used psychological insight to reveal the truth. This kind of judgment attested to his God-given wisdom.