1Kings 1-3; Psalms 94 - Prayer Tents

David in His Old Age

1King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.H4428H1732H2204H935H3117H3680H899H3179 2So his advisers told him, "Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm."H5650H559H1245H113H4428H5291H1330H5975H6440H4428H5532H7901H2436H113H4428H2552 3So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.H1245H3303H5291H1366H3478H4672H49H7767H935H4428 4The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.H5291H3966H3303H5532H4428H8334H4428H3045

Adonijah Claims the Throne

5About that time David's son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, "I will make myself king." So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.H138H1121H2294H4984H559H4427H6213H7393H6571H2572H376H7323H6440 6Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, "Why are you doing that?" Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.H1H6087H3117H559H6213H3966H2896H8389H3205H310H53 7Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.H1697H3097H1121H6870H54H3548H310H138H5826 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5416H5030H8096H7472H1368H1732H138 9Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah.H138H2076H6629H1241H4806H68H2120H681H5883H7121H251H4428H1121H582H3063H4428H5650 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguard or his brother Solomon.H5416H5030H1141H1368H8010H251H7121 11Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, "Haven't you heard that Haggith's son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn't even know about it?H5416H559H1339H517H8010H559H8085H138H1121H2294H4427H1732H113H3045 12If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice.H3212H3289H6098H4422H5315H5315H1121H8010 13Go at once to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, didn't you make a vow and say to me, "Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?'H3212H935H4428H1732H559H113H4428H7650H519H559H3588H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H138H4427 14And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said."H1696H4428H935H310H4390H1697 15So Bathsheba went into the king's bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.)H1339H935H4428H2315H4428H3966H2204H49H7767H8334H4428 16Bathsheba bowed down before the king. "What can I do for you?" he asked her.H1339H6915H7812H4428H4428H559 17She replied, "My lord, you made a vow before the LORD your God when you said to me, 'Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.'H559H113H7650H3068H430H519H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678 18But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it.H138H4427H113H4428H3045 19He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H1121H4428H54H3548H3097H8269H6635H8010H5650H7121 20And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you.H113H4428H5869H3478H5046H3427H3678H113H4428H310 21If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died."H113H4428H7901H1H1121H8010H2400 22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.H1696H4428H5416H5030H935 23The king's officials told him, "Nathan the prophet is here to see you." Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.H5046H4428H559H5416H5030H935H6440H4428H7812H4428H639H776 24Nathan asked, "My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne?H5416H559H113H4428H559H138H4427H310H3427H3678 25Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'H3381H3117H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H4428H1121H8269H6635H54H3548H398H8354H6440H559H2421H4428H138 26But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon.H5650H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5650H8010H7121 27Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?"H1697H1961H113H4428H3045H5650H3427H3678H113H4428H310

David Makes Solomon King

28King David responded, "Call Bathsheba!" So she came back in and stood before the king.H4428H1732H6030H559H7121H1339H935H4428H6440H5975H6440H4428 29And the king repeated his vow: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger,H4428H7650H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H6869 30your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the LORD, the God of Israel."H7650H3068H430H3478H559H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H6213H3117 31Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, "May my lord King David live forever!"H1339H6915H639H776H7812H4428H559H113H4428H1732H2421H5769 32Then King David ordered, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came into the king's presence,H4428H1732H559H7121H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H935H6440H4428 33the king said to them, "Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule.H4428H559H3947H5650H113H8010H1121H7392H6506H3381H1521 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram's horn and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H3478H8628H7782H559H2421H4428H8010 35Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah."H5927H310H935H3427H3678H4427H6680H5057H3478H3063 36"Amen!" Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. "May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen.H1141H1121H3077H6030H4428H559H543H3068H430H113H4428H559 37And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon's reign even greater than yours!"H3068H113H4428H8010H1431H3678H1431H3678H113H4428H1732 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David's own mule.H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H3381H8010H7392H4428H1732H6506H3212H1521 39There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram's horn and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"H6659H3548H3947H7161H8081H168H4886H8010H8628H7782H5971H559H2421H4428H8010 40And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.H5971H5927H310H5971H2490H2485H8056H1419H8057H776H1234H6963 41Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, he asked, "What's going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?"H138H7121H8085H3615H398H3097H8085H6963H7782H559H6963H7151H1993 42And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. "Come in," Adonijah said to him, "for you are a good man. You must have good news."H1696H3129H1121H54H3548H935H138H559H935H2428H376H381H1319H2896H1319 43"Not at all!" Jonathan replied. "Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king!H3129H6030H559H138H61H113H4428H1732H8010H4427 44The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king's bodyguard. They had him ride on the king's own mule,H4428H7971H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H7392H4428H6506 45and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That's what all the noise is about.H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H1521H5927H8056H7151H1949H6963H8085 46What's more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king.H8010H3427H3678H4410 47And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, 'May your God make Solomon's fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon's reign be even greater than yours!' Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed,H4428H5650H935H1288H113H4428H1732H559H430H8034H8010H3190H8034H1431H3678H1431H3678H4428H7812H4904 48and he said, 'Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.'"H559H4428H1288H3068H430H3478H5414H3427H3678H3117H5869H7200 49Then all of Adonijah's guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered.H7121H138H2729H6965H3212H376H1870 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed onto the horns of the altar.H138H3372H6440H8010H6965H3212H2388H7161H4196 51Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, "Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!"H5046H8010H559H138H3372H4428H8010H270H7161H4196H559H4428H8010H7650H3117H4191H5650H2719 52Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die."H8010H559H2428H1121H8185H5307H776H7451H4672H4191 53So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, "Go on home."H4428H8010H7971H3381H4196H935H7812H4428H8010H8010H559H3212H1004

David’s Final Instructions to Solomon

2As the time of King David's death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon.H3117H1732H7126H4191H6680H8010H1121H559 2"I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.H1980H1870H776H2388H376 3Observe the requirements of the LORD your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go.H8104H4931H3068H430H3212H1870H8104H2708H4687H4941H5715H3789H8451H4872H7919H6213H6437 4If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, 'If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.'H3068H6965H1697H1696H559H1121H8104H1870H3212H6440H571H3824H5315H3772H559H376H3678H3478 5"And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.H3045H3097H1121H6870H6213H6213H8147H8269H6635H3478H74H1121H5369H6021H1121H3500H2026H7760H1818H4421H7965H5414H1818H4421H2290H4975H5275H7272 6Do with him what you think best, but don't let him grow old and go to his grave in peace.H6213H2451H7872H3381H7585H7965 7"Be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Make them permanent guests at your table, for they took care of me when I fled from your brother Absalom.H6213H2617H1121H1271H1569H398H7979H7126H1272H6440H53H251 8"And remember Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the LORD that I would not kill him.H8096H1121H1617H1145H980H7043H4834H7045H3117H3212H4266H3381H7125H3383H7650H3068H559H4191H2719 9But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him."H5352H2450H376H3045H6213H7872H3381H7585H1818 10Then David died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.H1732H7901H1H6912H5892H1732 11David had reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.H3117H1732H4427H3478H705H8141H7651H8141H4427H2275H7970H7969H8141H4427H3389 12Solomon became king and sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.H3427H8010H3678H1732H1H4438H3559H3966

Solomon Establishes His Rule

13One day Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, came to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. "Have you come with peaceful intentions?" she asked him."Yes," he said, "I come in peace.H138H1121H2294H935H1339H517H8010H559H935H7965H559H7965 14In fact, I have a favor to ask of you." "What is it?" she asked.H559H1697H559H1696 15He replied, "As you know, the kingdom was rightfully mine; all Israel wanted me to be the next king. But the tables were turned, and the kingdom went to my brother instead; for that is the way the LORD wanted it.H559H3045H4410H3478H7760H6440H4427H4410H5437H251H3068 16So now I have just one favor to ask of you. Please don't turn me down." "What is it?" she asked.H7592H259H7596H7725H6440H559H1696 17He replied, "Speak to King Solomon on my behalf, for I know he will do anything you request. Ask him to let me marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem."H559H559H8010H4428H7725H6440H7725H5414H49H7767H802 18"All right," Bathsheba replied. "I will speak to the king for you."H1339H559H2896H1696H4428 19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah's behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.H1339H935H4428H8010H1696H138H4428H6965H7125H7812H3427H3678H3678H7760H4428H517H3427H3225 20"I have one small request to make of you," she said. "I hope you won't turn me down." "What is it, my mother?" he asked. "You know I won't refuse you."H559H7592H259H6996H7596H7725H6440H7725H4428H559H7592H517H7725H6440H7725 21"Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem," she replied.H559H49H7767H5414H138H251H802 22"How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?" King Solomon demanded. "You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side."H4428H8010H6030H559H517H7592H49H7767H138H7592H4410H1419H251H54H3548H3097H1121H6870 23Then King Solomon made a vow before the LORD: "May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request.H4428H8010H7650H3068H559H430H6213H3254H138H1696H1697H5315 24The LORD has confirmed me and placed me on the throne of my father, David; he has established my dynasty as he promised. So as surely as the LORD lives, Adonijah will die this very day!"H3068H2416H3559H3427H3678H1732H1H6213H1004H1696H138H4191H3117 25So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death.H4428H8010H7971H3027H1141H1121H3077H6293H4191 26Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, "Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign LORD for David my father and you shared all his hardships."H54H3548H559H4428H3212H6068H7704H376H4194H3117H4191H5375H727H136H3069H6440H1732H1H6031H1H6031 27So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the LORD, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the LORD had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli.H8010H1644H54H3548H3068H4390H1697H3068H1696H1004H5941H7887 28Joab had not joined Absalom's earlier rebellion, but he had joined Adonijah's rebellion. So when Joab heard about Adonijah's death, he ran to the sacred tent of the LORD and grabbed onto the horns of the altar.H8052H935H3097H3097H5186H310H138H5186H310H53H3097H5127H168H3068H2388H7161H4196 29When this was reported to King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him.H5046H4428H8010H3097H5127H168H3068H681H4196H8010H7971H1141H1121H3077H559H3212H6293 30Benaiah went to the sacred tent of the LORD and said to Joab, "The king orders you to come out!" But Joab answered, "No, I will die here." So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said.H1141H935H168H3068H559H559H4428H3318H559H4191H1141H7725H4428H1697H7725H559H1696H3097H6030 31"Do as he said," the king replied. "Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab's senseless murders from me and from my father's family.H4428H559H6213H1696H6293H6912H5493H2600H1818H3097H8210H1004H1 32The LORD will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.H3068H7725H1818H7218H6293H8147H582H6662H2896H2026H2719H1H1732H3045H74H1121H5369H8269H6635H3478H6021H1121H3500H8269H6635H3063 33May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the LORD grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne."H1818H7725H7218H3097H7218H2233H5769H1732H2233H1004H3678H7965H5704H5769H3068 34So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness.H1141H1121H3077H5927H6293H4191H6912H1004H4057 35Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar.H4428H5414H1141H1121H3077H6635H6659H3548H4428H5414H54 36The king then sent for Shimei and told him, "Build a house here in Jerusalem and live there. But don't step outside the city to go anywhere else.H4428H7971H7121H8096H559H1129H1004H3389H3427H3318H575 37On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head."H3117H3318H5674H5158H6939H3045H3045H4191H4191H1818H7218 38Shimei replied, "Your sentence is fair; I will do whatever my lord the king commands." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.H8096H559H4428H1697H2896H113H4428H1696H5650H6213H8096H3427H3389H7227H3117 39But three years later two of Shimei's slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were,H7093H7969H8141H8147H5650H8096H1272H397H1121H4601H4428H1661H5046H8096H559H5650H1661 40he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he found them, he brought them back to Jerusalem.H8096H6965H2280H2543H3212H1661H397H1245H5650H8096H3212H935H5650H1661 41Solomon heard that Shimei had left Jerusalem and had gone to Gath and returned.H5046H8010H8096H1980H3389H1661H7725 42So the king sent for Shimei and demanded, "Didn't I make you swear by the LORD and warn you not to go anywhere else or you would surely die? And you replied, 'The sentence is fair; I will do as you say.'H4428H7971H7121H8096H559H7650H3068H5749H559H3045H3045H3117H3318H1980H575H4191H4191H559H1697H8085H2896 43Then why haven't you kept your oath to the LORD and obeyed my command?"H8104H7621H3068H4687H6680 44The king also said to Shimei, "You certainly remember all the wicked things you did to my father, David. May the LORD now bring that evil on your own head.H4428H559H8096H3045H7451H3824H3045H6213H1732H1H3068H7725H7451H7218 45But may I, King Solomon, receive the LORD's blessings, and may one of David's descendants always sit on this throne in the presence of the LORD."H4428H8010H1288H3678H1732H3559H6440H3068H5704H5769 46Then, at the king's command, Benaiah son of Jehoiada took Shimei outside and killed him. So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon's grip.H4428H6680H1141H1121H3077H3318H6293H4191H4467H3559H3027H8010

Solomon Asks for Wisdom

3Solomon 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.H8010H2859H6547H4428H4714H3947H6547H1323H935H5892H1732H3615H1129H1004H1004H3068H2346H3389H5439 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.H5971H2076H1116H1004H1129H8034H3068H3117 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.H8010H157H3068H3212H2708H1732H1H2076H6999H1116 4The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.H4428H3212H1391H2076H1931H1419H1116H505H5930H8010H5927H4196 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!"H1391H3068H7200H8010H2472H3915H430H559H7592H5414 6Solomon replied, "You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.H8010H559H6213H5650H1732H1H1419H2617H1980H6440H571H6666H3483H3824H8104H1419H2617H5414H1121H3427H3678H3117 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.H3068H430H5650H4427H1732H1H6996H5288H3045H3318H935 8And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!H5650H8432H5971H977H7227H5971H4487H5608H7230 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?"H5414H5650H8085H3820H8199H5971H995H2896H7451H3201H8199H3515H5971 10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.H1697H3190H5869H136H8010H7592H1697 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—H430H559H7592H1697H7592H7227H3117H7592H6239H7592H5315H341H7592H995H8085H4941 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!H6213H1697H5414H2450H995H3820H6440H310H6965 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!H5414H7592H6239H3519H376H4428H3117 14And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life."H3212H1870H8104H2706H4687H1H1732H1980H748H3117 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.H8010H3364H2472H935H3389H5975H6440H727H1285H3068H5927H5930H6213H8002H6213H4960H5650

Solomon Judges Wisely

16Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.H935H8147H802H2181H4428H5975H6440 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.H259H802H559H994H113H802H3427H259H1004H3205H1004 18Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house.H7992H3117H3205H802H3205H3162H2114H1004H2108H8147H1004 19"But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it.H802H1121H4191H3915H7901 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.H6965H8432H3915H3947H1121H681H519H3463H7901H2436H7901H4191H1121H2436 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."H6965H1242H1121H3243H4191H995H1242H1121H3205 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.H312H802H559H2416H1121H4191H1121H559H4191H1121H2416H1121H1696H6440H4428 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.H559H4428H2063H559H1121H2416H1121H4191H2063H559H1121H4191H1121H2416 24All right, bring me a sword." So a sword was brought to the king.H4428H559H3947H2719H935H2719H6440H4428 25Then he said, "Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!"H4428H559H1504H2416H3206H8147H5414H2677H259H2677H259 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!"H559H802H2416H1121H4428H7356H3648H1121H559H994H113H5414H2416H3205H4191H4191H559H1504 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!"H4428H6030H559H5414H2416H3205H4191H4191H517 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.H3478H8085H4941H4428H8199H3372H6440H7200H2451H430H7130H6213H4941