April 28 Daily Devotional

1 Kings 2–4

After the death of David, Solomon, his son, became king in his stead. He was yet a young man when he became king, but he loved the Lord. One day he went to Gibeon, where the tabernacle stood, to offer sacrifices. There the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night and said to him, “Ask what I shall give thee.” Solomon might have asked for riches, honor or long life, but he did not do this. He said, “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 … 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?” This pleased the Lord, and he said, “Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither … riches for thyself … but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 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 rise like unto thee. And I have given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor … and if thou wilt walk in my ways … as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.”

Solomon’s wisdom was soon shown in his reign and in his judgments. One day two women came to the king, each carrying a child. They had been sleeping together in one bed with their infants. In the night one of the women had overlaid her child, so it died. When she awoke and saw that her child was dead, she laid it beside the other woman, and took the other woman’s child to herself. But in the morning the other woman saw that the dead child was not her own. And now they appeared before the king, each woman claiming the living child for her own. Then the king said, “Bring me a sword … divide the living child in two, and give half to this one, and half to the other.” Then the mother of the living child called, “Oh 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.” Then Solomon knew to whom the living child belonged, and it was given to the mother, who had asked to spare its life.

And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the river Euphrates to the border of Egypt. And he had peace on all sides around about him, and Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba. And God gave a great deal of wisdom to Solomon, and his fame spread to all the nations round about.