Conclusion of Wise King Solomon

At this the other woman says: 'No! The living child is mine, and the dead one is hers!'  The first woman answers: '  No! The dead child is yours and the living one is mine!'  This is the way the woman argue. What will Solomon do?

He sends for a sword, and when it is brought, he says: 'Cut the living baby in two and give each woman half of it.'

'No! cries the real mother.  'Please don't kill the baby.  Give it to her!' But the other woman says: 'Don't give it to either of us; go on and cut it in two.

Finally Solomon speaks:  'Don't kill the child!  Give him to the first woman.  She is the real mother.'  Solomon knows this because the real mother loves the baby so much that she is willing to give him to the other woman so he won't be killed.  When the people hear how Solomon solved the problem, they are glad to have such a wise king.

During the rule of Solomon, God blesses the people by making the soil grow plenty of wheat and barley, grapes and figs and other foods.  The people wear fine clothes and live in good houses.  There is more than enough of everything good for everybody.

1 Kings 3:3-28; 4:29-34.

Next time:  Solomon Builds the Temple

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