1 KINGS LESSON 5


     We will begin in I Kings 3:1 "And Solomon made affinity with
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her
into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own
house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round
about."

     We will find that many of the marriages Solomon made, were
actually for making peace with that nation. They were not marriages,
as you and I know marriage. If Solomon was married to the daughter of
the leader of that country, it would be highly unlikely that they
would attack Israel. We will find that Solomon is a man of peace, and
not a man of war as his father, David, was. This then, is a marriage
of state. This marriage would give him peace with Egypt, and give him
a time to build his own house and the house of the LORD, without
having to defend themselves against Egypt. We see that the name of the
wife, or the name of the leader whose daughter she was, are not given.
This shows that this is not a personal marriage, but one between
Israel and Egypt.

     I Kings 3:2 "Only the people sacrificed in high places, because
there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days."

     This is an interesting way to start a sentence. "Only" shows that
even though there is peace, the building of the temple has not begun.
There is a great need for a central place for them to worship. We know
that Jerusalem had been chosen of God as the place for the temple to
be built, but the work had not begun at this point. They were earnest
in their sacrificing in the high places. These were not pagan worship,
but the worship of the one true God.

     I Kings 3:3 "And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes
of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high
places."

     Solomon kept the great commandment, when he loved the LORD with
all his heart. The following is what Jesus said about this very thing.
Mark 12:30 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength: this [is] the first commandment."  His father, David, had
pleased the LORD, because he, too, had loved and obeyed God in
everything, except the sin with Bath-sheba, when he killed her
husband, Uriah. God did not want the sacrifices made in the high
places, but He accepted them, because they had sacrificed with great
love in their hearts for the LORD.

     I Kings 3:4 "And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for
that [was] the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did
Solomon offer upon that altar."

     We can see, from this, that Solomon was generous with his giving
to the LORD. Gibeon was 6 miles north of Jerusalem, and was the chosen
place for sacrificing to the LORD. The entire congregation went with
Solomon to this place to worship. This was the place where the
tabernacle was located. This festival that accompanied the sacrifice
of 1,000 animals, probably, lasted 7 days, or more. This was a time
set aside for the entire congregation to focus on their LORD.

     I Kings 3:5  "In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream
by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee."

     It is not to our benefit to argue over whether this was actually
a vision, or a dream. We must concentrate on the fact that this was a
message from the LORD to Solomon. The message is that the LORD is
pleased with Solomon, and he may ask for one thing from the LORD. and
it will be granted unto him. The LORD will bless Solomon, because of
the great love and devotion he has shown to the LORD.

     I Kings 3:6 "And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant
David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in
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."

     Solomon begins by thanking the LORD for the great mercy and love
that He had shown his father, David. Solomon is, also, showing praise
of his father, who walked before the LORD in righteousness and truth.
David had a pure heart of love for the LORD. Solomon is even
expressing that he believes the reason he is on the throne, is because
the LORD is blessing David in this. We must remember that Solomon,
himself, did not seek to be king. The LORD chose Solomon to be king,
and Solomon accepted that call.

     I Kings 3:7 "And now, 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."

     I see a very humble man in the statement of Solomon in this
verse. He is not caught up in self-worship. He is aware of his
inability within himself to lead such a great nation. He explains to
the LORD, that he is like a little child, when it comes to leading the
nation. He knows that without the LORD's help, he will not be able to
rule this people. He is placing his faith in the LORD, and not in
himself.

     I Kings 3:8 "And thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people
which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor
counted for multitude."

     Solomon is aware that this is not just any nation that he is
leading. These are God's chosen people. They are vast in number. He
knows that civil rule is not enough for these people. Every decision
that is made must be pleasing unto the LORD first.

     I Kings 3:9 "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?"

     Solomon is not refusing the task that the LORD has given him to
do. He is just asking for the LORD to empower him to do the task He
has set before him. He wants wisdom from the LORD. This gift of
wisdom, that he is asking for, is not even for a selfish reason, but
is so that he can better serve the chosen family of God.

     I Kings 3:10 "And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had
asked this thing."

     God had offered to give Solomon the one thing that he desired the
most. We see, in this request that Solomon had made, a man who
sincerly wants to be of service to the LORD. His first thought was of
service. This greatly pleases the LORD.

     I Kings 3:11 "And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this
thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked
riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast
asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;"  I Kings 3:12
"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 arise like unto thee."

     We see, from this, that God gives Solomon the gift of wisdom and
understanding. It becomes part of his very being, because it is in his
heart. He became the wisest man who ever lived. Only One who was on
this earth, ever had more wisdom, and he was God manifest in the flesh
of man. He was Jesus. As far as humans who had an earthly father and
an earthly mother, Solomon had the most wisdom. Jesus' Father was God.
God is so pleased with the request that Solomon had made, that He will
immediately answer his request.

     I Kings 3:13 "And 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 all thy days."

     Solomon had not asked for riches and honor, but God gives them to
him, because of his unselfish heart. He had put God first in his
heart, and thoughts, and desires. The following Scripture explains
exactly what happens when a person does that. Matthew 6:33 "But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you." Solomon is abundantly blessed with
physical blessings, because he asked for spiritual blessings.

     I Kings 3:14 "And 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."

     This is the first conditional promise that we see. The LORD will
give him long life, if he remains faithful, and walks in the ways of
the LORD. David lived a long life, and died from old age. This is what
the LORD is promising Solomon, if he will live a pleasing life before
the LORD as David did. We will find later, that Solomon does not live
to be old, because he does not remain faithful.

     I Kings 3:15 "And Solomon awoke; and, behold, [it was] a dream.
And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of
the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings,
and made a feast to all his servants."

     Even though this is classified as a dream, here, this is more
than a dream. It was like a night vision. Solomon knew this was the
LORD speaking to him. The standing before the ark of the covenant, was
presenting himself to the LORD. These offerings were in acceptance and
thanksgiving for the blessing the LORD had just placed within him. His
father, David, had brought the ark to Jerusalem, to show that this is
the holy city.

     I Kings 3:16  "Then came there two women, [that were] harlots,
unto the king, and stood before him."

     This is the first recorded test of the wisdom, that he had just
received from the LORD. The king was a judge in the land on weighty
matters. This is, possibly, a serious problem that others had not been
able to decide. The two harlot women are to stand before Solomon to be
judged of a dispute between them.

     I Kings 3:17 "And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman
dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the
house."

     It is obvious that these women have no husbands. They have had
the babies out of wedlock. They are living together, as in a house of
prostitution, except there are just two living there.

     I Kings 3:18 "And 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."

     They had both had their babies at home. Within a period of three
days, they both had a baby. It appears, they had not even had a
midwife, when the babies were born. We see from the following
Scripture, that the Hebrew women, in the most part, did not have as
much difficulty in childbirth as did the Egyptians. Exodus 1:19 "And
the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as
the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the
midwives come in unto them." Perhaps, they did not need a midwife.

     I Kings 3:19 "And this woman's child died in the night; because
she overlaid it."

     One of the women rolled over on her baby at night, and smothered
it to death.

     I Kings 3:20 "And 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."

     It appears, from this, that both women had male babies. The one
whose child died during the night, is being accused of swapping babies
during the middle of the night.

     I Kings 3:21 "And when I rose in the morning to give my child
suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the
morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear."

     She is saying, that she tried to nurse the baby, not knowing that
it was dead. When she unwrapped the baby and looked at it, she
discovered it was not her baby at all, but the woman's that lived with
her.

     I Kings 3:22 "And 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."

     Both of these women were claiming that the living baby was their
natural child. They both cried out to the king, to get the living baby
for themselves. This will be difficult to decide. Solomon is sorely
tested in this circumstance.

     I Kings 3:23 "Then 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."

     They are both claiming to be the mother of the live child. He
thoroughly understands the problem, now, what decision will he make?

     I Kings 3:24 "And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they
brought a sword before the king."  I Kings 3:25 "And the king said,
Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to
the other."

     This sounds like a cruel decision from Solomon. They will each
have half of a dead baby.

     I Kings 3:26 "Then spake the woman whose the living child [was]
unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O 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]."

     The real mother speaks up, and says not to kill the baby. She
would rather give it to the other woman, than for her son to be
killed. The one who the baby did not belong to was perfectly willing
to divide the baby. This tells Solomon who this baby really belongs
to.

     I Kings 3:27 "Then the king answered and said, Give her the
living child, and in no wise slay it: she [is] the mother thereof."

     The one who would rather give it up, than for it to be killed, is
the true mother. Solomon tells them to give the baby to her.

     I Kings 3:28 "And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king
had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of
God [was] in him, to do judgment."

     The way that Solomon settled this is wise indeed. We see the
supernatural wisdom, that God had bestowed on Solomon, in action in
this. Of course, the news of this wise decision soon was all over
town.  Everyone knew that the LORD had filled Solomon with wisdom,
greater than that of the natural man. They feared the king, is really
saying, they held him in high esteem. They knew his judgement was
righteous and perfect, since it was from the LORD. They feared,
because no one desires to be judged fairly. We all want mercy.







































                        1 Kings 5 Questions


1.  Whose daughter did Solomon take to wife in verse 1?
2.  What kind of marriages were many that Solomon made with women from
    different countries?
3.  What help to Solomon would this marriage to the Pharaoh of Egypt's
    daughter be?
4.  What can we learn from the fact that her name is not given?
5.  In verse 2, we read, the people were sacrificing in _______
    ______.
6.  What does the first word of verse 2 show us?
7.  Solomon ________ the LORD.
8.  Whose statutes did Solomon walk in?
9.  Quote Mark chapter 12 verse 30.
10. How had David pleased the LORD?
11. Where did king Solomon go to sacrifice?
12. How many burnt offerings did he present to the LORD?
13. How long did this festival unto the LORD last?
14. Who celebrated with Solomon?
15. Quote 1 Kings chapter 3 verse 5.
16. What does Solomon begin his reply to the LORD with?
17. Why did Solomon believe he was on the throne of David?
18. What does Solomon say, that he is in verse 7?
19. What does he call himself in verse 8?
20. What is different about this nation, that God has called him to
    lead?
21. What does Solomon ask God for?
22. How did the LORD feel about Solomon's answer?
23. What else did the LORD give Solomon, besides what he asked for?
24. What was the conditional promise the LORD made to Solomon?
25. What did Solomon do immediately, after he woke from this dream?
26. Who stood before him for judgement of a matter?
27. What was the complaint he was to settle?
28. What did the woman say had happened to one of the babies?
29. How did Solomon decide which harlot the baby really belonged to?
30. Who got the baby?
31. What happened, when all Israel heard about this judgement of
    Solomon?