But the people still sacrificed in high places, because there was no temple built to the name of the Lord, until those days.

Solomon loved the Lord, obeying the statutes of David his father, but he too sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there. That was the greatest high place because the tabernacle was there. Solomon made a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."

And Solomon said, "You have shown your servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked in truth, righteousness, and in uprightness of heart before you. You have done this great kindness for him, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

"And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father, but I am but a little child; I don't know how to go out or come in. And your servant is here with your people whom you have chosen, a great people, so many that they cannot be numbered nor counted.

"Therefore, please give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people so that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this, your great people?"

And the request pleased the Lord and God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches for yourself, nor the life of your enemies. But you have asked for understanding to discern judgment, so I have done according to your request, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like you before nor will there be after you.

" I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches, and honor, so that there will not be any king like you all your days.

"And if you will walk in my ways, keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David did, then I will lengthen your life."

Solomon awoke and he went 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 for all his servants.

Then Solomon sat in judgment before his people. Two women who were harlots came to him. One woman said, "O my lord, this woman and I dwell in one house and we both had babies; mine was first and hers was born three days later. This woman's child died one night because she laid on him. Then she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while I slept and laid her dead child by me.

"And when I rose in the morning to nurse my child he was dead, but when I had investigated it, I saw it was not my son."

But the other woman said, "No, the living baby is my son, and the dead is your son."

"No! But the dead is your son, and the living is my son." Said the other.

Then the king said, "One says, 'This is my son that lives, and your son is dead.' and the other says, 'No! But your son is the dead, and my son is the living.' Bring me a sword."

And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other."

Then the woman whose child was the living one said to the king, for her heart yearned for her son, "O my lord, give her the living child, don't kill him." But the other said, "Let it be neither mine nor yours, but divide it."

Then the king answered, "Give her the living child, and don't kill him - she is the mother."

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they respected the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him.

Children and their parents will enjoy these Ongoing Tales old testament bible stories, enhanced with electronic media and presented in serial with new postings monthly by Antelope Publishing.

The Judges of Israel    Price $9.95  
    Written by John Rutis
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

The Life of Moses    Price $10.95  
    Written by John Rutis
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

Stories from the Book of Genesis    Price $10.95  
    Written by Joanne and John Rutis
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

Ongoing Tales From the Past

Old time fairy tales, poems and stories brought to new life with electronic media by Antelope Publishing. New postings monthly.

Editors Note: The old time illustrations, stories, poems and fairy tales found at this site come from old books that are out of copyright. The formatting, and electronic enhancement, however, is © Copyrighted by Antelope Publishing and may be reproduced only with the publisher's permission.

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