11. God replied, “You’ve asked for this and not for a long life, or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies. Instead, you’ve asked for understanding so that you can do what is right.
12. So I’m going to do what you’ve asked. I’m giving you a wise and understanding heart so that there will never be anyone like you.
13. I’m also giving you what you haven’t asked for—riches and honor—so that no other king will be like you as long as you live.
14. And if you follow me and obey my laws and commands as your father David did, then I will also give you a long life.”
15. Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He went to Jerusalem and stood in front of the ark of the Lord’s promise. He sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings and held a banquet for all his officials.
16. A short time later two prostitutes came to the king and stood in front of him.
17. One woman said to him, “Sir, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth ⌊to a son⌋ while she was with me in the house.
18. Two days later this woman also gave birth ⌊to a son⌋. We were alone. No one else was with us. Just the two of us were in the house.
19. That night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on top of him.
20. So she got up during the night and took my son, who was beside me, while I was asleep. She held him in her arms. Then she laid her dead son in my arms.
21. When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, he was dead! I took a good look at him and realized that he wasn’t my son at all!”
22. The other woman said, “No! My son is alive—your son is dead.”The first woman kept on saying, “No! Your son is dead—my son is alive.” So they argued in front of the king.
23. The king said, “This one keeps saying, ‘My son is alive—your son is dead,’ and that one keeps saying, ‘No! Your son is dead—my son is alive.’ ”