Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/292

 to Thy  servant  an  understanding  heart  to  judge  Thy  people  and to discern  between  good  and  evil.”

The Lord  was  pleased  with  his  petition,  and  He  said  to  him: “Because thou  hast  asked  this  thing  and  hast  not  asked  for  thyself long life  nor  riches  nor  the  lives  of  thy  enemies,  but  hast  asked for thyself  wisdom  to  discern  judgment,  behold,  I have  done  for thee according  to  thy  words  and  have  given  thee  a wise  and understanding heart,  insomuch that  there  hath  been  no  one  like thee before  thee,  nor  shall  arise  after  thee. Yea, and  the  things also which  thou  didst  not  ask,  I have  given  thee: riches  and  glory, so that  no  one  hath  been  like  thee  among  the  kings  in  all  days heretofore. And if  thou  wilt  walk  in  my  ways  and  keep  my  precepts and  commandments,  as  thy  father  walked,  I will  lengthen thy days.”  And  Solomon  became  renowned  for  wisdom  and  for power and  glory.

On one  occasion  two  women  came  to  Solomon,  asking  him to decide  their  dispute. The first  woman  said:  “We  were  living alone in  a house,  only  we  two. Now I had  a child,  and  she  had a child; and  in  the  night  when  she  was  asleep,  she  overlaid  her child, and  it  died. And rising  in  the  dead  of  the  night  she  took my child,  while  I,  thy  handmaid,  was  asleep,  and  laid  her  dead child in  my  bosom. When I arose  in  the  morning,  behold,  my child  was  dead; but  considering  him  more  diligently  when  it  was clear day,  I found  that  it  was  not  mine.”  Then  the  second  woman answered: “It is  not  so  as  thou  sayest,  but  thy  child  is  dead  and mine is  alive.”

But the  first  woman  insisted  that  the  living  child  was  hers, and so  they  disputed  before  the  king. Then Solomon  ordered a sword to  be  brought  to  him,  and  when  it  was  brought  he said:  “Divide  the  living  child  in  two  and  give  half  to  the  one and half  to  the  other.”  Hearing  this,  the  woman  whose  child was alive,  being  moved  to  pity,  cried  out  in  terror:  “I  beseech thee, my  lord,  give  her  the  child  alive,  and  do  not  kill  it.”