Solomon begins his reign as King sealing a political alliance with Egypt by his marriage with the Pharoah's daughter. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon, and God asked him what he most wanted. Solomon didn't ask for longevity, power or wealth. He asked for wisdom. He said that he needed "a discerning heart" to govern the people as he recognized his youth and lack of experience. God was pleased with his request and said he would give him a wise and discerning heart as well as riches and honour which he had not requested. God said he would also give him longevity as long as he walked in his ways and obeyed his commands.
Then comes a famous example of Solomon's wisdom in action as 2 prostitutes disputed a child. For both had babies, but one died. The dispute was that one woman accused the other of having swapped the living baby for the dead one and the dispute was brought before Solomon to sort out, but that wasn't easy as there were no video replays in those days! Then came Solomon's wise test of love as he ordered the living child to be chopped in half with each mother having half. The deceitful woman was happy to agree to this but the true mother resisted and asked for the living baby to be given to the liar. Thus Solomon discovered who the true mother of the living baby was and gave it to her, and the people held Solomon's wisdom in awe.
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