« | 1 Kings 3 | » |
1 And Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he finished building his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 Only the people sacrificed in high places because there was no house built to the name of Jehovah until those days.
3 And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father. Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there. For that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, Ask what I shall give you!
6 And Solomon said, You have shown to Your servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before You in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with You. And You have kept this great kindness for him, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.
7 And now, O Jehovah my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father. And I am a little child; I do not know to go out or come in!
8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a numerous people who cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 And give to Your servant an understanding heart, to judge Your people, to discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, Your great people?
10 And the word was good in the eyes of Jehovah, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, and have not asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to judge justly,
12 behold, I have done according to your words. Lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like you before you, and after you none shall arise like you.
13 And I also have given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you all your days.
14 And if you will walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.
15 And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
16 Then there came two women, harlots, to the king, and stood before him.
17 And the one woman said, O my lord, this woman and I live in one house. And I bore a child with her in the house.
18 And it happened the third day after I gave birth, this woman bore a child also. And we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, except the two of us in the house.
19 And this woman's child died in the night, because she laid on it.
20 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant was sleeping, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 When I arose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead. And when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom I bore.
22 And the other woman said, No, but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. And this one said, No, but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. So they spoke before the king.
23 And the king said, The one says, This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead. And the other says, No, but your son is the dead, and my son is the living.
24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.
26 And the woman whose son was the living child said to the king, for her womb yearned over her son. And she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor yours; divide it!
27 And the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no way kill it. She is the mother of it.
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 Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.