<p class="bodytext">King Solomon then swore an oath by the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;May God judge me severely,<n id="1" /> if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life!<n id="2" />

One night in Gibeon the <sc>Lordsc> appeared<n id="1" /> to Solomon in a dream. God said, &#8220;Tell<n id="2" /> me what I should give you.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding<n id="1" /> was as infinite as the sand on the seashore.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;God does not really live on the earth!<n id="1" /> Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!

Everyone<n id="1" /> in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.<n id="2" />

and had warned him about this very thing, so that he would not follow other gods.<n id="1" /> But he did not obey<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s command.

<p class="bodytext">God also brought against Solomon<n id="1" /> another enemy, Rezon son of Eliada who had run away from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah.

Just then<n id="1" /> a prophet<n id="2" /> from Judah, sent by the <sc>Lordsc>, arrived in Bethel,<n id="3" /> as Jeroboam was standing near the altar ready to offer a sacrifice.

You have sinned more than all who came before you. You went and angered me by making other gods, formed out of metal; you have completely disregarded me.<n id="1" />

The woman said to Elijah, &#8220;Now I know that you are a prophet and that the <sc>Lordsc> really does speak through you.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, &#8216;You cursed God and the king.&#8217; Then take him out and stone him to death.&#8221;p>

The king&#8217;s servants have even come to congratulate<n id="1" /> our master<n id="2" /> King David, saying, &#8216;May your God<n id="3" /> make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!&#8217;<n id="4" /> Then the king leaned<n id="5" /> on the bed

God said to him, &#8220;Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies,<n id="1" />

When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected<n id="1" /> the king, for they realized<n id="2" /> that he possessed supernatural wisdom<n id="3" /> to make judicial decisions.p>

He prayed:<n id="1" /> &#8220;O <sc>Lord,sc> God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty<n id="2" /> to your servants who obey you with sincerity.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But if you or your sons ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep,<n id="1" /> and decide to serve and worship other gods,<n id="2" />

When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to<n id="1" /> other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the <sc>Lordsc> his God, as his father David had been.<n id="2" />

At noon Elijah mocked them, &#8220;Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.&#8221;<n id="1" />

When it was time for the evening offering,<n id="1" /> Elijah the prophet approached the altar<n id="2" /> and prayed: &#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove<n id="3" /> today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.

Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning,<n id="1" /> &#8220;May the gods judge me severely<n id="2" /> if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!&#8221;<n id="3" />p>