“I am about to die. ¹  Be strong and become a man!

When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, ¹  she came to challenge ²  him with difficult questions. ³ 

The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall ¹  of Jezreel.’

She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight ¹  was true!

and had warned him about this very thing, so that he would not follow other gods. ¹  But he did not obey ²  the Lord’s command.

It was four fingers thick and its rim was like that of a cup shaped like a lily blossom. It could hold about 12,000 gallons. ¹ 

So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” ¹  They said, “Attack! The sovereign one ²  will hand it over to the king.”

People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; ¹  they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.

He also made ten bronze basins, each of which could hold about 240 gallons. ¹  Each basin was six feet in diameter; ²  there was one basin for each stand.

When they hear about your great reputation ¹  and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds, ²  they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple.

Listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve. ¹ 

Then he told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Look, I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and I will give ten tribes to you.

They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! ¹  If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” ²  But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. ³ 

When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected ¹  the king, for they realized ²  that he possessed supernatural wisdom ³  to make judicial decisions.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected.

But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.” ¹ 

As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.”

Then the king turned around ¹  and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there. ² 

The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench.

On all the walls around the temple, inside and out, ¹  he carved ²  cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom.