First Kings began with David in his advanced years. He was always very cold and no matter what they did they could not get him warm. They covered him with clothes, but nothing worked. They ended up bringing in a woman to lie in his arms for warmth.
While this was going on, Adonijah, the son of Haggith exalted himself and said that he would be king. He prepared chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. His father never displeased him at any time by questioning his actions, for he was born next after Absalom.
Nathan and Bathsheba got to talking though about how Adonijah was calling himself king. Which they found confusing because King David had promised that her son Solomon would be king after him. So, Nathan told Bathsheba to go talk to David and ask him what was going on, and why Solomon was not going to follow him as the next king.
David corrected all of this at once and had Solomon anointed king. When Adonijah heard of this, he was afraid of king Solomon and went to the altar. But Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” So, King Solomon brought him down from the altar and sent him to his house.
When David’s time to die drew near, he called Solomon his son and gave him instructions. He told him,
“I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'”
1 Kings 2:2-4
David died and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon prayed for wisdom, and because he had not asked the Lord anything for himself like riches or to conquer his enemies, the Lord blessed him. The Lord gave Solomon a wise and discerning mind, so that none like him had been seen before him and none like him would come after.
The Lord also gave him what he didn’t ask for, both riches and honor, so no other king could compare to him, for all his days. Then Solomon awoke, for it was only a dream. Then he went to the ark of the covenant of the Lord and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
Then two prostitutes came to the king. They explained that they both lived in the same house, and they both had given birth to babies three days apart. During the night, one of the children had died, and that mother switched the dead child with the live child, making the other mother think her baby was gone.
When the mother of the actual live baby awoke, and saw that she was holding a lifeless one, she examined it and could tell that it was not the child she had given birth to. She confronted the other woman obviously wanting her baby back, but she refused. So they went to King Solomon to settle the problem.
They explained the situation and the king said to bring him a sword, and he would divide the living child in half, and give half to the one and half to the other. The woman who’s son was alive said, “Oh, my lord give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” The other woman said, “He shall neither be mine nor yours; divide him.”
Solomon knew then who the real mother was, and gave the child to the first one who said not to harm him. And all Israel heard of the judgement that the king rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.