1 Kings 3:3-15
Evangelical Heritage Version
3 Solomon loved the Lord, so he followed the instructions of his father David, though he was still offering sacrifices and burning incense at the high places.
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
4 So the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because it was the most important high place. Solomon offered one thousand whole burnt offerings on that altar. 5 The Lord appeared to Solomon in Gibeon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon said, “You have shown great mercy and faithfulness[a] to your servant, my father David, just as he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward you. You have shown this great mercy and faithfulness to him and have given him a son who is seated on his throne to this very day. 7 O Lord my God, now you have made your servant king in the place of my father David, but I am a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And I, your servant, am among your people whom you have chosen, a great people, who cannot be counted or numbered because they are so many. 9 Now give to your servant a perceptive heart to judge your people, to distinguish between good and evil, for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 In the eyes of the Lord, Solomon’s request was good. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have asked for this, and you have not asked for a long life, nor have you asked for riches, nor have you asked for the lives of your enemies, but you have asked for discernment to reach just verdicts, 12 therefore I will act according to your words. Yes, I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you before you, nor will anyone like you rise up after you. 13 In addition, I will give you what you have not asked for: such riches and honor that there will not be anyone like you among the other kings throughout all your days. 14 If you walk in my ways by keeping my statutes and commands just as your father David did, then I will give you a long life.”
15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it was a dream. So Solomon went to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.[b] He offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and he made a feast for all his officials.
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- 1 Kings 3:6 The Hebrew word chesed has connotations of both mercy and faithfulness, so the translation here includes both concepts. Chesed (mercy) is used in the Old Testament in much the same way that charis (grace) is used in the New Testament, as the most common word for God’s saving love.
- 1 Kings 3:15 Variant Lord
1 Kings 3:3-15
Lexham English Bible
3 Solomon loved Yahweh, by walking in the statutes of David his father; only he was sacrificing and offering incense on the high places. 4 So the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice, for the great high place was there. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
Solomon’s Request for Wisdom
5 Yahweh appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night, and God said, “Ask what I should give to you.” 6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great loyal love with your servant David my father, as he walked before you in faithfulness and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with you. You have shown for him this great loyal love, and you have given a son to him who is sitting on his throne as it is this day. 7 So then, O Yahweh, you are my God. You have made your servant king in place of David my father though I am a young boy. I do not know going out or coming in. 8 Your servant is in the middle of your people whom you have chosen; a great people who cannot be counted or numbered because of abundance. 9 Give to your servant a listening heart to judge your people, to discern between good and bad, because who is able to judge this, your difficult people?”
10 The word was good in the eyes of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and you did not ask for yourself a long life[a] and you did not ask riches for yourself and you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you have asked for yourself the ability to make wise judgments;[b] 12 behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise. 13 Too, what you have not asked I give to you: both riches and honor, so that no man among the kings will be like you all of your days. 14 If you will walk in my ways by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David your father walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 15 Then Solomon awoke, and look, it was a dream, and he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and he offered burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings, and he held a feast for all of his servants.
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- 1 Kings 3:11 Literally “many days”
- 1 Kings 3:11 Literally “understanding to hear judgment”
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