And Solomon (A)loved the Lord, (B)walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

Now (C)the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, (D)for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. (E)At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon (F)in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

(G)And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he (H)walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You (I)have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a (J)little child; I do not know how (K)to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You (L)have chosen, a great people, (M)too numerous to be numbered or counted. (N)Therefore give to Your servant an [a]understanding heart (O)to judge Your people, that I may (P)discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have (Q)not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 (R)behold, I have done according to your words; (S)see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also (T)given you what you have not asked: both (U)riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So (V)if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, (W)as your father David walked, then I will (X)lengthen[b] your days.”

15 Then Solomon (Y)awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and (Z)made a feast for all his servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 3:9 Lit. hearing
  2. 1 Kings 3:14 prolong

And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great lovingkindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an [a]understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy [b]great people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself [c]long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to [d]discern justice; 12 behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an [e]understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there [f]shall not be any among the kings like unto thee, all thy days. 14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 3:9 Hebrew hearing.
  2. 1 Kings 3:9 Hebrew heavy.
  3. 1 Kings 3:11 Hebrew many days.
  4. 1 Kings 3:11 Hebrew hear.
  5. 1 Kings 3:12 Hebrew hearing.
  6. 1 Kings 3:13 Or, hath not been