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1 Kings 3:3-15
Christian Standard Bible

3 Solomon loved the Lord(A) by walking in the statutes of his father David,(B) but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

4 The king went to Gibeon(C) to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.(D) 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon(E) in a dream at night.(F) God said, “Ask.(G) What should I give you?”

6 And Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful love to your servant, my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity.[a] You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne,(H) as it is today.(I)

7 “Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place.(J) Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership.[b](K) 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen,(L) a people too many to be numbered or counted.(M) 9 So give your servant a receptive heart to judge(N) your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?” (O)

10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life[c] or riches for yourself,(P) or the death[d] of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice,(Q) 12 I will therefore do what you have asked.(R) I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.(S) 13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor,(T) so that no king will be your equal during your entire life.(U) 14 If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.”(V)

15 Then Solomon woke up(W) and realized it had been a dream.(X) He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant,(Y) and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.(Z) Then he held a feast(AA) for all his servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:6 Lit and uprightness of heart with you
  2. 3:7 Lit am a little youth and do not know to go out or come in
  3. 3:11 Lit for many days
  4. 3:11 Lit life
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1 Kings 3:3-15
New English Translation

3 Solomon demonstrated his loyalty to the Lord by following[a] the practices[b] of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places.[c] Solomon would offer up[d] 1,000 burnt sacrifices on the altar there. 5 One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared[e] to Solomon in a dream. God said, “Tell[f] me what I should give you.” 6 Solomon replied, “You demonstrated[g] great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served[h] you faithfully, properly, and sincerely.[i] You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne.[j] 7 Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced.[k] 8 Your servant stands[l] among your chosen people;[m] they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning mind[n] so he can make judicial decisions for[o] your people and distinguish right from wrong.[p] Otherwise[q] no one is able[r] to make judicial decisions for[s] this great nation of yours.”[t] 10 The Lord[u] was pleased that Solomon made this request.[v] 11 God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies,[w] 12 I[x] grant your request[y] and give[z] you a wise and discerning mind[aa] superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.[ab] 13 Furthermore, I am giving[ac] you what you did not request—riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.[ad] 14 If you follow my instructions[ae] by obeying[af] my rules and regulations, just as your father David did,[ag] then I will grant you long life.”[ah] 15 Solomon then woke up and realized it was a dream.[ai] He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, offered up burnt sacrifices, presented peace offerings,[aj] and held a feast for all his servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 3:3 tn Heb “by walking in.”
  2. 1 Kings 3:3 tn Or “policies, rules.”
  3. 1 Kings 3:4 tn Heb “for it was the great high place.”
  4. 1 Kings 3:4 tn Or, “customarily offered up.” The verb form is an imperfect, which is probably used here in a customary sense to indicate continued or repeated action in past time. See GKC 314 §107.b.
  5. 1 Kings 3:5 tn Or “revealed himself.”
  6. 1 Kings 3:5 tn Heb “ask.”
  7. 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “did.”
  8. 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “walked before.”
  9. 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “in faithfulness and in innocence and in uprightness of heart with you.”
  10. 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “and you have kept to him this great loyalty and you gave to him a son [who] sits on his throne as this day.”
  11. 1 Kings 3:7 tn Heb “and I do not know going out or coming in.”
  12. 1 Kings 3:8 tn There is no verb expressed in the Hebrew text; “stands” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
  13. 1 Kings 3:8 tn Heb “your people whom you have chosen.”
  14. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “a hearing heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)
  15. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “to judge.”
  16. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “to understand between good and evil.”
  17. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “for”; the word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.
  18. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
  19. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “to judge.”
  20. 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “your numerous people.”
  21. 1 Kings 3:10 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in v.15 is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
  22. 1 Kings 3:10 tn Heb “And the thing was good in the eyes of the Lord, for Solomon asked for this thing.”
  23. 1 Kings 3:11 tn Heb “because you asked for this thing, and did not ask for yourself many days and did not ask for yourself riches and did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you asked for yourself understanding to hear judgment.”
  24. 1 Kings 3:12 tn This statement is introduced in the Hebrew text by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows.
  25. 1 Kings 3:12 tn Heb “I am doing according to your words.” The perfect tense is sometimes used of actions occurring at the same time a statement is made.
  26. 1 Kings 3:12 tn This statement is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows. The translation assumes that the perfect tense here indicates that the action occurs as the statement is made (i.e., “right now I give you”).
  27. 1 Kings 3:12 tn Heb “heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)
  28. 1 Kings 3:12 tn Heb “so that there has not been one like you prior to you, and after you one will not arise like you.”
  29. 1 Kings 3:13 tn The translation assumes that the perfect tense here indicates that the action occurs as the statement is made.
  30. 1 Kings 3:13 tn Heb “so that there is not one among the kings like you all your days.” The LXX lacks the words “all your days.”
  31. 1 Kings 3:14 tn Heb “walk in my ways.”
  32. 1 Kings 3:14 tn Or “keeping.”
  33. 1 Kings 3:14 tn Heb “walked.”
  34. 1 Kings 3:14 tn Heb “I will lengthen your days.”
  35. 1 Kings 3:15 tn Heb “and look, a dream.”
  36. 1 Kings 3:15 tn Or “tokens of peace”; NIV, TEV “fellowship offerings.”
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