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.
Read full chapterNotas al pie
- 1 Kings 3:3 tn Heb “by walking in.”
- 1 Kings 3:3 tn Or “policies, rules.”
- 1 Kings 3:4 tn Heb “for it was the great high place.”
- 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.
- 1 Kings 3:5 tn Or “revealed himself.”
- 1 Kings 3:5 tn Heb “ask.”
- 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “did.”
- 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “walked before.”
- 1 Kings 3:6 tn Heb “in faithfulness and in innocence and in uprightness of heart with you.”
- 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.”
- 1 Kings 3:7 tn Heb “and I do not know going out or coming in.”
- 1 Kings 3:8 tn There is no verb expressed in the Hebrew text; “stands” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
- 1 Kings 3:8 tn Heb “your people whom you have chosen.”
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “a hearing heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “to judge.”
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “to understand between good and evil.”
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “for”; the word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “to judge.”
- 1 Kings 3:9 tn Heb “your numerous people.”
- 1 Kings 3:10 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in v.15 is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
- 1 Kings 3:10 tn Heb “And the thing was good in the eyes of the Lord, for Solomon asked for this thing.”
- 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.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 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”).
- 1 Kings 3:12 tn Heb “heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)
- 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.”
- 1 Kings 3:13 tn The translation assumes that the perfect tense here indicates that the action occurs as the statement is made.
- 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.”
- 1 Kings 3:14 tn Heb “walk in my ways.”
- 1 Kings 3:14 tn Or “keeping.”
- 1 Kings 3:14 tn Heb “walked.”
- 1 Kings 3:14 tn Heb “I will lengthen your days.”
- 1 Kings 3:15 tn Heb “and look, a dream.”
- 1 Kings 3:15 tn Or “tokens of peace”; NIV, TEV “fellowship offerings.”
1 Kings 3:3-15
Expanded Bible
3 Solomon showed he loved the Lord by following the commands his father David had given him, except ·many other places of worship were still used to offer sacrifices and to burn incense [L he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places; 3:2].
4 King Solomon went to Gibeon to offer a sacrifice, because it was the most important ·place of worship [high place; 3:2]. He offered a thousand burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] on that altar. 5 While he was at Gibeon, the Lord appeared to him in a dream during the night. God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon answered, “You ·were very kind [showed faithful love/great lovingkindness] to your servant, my father David. He ·obeyed you, and he was honest and lived right [walked before you in truth/faithfulness and righteousness and integrity of heart]. You showed ·great kindness [faithful love; lovingkindness] to him when you allowed his son to ·be king [L sit on his throne] after him. 7 Lord my God, now you have made me, your servant, king in place of my father David. But I am like a little child; I don’t know how to ·do what must be done [L go out or come in]. 8 I, your servant, am here among your chosen people, and there are too many of them to count. 9 I ask that you give me a heart that ·understands [discerns; L listens], so I can ·rule [govern] the people in the right way and will ·know the difference between right and wrong [discern between good and evil]. ·Otherwise, it is impossible to rule this great people of yours [L For who is capable of governing this great people?].”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked this. 11 So God said to him, “You did not ask for a long life, or riches for yourself, or the ·death [L life] of your enemies. Since you asked for ·wisdom to make the right decisions [understanding to discern what is right/just], 12 I will do what you asked. I will give you ·wisdom and understanding [a wise and discerning/L listening heart] that ·is greater than anyone has had in the past or will have in [will make you unlike anyone in the past or in] the future. 13 I will also give you what you did not ask for: riches and ·honor [fame]. During your life no other king will be as great as you. 14 If you ·follow me [L walk in my ways] and obey my ·laws [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and commands, as your father David did, I will also give you a long life.”
15 After Solomon woke up ·from the [and realized it had been a] dream, he went to Jerusalem. He stood before the Ark of the ·Agreement [Treaty; Covenant; Ex. 25:10] with the Lord, where he made burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1]. After that, he gave a ·feast [banquet] for all his ·leaders and officers [L servants].
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