1 Kings 3:1-11

Solomon's Rule Consolidated

1 Then ¹Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter ²and brought her to the city of David ³until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and ⁴the wall around Jerusalem.

2 ⁵The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the LORD until those days.

3 Now ⁶Solomon loved the LORD, ⁷walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

4 ⁸The king went to ⁹Gibeon to sacrifice there, ¹⁰for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

5 ¹¹In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon ¹²in a dream at night; and God said, "¹³Ask what you wish me to give you."

Solomon's Prayer

6 Then Solomon said, "¹⁴You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, ¹⁵according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and ¹⁶You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 "Now, O LORD my God, ¹⁷You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet ¹⁸I am but a little child; ¹⁹I do not know how to go out or come in.

8 "²⁰Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, ²¹a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.

9 "So ²²give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people ²³to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"

God's Answer

10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 God said to him, "Because * you have asked this thing and have ²⁴not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice,

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1 Kings 3:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 3

This chapter relates the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoh's daughter, 1Ki 3:1; his piety and devotion, 1Ki 3:2-4; his prayer for wisdom and understanding, which was acceptable to God, who promised to grant his request, with an addition to it, 1Ki 3:5-15; an instance and proof of the wisdom given him in determining a case between two harlots brought before him, which greatly raised his reputation, and gave him reverence among his people, 1Ki 3:16-28.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 24

1. 1 Kings 7:8; 1 Kings 9:16, 24; 2 Chronicles 8:11
2. 1 Kings 9:24
3. 1 Kings 7:1; 1 Kings 9:10
4. 1 Kings 9:15
5. Leviticus 17:3-5; Deut 12:2, 13, 14; 1 Kings 22:43
6. Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12, 13; Deuteronomy 11:13; Deuteronomy 30:16; Psalms 31:23; Psalms 145:20; 1 Corinthians 8:3
7. 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Kings 9:4; 1 Kings 11:4, 6, 38
8. 2 Chronicles 1:3
9. Joshua 18:21-25
10. 1 Chronicles 16:39; 1 Chronicles 21:29
11. 1 Kings 9:2; 1 Kings 11:9
12. Numbers 12:6; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:13
13. John 15:7
14. 2 Samuel 7:8-17; 2 Chronicles 1:8
15. 1 Kings 9:4
16. 1 Kings 1:48
17. 1 Chronicles 22:9-13
18. 1 Chronicles 29:1; Jeremiah 1:6, 7
19. Numbers 27:17
20. Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6
21. Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17
22. 2 Chronicles 1:10; Psalms 72:1, 2; Proverbs 2:3-9; James 1:5
23. 2 Samuel 14:17; Hebrews 5:14
24. James 4:3

Footnotes 8

[a]. Lit "made himself a son-in-law of Pharaoh"
[b]. Or "faithfulness"
[c]. Lit "kept"
[d]. Lit "a hearing"
[e]. Lit "heavy"
[f]. Lit "the thing"
[g]. Lit "many days"
[h]. Lit "hearing"