1 Kings 3:1-7

1 and (then) by affinity, either alliance, he was joined to Pharaoh, king of Egypt; for he took the daughter of Pharaoh, and brought (her) into the city of David, till he [ful]filled building his house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem by compass.
2 Nevertheless the people offered in high places; for the temple was not builded to the name of the Lord till into that day. (But the people still offered at the hill shrines; for the Temple was not yet built in honour of the name of the Lord unto that day.)
3 Soothly Solomon loved the Lord, and went in the behests of David, his father, except that Solomon offered in high places and burnt incense. (And Solomon loved the Lord, and followed his father David's commands, except that Solomon offered sacrifices and burned incense at the hill shrines.)
4 And so Solomon went into Gibeon, to offer there; for that was the most high place (for that was the most important, or the most famous, hill shrine). Solomon offered upon that altar in Gibeon a thousand offerings into burnt sacrifice.
5 Soothly the Lord appeared to Solomon by sleep in the night, and said, Ask thou that, that thou wilt, that I give it to thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast done great mercy with thy servant David, my father, as he went in thy sight, in truth, and [in] rightwiseness, and in rightful heart with thee; thou hast kept to him thy great mercy (thou hast shown him thy great love), and hast given to him a son, sitting on his throne, as it is today.
7 And now, Lord God, thou hast made thy servant to reign for David, my father; forsooth I am a little child (but I am like a little child), and not knowing mine out-going and mine in-coming.

1 Kings 3:1-7 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.