1 Kings 3:5

5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

1 Kings 3:5 in Other Translations

5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."

5 That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

5 That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, "What can I give you? Ask."

5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask. What should I give you?"

1 Kings 3:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 3:5

In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night,
&c.] This was not a common natural dream, but an extraordinary, divine, and supernatural one, a prophetic dream, a night vision, such as God used to speak in to his prophets; in which he had the full use of his reasoning powers, was under divine impressions, and in a spiritual frame of mind, and in the exercise of grace; it was not a mere dream that the Lord did appear to him, but he really did appear to him while sleeping and dreaming, by some display of his glory in some way or another:

and God said, ask what I shall give thee;
he did not hereby dream that God said to him, but he really did say this; bid him ask what he would and it should be given him; he knew what he designed to give, but he would have it asked of him, as he will be inquired of by all his people to do that for them which he has intended and provided for them; and it is encouragement enough for them to ask, since he has promised to give.

1 Kings 3:5 In-Context

3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by 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 that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 9:2; 1 Kings 11:9
• 2. S Matthew 27:19; Numbers 12:6; Matthew 1:20
• 3. S Matthew 7:7