Melachim Alef 3:12

12 Hinei, I have done according to thy devarim; hinei, I have given thee a discerning lev chacham; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Melachim Alef 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 3:12

Behold, I have done according to thy words
Expressed in his request: he not only promised he would grant him it, but he had already done it, or at least had begun to do it:

lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart;
had greatly increased his wisdom and understanding in things political, things respecting civil government, and also in things natural, in the knowledge of the things of nature as appears from ( 1 Kings 4:33 ) ; and of the arts and sciences:

so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall
any arise like unto thee:
which some restrain to kings, and to the kings of Israel; that there were none of the kings before him, as Saul and David, like him for wisdom, nor any of the kings of Judah and Israel after him; but it may include all men of all nations in the world, since he is said to be wiser than all men; and some other nations, and particular men of other nations, famous for wisdom, are expressly mentioned as inferior to him, ( 1 Kings 4:30 1 Kings 4:31 ) ; but then this must be understood of men since the fall; for Adam, doubtless, had a larger stock of knowledge and understanding in his state of innocence than ever Solomon had; and it must be restrained to political and natural knowledge; for, as for divine knowledge, Kimchi excepts Moses; and we may well except the apostles of Christ for spiritual and evangelical knowledge; and as for our Lord, the antitype of Solomon, he is greater than him in all kind of knowledge, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him, see ( Matthew 12:42 ) ( Colossians 2:3 ) .

Melachim Alef 3:12 In-Context

10 And the davar was pleasing in the eyes of Adonoi, that Sh’lomo had made request of this davar.
11 And Elohim said unto him, Because thou hast made request of this davar, and hast not requested for thyself yamim rabbim; neither hast requested osher for thyself, nor hast requested the nefesh of thine oyevim; but hast requested for thyself binah to comprehend mishpat;
12 Hinei, I have done according to thy devarim; hinei, I have given thee a discerning lev chacham; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not requested, both osher, and kavod; so that there shall not be any among the Melachim like unto thee all thy yamim.
14 And if thou wilt walk in My derakhim, to be shomer over My chukkot and My mitzvot, as Dovid Avicha did walk, then I will lengthen thy yamim.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.