1 Kings 3:1-5

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."

1 Kings 3:1-5 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.

Cross References

• 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

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "made himself a son-in-law of Pharaoh"