1 Kings 3
American Standard Version
1And SolomonH8010 made affinity with PharaohH6547 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714, and tookH3947 Pharaoh’s daughterH1323, and broughtH935 her into the cityH5892 of DavidH1732, until he had made an endH3615 of buildingH1129 his own houseH1004, and the houseH1004 of Jehovah, and the wallH2346 of JerusalemH3389 roundH5439 about. 2OnlyH7535 the peopleH5971 sacrificedH2076 in the highH1116 placesH1116, because there was no houseH1004 builtH1129 for the nameH8034 of Jehovah until those daysH3117. 3And SolomonH8010 lovedH157 Jehovah, walking in the statutesH2708 of DavidH1732 his fatherH1: onlyH7535 he sacrificedH2076 and burnt incenseH6999 in the highH1116 placesH1116.
4And the kingH4428 wentH5927 to GibeonH1391 to sacrificeH2076 there; for that was the greatH1419 highH1116 placeH1116: a thousandH505 burnt-offerings did SolomonH8010 offerH5927 upon that altarH4196. 5In GibeonH1391 Jehovah appearedH7200 to SolomonH8010 in a dreamH2472 by nightH3915; and GodH430 saidH559, AskH7592 what I shall giveH5414 thee. 6And SolomonH8010 saidH559, Thou hast showed unto thy servantH5650 DavidH1732 my fatherH1 greatH1419 lovingkindness, according as he walkedH1980 before thee in truthH571, and in righteousnessH6666, and in uprightness of heartH3824 with thee; and thou hast keptH8104 for him this greatH1419 lovingkindness, that thou hast givenH5414 him a sonH1121 to sitH3427 on his throneH3678, as it is this dayH3117. 7And nowH6258, O Jehovah my GodH430, thou hast madeH3045 thy servantH5650 kingH4427 instead of DavidH1732 my fatherH1: and I am but a littleH6996 child; I knowH3045 not how to goH3318 out or comeH935 in. 8And thy servantH5650 is in the midstH8432 of thy peopleH5971 which thou hast chosenH977, a greatH7227 peopleH5971, that cannot be numbered nor countedH5608 for multitudeH7230. 9GiveH5414 thy servantH5650 therefore an understandingH995 heartH3820 to judgeH8199 thy peopleH5971, that I may discernH995 between goodH2896 and evilH7451; for who is ableH3201 to judgeH8199 this thy great peopleH5971?
10And the speech pleased the LordH136, that SolomonH8010 had askedH7592 this thingH1697. 11And GodH430 saidH559 unto him, Because thou hast askedH7592 this thingH1697, and hast not askedH7592 for thyself long lifeH5315, neither hast askedH7592 richesH6239 for thyself, nor hast askedH7592 the lifeH5315 of thine enemiesH341, but hast askedH7592 for thyself understandingH995 to discernH995 justiceH4941; 12behold, I have done according to thy wordH1697: lo, I have givenH5414 thee a wiseH2450 and an understandingH995 heartH3820; so that there hath beenH1961 none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any ariseH6965 like unto thee. 13And I have alsoH1571 givenH5414 thee that which thou hast not askedH7592, both richesH6239 and honorH3519, so that there shall not beH1961 any among the kingsH4428 like unto thee, all thy daysH3117. 14And if thou wilt walkH1980 in my waysH1870, to keepH8104 my statutesH2706 and my commandmentsH4687, as thy fatherH1 DavidH1732 did walkH1980, then I will lengthen thy daysH3117. 15And SolomonH8010 awokeH3364; and, behold, it was a dreamH2472: and he cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, and stoodH5975 before the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of Jehovah, and offeredH5927 up burnt-offerings, and offeredH5927 peace-offerings, and madeH6213 a feastH4960 to all his servantsH5650.
16ThenH227 there cameH935 twoH8147 womenH802 that were harlots, unto the kingH4428, and stoodH5975 before him. 17And the oneH259 womanH802 saidH559, Oh, my lordH113, I and this womanH802 dwellH3427 in oneH259 houseH1004; and I was delivered of a childH3205 with her in the houseH1004. 18And it came to pass the thirdH7992 dayH3117 after I was delivered, that this womanH802 was delivered alsoH1571; and we wereH1961 togetherH3162; there was no stranger with us in the houseH1004, save we twoH8147 in the houseH1004. 19And this woman’sH802 child diedH4191 in the nightH3915, because she layH7901 upon it. 20And she aroseH6965 at midnight, and tookH3947 my sonH1121 from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laidH7901 it in her bosomH2436, and laidH7901 her deadH4191 child in my bosomH2436. 21And when I roseH6965 in the morningH1242 to giveH3205 my child suckH3243, behold, it wasH1961 deadH4191; but when I had looked at it in the morningH1242, behold, it wasH1961 not my sonH1121, whom I did bearH3205. 22And the otherH312 womanH802 saidH559, Nay; but the living is my sonH1121, and the deadH4191 is thy sonH1121. And this saidH559, No; but the deadH4191 is thy sonH1121, and the living is my sonH1121. Thus they spake before the kingH4428.
23Then saidH559 the kingH4428, The oneH2088 saith, This is my sonH1121 that liveth, and thy sonH1121 is the deadH4191: and the other saith, Nay; but thy sonH1121 is the deadH4191, and my sonH1121 is the living. 24And the kingH4428 saidH559, Fetch me a swordH2719. And they broughtH935 a swordH2719 before the kingH4428. 25And the kingH4428 saidH559, Divide the living childH3206 in twoH8147, and giveH5414 halfH2677 to the oneH259, and halfH2677 to the other. 26Then spake the womanH802 whose the living child wasH1961 unto the kingH4428, for her heart yearned over her sonH1121, and she saidH559, Oh, my lordH113, giveH5414 her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other saidH559, It shall beH1961 neither mine nor thine; divide it. 27Then the kingH4428 answered and saidH559, GiveH5414 her the living childH3205, and in no wise slay it: she is the motherH517 thereof. 28And all IsraelH3478 heardH8085 of the judgmentH4941 which the kingH4428 had judgedH8199; and they fearedH3372 the kingH4428: for they sawH7200 that the wisdomH2451 of GodH430 was in him, to do justiceH4941.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries