EasyEnglish Bible 2018
1 Kings 3:7
7Lord my God, I am only a young man. I have not learned how to rule well. But you have now made me become king, as my father David was king.
1 Kings 3:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
Context of 1 Kings 3:7
5One night in Gibeon, the Lord showed himself to Solomon in a dream. God said, ‘Ask me to give you whatever you want.’ 6Solomon answered, ‘You always showed your faithful love to your servant, my father David. He served you faithfully as a good, honest man. You have continued to show your faithful love to him even now. You have given him a son to rule as king on his throne. Lord my God, I am only a young man. I have not learned how to rule well. But you have now made me become king, as my father David was king. 8I am here as your servant to lead the people that you have chosen for yourself. It is a great nation and it has too many people to count. 9So please give me a wise mind that understands things well. Then I will be able to rule your people properly. I will know the difference between right things and wrong things. I will only be able to rule this great nation of your people if you do that for me.’
Read all of 1 Kings 31 Kings 3:7 word by word
וְעַתָּה֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י אַתָּה֙ הִמְלַ֣כְתָּ אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ֔ תַּ֖חַת דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ נַ֣עַר קָטֹ֔ן לֹ֥א אֵדַ֖ע צֵ֥את וָבֹֽא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And now, O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- thou hast made thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- kingמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
- instead of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- a littleקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- to go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- or come inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:7
- Daniel 2:21He makes things happen at the right time. He gives to some kings authority to rule. And he takes that authority away from other kings. He causes some people to become wise. He helps people to understand the things that they learn.
- Daniel 4:25People will chase you away from the city, so that you have to live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cows do. Dew from the sky will make you wet. You will live in that way for seven years. Then you will understand that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses.
- Daniel 5:18I tell you this, King Belshazzar. The powerful God who rules over everything gave authority to your father, Nebuchadnezzar, to rule as king. God made him very great and very famous, so that he ruled with power. People respected him as a great king.
- 1 Chronicles 29:1Then King David spoke to all the people who were meeting together. He said, ‘God has clearly chosen my son Solomon to do this great work. But he is still young and he has no special skills. It is a very important work for him to build the temple. It will not be a palace for people, but for the Lord God himself!
- Job 32:6Barakel's son, Elihu, said this: ‘I am young and you are old. So I was afraid to tell you what I was thinking.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16A country is in terrible trouble if its ruler is young and foolish. If its leaders go to parties all day, a country is in trouble.
- Jeremiah 1:6I answered, ‘Lord God, I do not know how to speak. I am only a child.’
- Matthew 18:3He said, ‘I tell you this: You must change and become like little children. If not, you will never come into the kingdom of heaven.
- Numbers 27:17He will lead them when they go out to fight, and he will bring them back safely. Then the Lord's people will not be like sheep who have no shepherd.’
- Deuteronomy 31:2He said to them, ‘I am now 120 years old. I can no longer continue to lead you. The Lord has told me that I will not go across the Jordan River.
- 1 Samuel 18:16All the people in Israel and Judah loved David because he led the army in their battles.
- 2 Samuel 5:2In the past, when Saul ruled over us as king, you were the leader of Israel's army in the wars. The Lord said to you, “You will take care of my people as a shepherd takes care of his sheep. You will rule over Israel.” ’
- Psalms 121:8Whatever you do and wherever you go, the Lord will always keep you safe, now and for ever.
- John 10:3The person who watches the gate opens it for the shepherd. The sheep recognize the shepherd's voice. He calls each of his own sheep by their name and he leads them out.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 3:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7I know not how to go out or come in - I am just like an infant learning to walk alone, and can neither go out nor come in without help.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7See 1 Kings 2:2 note, and on the hyperbole contained in the phrase “little child,” compare Genesis 43:8; Exodus 33:11. How to go out or come in - This expression is proverbial for the active conduct of affairs. (See the marginal reference.)Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-15Verses 5-15 Solomon's dream was not a common one. While his bodily powers were locked up in sleep, the powers of his soul were strengthened; he was enabled to receive the Divine vision, and to make a suitable choice. God, in like manner, puts us in the ready way to be happy, by assuring us we shall have what we need, and pray for. Solomon's making such a choice when asleep, and the powers of reason least active, showed it came from the grace of God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9The Hebrew term for little child often referred to someone inexperienced in their job, like an "assistant" (1 Kings 19:21). Solomon humbly admitted his lack of experience and his need for wisdom. He understood that to govern the people well and make good decisions, he needed God's help.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. I am but a little child--not in age, for he had reached manhood (1Ki 2:9) and must have been at least twenty years old; but he was raw and inexperienced in matters of government.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 3:7
In the dictionaries
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
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