English Standard Version
1 Kings 3:8
8And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.
1 Kings 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
- New International Version (NIV)Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!
Context of 1 Kings 3:8
6And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7And 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. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?" 10It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
Read all of 1 Kings 31 Kings 3:8 word by word
וְעַ֨בְדְּךָ֔ בְּת֥וֹךְ עַמְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחָ֑רְתָּ עַם־רָ֕ב אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יִמָּנֶ֛ה וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of thy peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- which thou hast chosenבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
- a greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- that cannot be numberedמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
- nor countedסָפַרsâphar · to recountH5608
- for multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:8
- Exodus 19:5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
- Deuteronomy 7:6"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
- 1 Samuel 12:22For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
- Psalms 78:71from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
- Genesis 13:16I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.
- Genesis 15:5And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
- Genesis 22:17I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,
- 1 Chronicles 21:2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, "Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number."
- 1 Chronicles 27:23David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as many as the stars of heaven.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 3:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Compare the marginal references. Solomon regards the promises as fulfilled in the existing greatness and glory of the Jewish nation.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
Topics related to 1 Kings 3:8
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries