1 Kings 3:8

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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 mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7Now, 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. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 10The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

1 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, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
• Deuteronomy 7:6“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples 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 His people.
• Psalms 78:71From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.
• Genesis 13:16And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
• Genesis 15:5Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
• Genesis 22:17blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
• 1 Chronicles 21:2So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”
• 1 Chronicles 27:23But David did not take the number of those twenty years old and under, because the Lord had said He would multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens.

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

• Children
• Communion
• Dream
• Prayer
• Solomon

In the dictionaries

• Affinity
• Divide
• Gibeon
• Solomon
• Yearn
• Abishag
• Divination
• Intercession
• Israel, History of
• King; Kingdom

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