1 Kings 3:16-7:22

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 3:16-28

God’s provision of Wisdom 3:16-28This incident demonstrates that God did indeed give Solomon the unusual wisdom He had promised (1 Kings 3:28). [Note: Wiseman, pp. 85-86, wrote a short note on the wisdom that is in view here.] The writer did not specify when during Solomon’s reign this event took place, but probably it occurred shortly after God appeared to the king at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4-15)."The chronology of the reign of Solomon does not pose nearly the difficulty as does that of David. With... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 3:1-28

Solomon’s ChoiceThis chapter relates how Solomon, out of various gifts offered to him by the Almighty, chose wisdom, and adds an illustration of the use he made of the gift with which he was endowed.1. Pharaoh] probably one of the immediate predecessors of the Shishak (Sheshonk) mentioned in 1 Kings 11:40 is intended. His own house.. Lord] see 1 Kings 7, 6. Both of these buildings were outside the limits of the city of David.2. High places] Both the Canaanites (see Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Kings 3:16

(16) Then came there.—The celebrated “judgment of Solomon,” given here as a specimen of his wisdom, is simply an instance of intuitive sagacity, cutting the Gordian knot of hopeless difficulty by the appear to maternal instinct—an appeal which might, of course, fail, but which was, under the exceptional circumstances, the only appeal possible. It is in the knowledge how to risk failure rather than be reduced to impotence, and how to go straight to the heart of a difficulty when the slow,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 1 Kings 3:1-28

Our Weakness Our Strength 1 Kings 3:7 These were the words of a very wise and great man, when he was just succeeding to his high dignities and was on the eve of one of the greatest works which was ever given to a man to do. It is the Moseses, the Solomons, the Jeremiahs, who always feel their nothingness. The higher you ascend in the true scale of manhood, the more unaffected and entire is the acknowledgment 'I am but a little child'. One only who ever lived and achieved the greatnesses of... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:1-28

THE BOY-KING’S WISDOM1 Kings 3:1-28"An oracle is upon the lips of a king."- Proverbs 16:10 (Hebrews)."A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eye."- Proverbs 20:8"Ch’ei fu Re, che chiese senno Accioche Re sufficiente fosse." DANTE, Parad., 13:95."Deos ipsos precor ut mihi ad finem usque vitae quietam et intelligentem humani divinique juris mentem duint."-TAC., Ann., 4:38.IT would have thrown an interesting light on the character and development of... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Kings 3:1-28

2. Jehovah Appears to Solomon His Prayer and the Answer CHAPTER 3 1. Affinity with Pharaoh and Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings 3:1 ) 2. Solomon loved the LORD (1 Kings 3:2-4 ) 3. Jehovah appears to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5-15 ) 4. The wisdom granted and exemplified (1 Kings 3:16-28 ) We shall now see how the Lord kept His promise He made unto David in the establishment of his kingdom. After the execution of the demanded judgment Solomon entered into affinity with Pharaoh King of Egypt... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - 1 Kings 3:16

3:16 Then came there two women, [that were] harlots, unto the king, and {k} stood before him.(k) By this example it appears that God kept his promise to Solomon in granting him wisdom. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 3:1-28

SOLOMON RECEIVES WISDOM FROM GOD (vs.1-15) However, early in Solomon's reign he slipped into the snare of making a treaty with the king of Egypt. Israel had before escaped from the bondage of Egypt, a type of the world in its independence of God. Believers are warned not to be friends with the world (James 4:4), for such friendship is actually enmity against God. This friendship of Solomon then went farther still in his being married to a daughter of Pharaoh. Such laxity of conscience did... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:1-28

SOLOMON ’S GREATNESS AND WISDOM HIS EGYPTIAN ALLIANCE (1 Kings 3:1-4 ) It is disappointing at the beginning to speak of that which betokens neither greatness nor wisdom on Solomon’s part, looking at it from the highest point of view. This marriage with a heathen wife was contrary to the law of God (Exodus 34:16 ); and while it was entered into for political reasons, and to strengthen Israel’s hands, yet in the end it weakened them, as Israel came to trust in Pharaoh more than Jehovah. And... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 Kings 3:1-28

Solomon's Character 1Ki 3:3 WHICH of these elements will conquer at the last? The sentence is divided into two parts. There is only a semicolon between the one part and the other, so far as its typographical relation is concerned; but the two parts are wide asunder morally as far as the east is from the west. In which part of the sentence will Solomon die? This is a question which concerns every man; for the same sentence may be employed in describing the character of most of those who have... read more

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