1 Kings 3:6-28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 3:5-15

We have here an account of a gracious visit which God paid to Solomon, and the communion he had with God in it, which put a greater honour upon Solomon than all the wealth and power of his kingdom did. I. The circumstances of this visit, 1 Kgs. 3:5. 1. The place. It was in Gibeon; that was the great high place, and should have been the only one, because there the tabernacle and the brazen altar were, 2 Chron. 1:3. There Solomon offered his great sacrifices, and there God owned him more than in... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 3:16-28

An instance is here given of Solomon's wisdom, to show that the grant lately made him had a real effect upon him. The proof is fetched, not from the mysteries of state and the policies of the council-board, though there no doubt he excelled, but from the trial and determination of a cause between party and party, which princes, though they devolve them upon their judges, must not think it below them to take cognizance of. Observe, I. The case opened, not by lawyers, but by the parties... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:6

And Solomon said ,.... In his dream; not that he dreamt he said, when he did not; but he really said, as follows: thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy ; bestowed many favours and blessings upon him, both temporal and spiritual: according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee ; in the truth of doctrine and worship, according to the revealed will and word of God, and which he observed with great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:7

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father ,.... Removed by death, in whose stead he reigned by the appointment of God, and through his overruling providence, notwithstanding the attempts made to prevent it, and therefore to God he ascribes it: and I am but a little child ; not in age and stature, but in knowledge and understanding; for though his father called him a wise man, and he was judged so by others, and really was one, yet in his own... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:8

And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen ,.... To be his special and peculiar people above all people on the earth; this is not to be understood locally, though Jerusalem, where his palace was, was in the middle of the land; but of the exercise of his office, he being placed over the people, and among them, and having the care and inspection of them: a great people, that cannot be numbered and counted for multitude ; being for number as the stars in the sky,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:9

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people ,.... Not an understanding of things spiritual, nor of things natural, though both were given him, but of things political, what related to the civil government, that he might be able to judge or rule the people of Israel in the best manner: that I may discern between good and bad ; not merely between moral good and evil, of which he had a discernment; but between right and wrong in any case or controversy that came... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:10

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Understanding in the affairs of civil government; since he had respect not to his own private benefit and advantage, but the good of the people he governed, and the honour and glory of God, who had set him over them, they being his chosen people, and whose vicegerent he was. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:11

And God said unto him ,.... Being yet in a dream: because thou hast asked this thing ; wisdom for government: and hast not asked for thyself long life ; which is naturally desired by men, and always reckoned a great temporal blessing, and especially to be wished for by a king living in great pomp and splendour: neither hast asked riches for thyself ; to support his grandeur; for though David his father had left him much, yet not for himself, but for the building of the temple: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:12

Behold, I have done according to thy words ,.... Expressed in his request: he not only promised he would grant him it, but he had already done it, or at least had begun to do it: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart ; had greatly increased his wisdom and understanding in things political, things respecting civil government, and also in things natural, in the knowledge of the things of nature as appears from 1 Kings 4:33 ; and of the arts and sciences: so that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:13

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked ,.... That is, intended to give him, and now promised it, and was about to bestow it on him: both riches and honour ; the former through the presents and tribute of the nations about him, and his trading to foreign parts; and the latter chiefly through his wisdom, the fame of which was spread everywhere: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days ; that is, none like him for riches and honour... read more

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