1 Kings 3:12

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 3:12

I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart - I have given thee a capacious mind, one capable of knowing much: make a proper use of thy powers, under the direction of my Spirit, and thou shalt excel in wisdom all that have gone before thee; neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. But, query, Was not all this conditional? If he should walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and commandments, 1 Kings 3:14 . Was it not to depend upon his proper use of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 3:5-15

God's Gifts and Solomon's Choice. "And God said, Ask what I shall give thee," etc. "Happy Solomon!" we exclaim, as we read these words. He had all that earth could give already—youth, wealth, prosperity. glory, greatness. He stood already on the topmost pinnacle of human felicity. And now Heaven offers him his choice of blessings; now the treasure house of the infinite God is opened, and he is bidden to take what he will. Behold the favourite of Heaven! It is indeed true "there was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 3:5-16

A wise prayer. Gibeon, the scene of this incident, was one of the "high places" of the land. Worship in high places had been forbidden. Law against it not rigidly enforced until the place was chosen "where the Lord would cause his name to dwell." That Solomon's act in sacrificing at Gibeon was not condemned is proved by his being favoured with this direct Divine communication. Every scene of real worship may become the scene of special Divine manifestation. "The Lord appeared unto Solomon... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 3:9-13

The wisdom of Solomon's choice. Solomon was never more kingly than when he made this choice. Subsequently he became enervated by prosperity, corrupted by heathen associations, etc; but now he ruled as a king over himself. The bright promise of life is often gradually overcast, till it ends in the gloom of a hopeless night. Examples from Scripture, e.g; Saul the King, Esau. It is well to know the kind of choice that "pleased the Lord." In Solomon's there was true wisdom, for it had... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 3:12

Behold, I have done according to thy words [ i.e; granted thy prayer, as the next words show]: lo [Heb. behold ] I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. [Cf. 1 Chronicles 29:25 ; 2 Chronicles 9:22 . But there is no need to restrict the reference to kings and princes.] read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 3:12

A wise and an understanding heart - Solomon’s wisdom seems to have been both moral and intellectual (see 1 Kings 4:29-34). But it was moral wisdom alone which he requested, and which was promised him. The terms translated “wise” and “understanding,” both denote practical wisdom. (See Genesis 41:33, Genesis 41:39; Deuteronomy 4:6; Proverbs 1:2, etc.)Neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee - i. e. in the knowledge of what was in man, and in the wisdom to direct men’s goings, he was to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 3:11-12

1 Kings 3:11-12. Nor hast asked the life of thine enemies That God would take away their lives, or put it into his power to destroy them. Behold I have done according to thy word I have granted, and do at this present grant thy desire. And accordingly at this time God did infuse into him a far higher degree of wisdom than he had before possessed; and that not only to govern his people, and to know and do the several duties which he owed to God and them, but also the knowledge of divers... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:1-28

Solomon’s wisdom (3:1-28)David’s power had come through war and conquest; Solomon’s came through clever commercial and political agreements with neighbouring countries. Solomon gave impressive public display of his loyalty to God, but he ignored God’s warnings when he saw advantages to be gained through foreign alliances. His marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh guaranteed peace for Israel in a region where Egypt was the chief power, but it probably required Solomon to pay respect to Egypt’s... read more

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