1 Kings 3:4

GOD APPEARED TO SOLOMON IN A DREAM

"And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great lovingkindness according as he walked before thee in truth, and righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. 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. Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?"

"I am but a little child" (1 Kings 3:7). This is usually understood to mean that Solomon considered himself but a "little child" in the sense of his total inexperience in judging the people, also as a reference to his youth upon coming to the throne. As for his age when he became king, there seems to be quite a mystery. The Septuagint (LXX) gives it at age twelve (1 Kings 2:12); Josephus gave it as age fourteen;[10] and a popular scholarly guess is that he was about the age of twenty. There seems to be no way that his age can be dogmatically established.

God, in ancient times, often appeared to men in dreams; but that was no positive evidence of God's approval of the character of those to whom he appeared. Both Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar received prophetic dreams from God.

In this passage, Solomon asked God for wisdom that he might properly govern the people; but God, pleased with that request, also promised him riches and honor. This is emphasized in the next paragraph.