1 Reis 3:5-15

Because Of Solomon’s Heartfelt Worship YHWH Offers Him Anything That He Might Wish For, And Solomon Chooses To Have Wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-15 ).

One night while Solomon was in Gibeon for worship at the Tabernacle, probably at one of the great feasts, YHWH appeared to him in a dream and offered him anything that he chose. Solomon, aware of the huge task of ruling his empire therefore asked Him for the wisdom to rule and judge His people rightly. This pleased God so much that He promised him also long life, great honour and wealth, victory over his enemies and wisdom of every kind.

We will discover later that Solomon was in fact given many different kinds of wisdom, not only the wisdom to judge rightly but also wisdom with respect to the natural world and the making of proverbs and sayings with the result that he became famous, so much so that people would come from far and near to hear the wisdom of Solomon.

During the course of this dream Solomon drew out the important fact that his kingship was firmly based on the covenant that YHWH had made with David in 2 Samuel 7:11-17, even though he himself was but as ‘a little child’, which was why he especially needed YHWH’s continuing guidance. (He was very young to be king, being anywhere between sixteen to twenty two) That was why he wanted an understanding heart in order that he might rule and judge YHWH’s people rightly. This then was why he was given such wisdom, and more.

In response to God’s revelation to him Solomon ‘came to Jerusalem’ and offered up many burnt-offerings, and peace offerings. The burnt offerings were dedicatory offerings, but the meat from peace offerings was seen as available to be shared with family, friends and neighbours in a feast, so that Solomon was able to make a feast for ‘all his servants’, thereby uniting them with himself before YHWH in giving thanks for YHWH’s great promise.

Analysis.

a In Gibeon YHWH appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you” (1 Kings 3:5).

b And Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great covenant love, according as he walked before You in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You, and You have kept for him this great covenant love, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day” (1 Kings 3:6).

c “And now, O YHWH my God, you have made Your servant king instead of David my father, and I am but 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, who cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude” (1 Kings 3:7-8).

d “Give Your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to judge this Your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9).

c And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing, and God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your word. Lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has been none like you before you, nor after you shall any arise like you” (1 Kings 3:10-12).

b “And I have also given you what you did not ask, both riches and honour, so that there will not be any among the kings like you, all your days, and if you will walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days” (1 Kings 3:13-14).

a And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream, and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the Ark of the covenant of YHWH, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants (1 Kings 3:15).

Note that in ‘a’ YHWH appeared to Solomon in a dream in Gibeon, and asked what He could give Solomon, and in the parallel Solomon awoke from his dream and in view of that revelation went to Jerusalem and made gifts to both God and his servants in Jerusalem. In ‘b’ Solomon spoke of how his father David walked before God, and in the parallel YHWH called on Solomon to walk in the same way. In ‘c’ Solomon expressed his need for wisdom, and in the parallel God promised him great wisdom. Centrally in ‘d’ Solomon’s request was for wisdom so that he could rule God’s people rightly.

1 Kings 3:5

‘ In Gibeon YHWH appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” ’

While Solomon was at the Tabernacle in Gibeon, possibly attending at one of the great feasts, YHWH appeared to him in a dream during the night and offered to give him anything that he asked for. The dream would be seen as a confirmation of the approval of his kingship by YHWH.

Such dreams at the commencement of a new reign were regularly seen in the ancient world as a confirmation of the approval of a new king by the deity, being then communicated by the king to his leading servants at a feast arranged for the purpose. An account is given in Egyptian inscriptions of a dream revelation (possibly drug induced) given to Thothmes IV at the Sphinx at Giza (which was, of course, a holy place) stressing his election by the gods to his kingship before he was born, and giving him their assurance that they would continue with him into his reign. The great kings of Assyrial also stressed their election by the gods. It was a way by which the kings sought to ensure that their people recognised their divinely given authority.

So YHWH was ensuring that Solomon, His chosen king, was not to be one whit behind the kings of other nations. He too would receive his divinely given authority in such a way that all his servants would recognise that it was so. As so often God used established patterns through which to reveal Himself. Revelation through dreams at unique times in history had been a feature of the Old Testament (e.g. Genesis 15:12-17; Genesis 28:12-16; Genesis 31:10-13; Genesis 31:24; Genesis 37:5-10; Numbers 12:6).

1 Kings 3:6

‘ And Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great covenant love, according as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you, and you have kept for him this great covenant love, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day” ’

Solomon began his reply by expressing his gratitude to God for all that He had done for his father David in showing him ‘great covenant love’, the love that, having been initially set on His chosen people by God’s grace, choice and favour through the covenant, continued to respond generously to their obedience within that covenant. Note the emphatic connection with the covenant. Solomon wanted the connection of his kingship with both of the divine covenants (Exodus 20:0 and 2 Samuel 7:0) to be quite clear And Solomon knew that YHWH had shown His covenant love for David because, apart from certain sad lapses, he had walked faithfully before Him in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart. He had constantly held fast to God’s truth, had continually done ‘rightly’ by the covenant and had specifically obeyed His Instruction given through the Torah (Law, Instruction), and had had an open and honest heart towards God. That was why God had especially shown His covenant love to David by giving him a son to sit on his throne (2 Samuel 7:0), the throne where he, Solomon, was at this present time seated (in great contrast to what had happened to the covenant-ignoring Saul). Men in those days had no greater delight (apart, at least in David’s case, from that of pleasing YHWH) than that their sons should prosper and do well. Thus having Solomon seated in peace and security over his empire could be seen as one of God’s great covenant gifts to David.

But equally importantly the words made clear to the people that Solomon held his position from YHWH in accordance with a divinely revealed covenant. For ‘uprightness of heart’ see Deuteronomy 9:5.