1 Kings 3:12

Christian Standard Bible ®

I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Behold, I haue done according to thy wordes, lo I haue geuen thee a wyse & an vnderstanding heart, so that there was none lyke thee before thee, neither after thee shal any aryse lyke vnto thee.

Literal Translation
behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given to you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like you before you, and after you none shall rise up like you.

Easy-to-Read Version
So I will give you what you asked for. I will make you wise and intelligent. I will make you wiser than anyone who ever lived or ever will live.

Revised Standard Version
behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

World English Bible
behold, I have done according to your word: behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you.

King James Version (1611)
Behold, I haue done according to thy word: loe, I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like vnto thee.

King James Version
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, 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.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
beholde, therfore haue I done acordynge to thy wordes. Beholde, I haue geuen the an hert of wy?dome and vnderstondynge, so that soch one as thou hath not bene before the, nether shall ryse vp after the.

American Standard Version
behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Bible in Basic English
I have done as you said: I have given you a wise and far-seeing heart, so that there has never been your equal in the past, and never will there be any like you in the future.

Update Bible Version
look, I have done according to your word: see, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like to thee.

New English Translation
I grant your request, and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.

New King James Version
behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.

Contemporary English Version
So I'll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live.

Complete Jewish Bible
I am doing what you requested. I am giving you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever again be anyone like you.

Darby Translation
behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there hath been none like unto thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Beholde, I haue done according to thy wordes: lo, I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart, so that there hath bene none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall arise the like vnto thee.

George Lamsa Translation
Behold, I have done according to your words; lo, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been none like you before you, neither shall any arise after you like you.

Amplified Bible
behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise and discerning heart (mind), so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall anyone equal to you arise after you.

Hebrew Names Version
behold, I have done according to your word: behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

New Living Translation
I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!

New Life Bible
I have done what you said. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart. No one has been like you before, and there will be no one like you in the future.

New Revised Standard
I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee an understanding and wise heart: there has not been any one like thee before thee, and after thee there shall not arise one like thee.

English Revised Version
behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Berean Standard Bible
behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
lo! I have done according to thy word, - lo! I have given unto thee a wise and discerning heart, so that, like thee, hath been none, before thee, and, after thee, shall rise up none, like thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold I have done for thee according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and understanding heart, in so much that there hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee.

Lexham English Bible
behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise.

English Standard Version
behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

New American Standard Bible
behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.

New Century Version
I will do what you asked. I will give you wisdom and understanding that is greater than anyone has had in the past or will have in the future.

Good News Translation
I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before or will ever have again.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y haue do to thee vpe thi wordis, and Y haue youe to thee a wyse herte and vndirstondynge, in so myche that no man bifor thee was lijk thee, nether schal rise aftir thee.

Young's Literal Translation
lo, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given to thee a heart, wise and understanding, that like thee there hath not been before thee, and after thee there doth not arise like thee;

Contextual Overview

⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask. What should I give you?" ⁶ And Solomon replied, "You have shown great and faithful love to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. ⁷ " Lord my God, You have now made Your servant king in my father David's place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. ⁸ Your servant is among Your people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. ⁹ So give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" ¹⁰ Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. ¹¹ So God said to him, "Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to understand justice, ¹² I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. ¹³ In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no man in any kingdom will be your equal during your entire life. ¹⁴ If you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have done: Psalms 10:17, Isaiah 65:24, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 5:15

I have given: 1 Kings 3:28, 1 Kings 2:6, 1 Kings 2:9, 1 Kings 4:29-34, 1 Kings 5:12, 1 Kings 10:3-8, 1 Kings 10:23, 1 Kings 10:24, 2 Chronicles 1:11, 2 Chronicles 1:12, 2 Chronicles 2:12, 2 Chronicles 9:5-8, Ecclesiastes 1:13, Ecclesiastes 1:16, Luke 21:15

neither: Matthew 12:42, Colossians 2:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 31:6 - wise hearted Exodus 35:35 - he filled Deuteronomy 34:9 - full of the spirit 1 Kings 4:31 - wiser 2 Chronicles 9:2 - there 2 Chronicles 9:22 - passed all the kings Job 32:8 - the inspiration Psalms 119:173 - for Proverbs 2:6 - the Lord Proverbs 16:21 - wise Ecclesiastes 2:9 - General Ecclesiastes 2:15 - even to me Ecclesiastes 7:23 - I said Daniel 1:17 - God James 1:5 - any James 3:17 - the wisdom 2 Peter 3:15 - according

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement."

Genesis 2:20
The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found as his complement.

Genesis 2:22
Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.

Genesis 3:13
So the Lord God asked the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "It was the serpent. He deceived me, and I ate."

Genesis 3:15
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Genesis 3:20
Adam named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all the living.

Genesis 3:21
The Lord God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.

Genesis 3:24
He drove man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.

Job 31:33
Have I covered my transgressions as others do by hiding my guilt in my heart,

Proverbs 19:3
A man's own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee: which some restrain to kings, and to the kings of Israel; that there were none of the kings before him, as Saul and David, like him for wisdom, nor any of the kings of Judah and Israel after him; but it may include all men of all nations in the world, since he is said to be wiser than all men; and some other nations, and particular men of other nations, famous for wisdom, are expressly mentioned as inferior to him, 1 Kings 4:30; but then this must be understood of men since the fall; for Adam, doubtless, had a larger stock of knowledge and understanding in his state of innocence than ever Solomon had; and it must be restrained to political and natural knowledge; for, as for divine knowledge, Kimchi excepts Moses; and we may well except the apostles of Christ for spiritual and evangelical knowledge; and as for our Lord, the antitype of Solomon, he is greater than him in all kind of knowledge, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him, see Matthew 12:42.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 be the wisest of “all” mere men. In such wisdom the world would know one only “greater than Solomon” Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 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 initiatory inspirations? Did he ever receive all this wisdom? Did not his unfaithfulness prevent the fulfilment of the Divine purpose? Instead of being the wisest of men, did he not become more brutish than any man? Did he not even lose the knowledge of his Creator, and worship the abominations of the Moabites, Zidonians, c., &c.! And was not such idolatry a proof of the grossest stupidity? How few proofs does his life give that the gracious purpose of God was fulfilled in him! He received much but he would have received much more, had he been faithful to the grace given. No character in the sacred writings disappoints us more than the character of Solomon.

None like thee before thee — That is, no king, either in Israel or among the nations, as the following verse explains.