1 Kings 3:9

Contextual Overview

⁵At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask. What should I give you?” ⁵ In Giv`on the LORD appeared to Shlomo in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give you. ⁵ In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. ⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." ⁵ While he was at Gibeon, the Lord appeared to him in a dream during the night. God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." ⁵ One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said, "Tell me what I should give you." ⁵In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask [Me] what I shall give you." ⁵ In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what you wish Me to give you." ⁵ In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Salomon in a dreame by night: and God sayd, Aske what I shal giue thee. ⁵In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what I should give to you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Give therefore: 1 Chronicles 22:12, 1 Chronicles 29:19, 2 Chronicles 1:10, Psalms 119:34, Psalms 119:73, Psalms 119:144, Proverbs 2:3-9, Proverbs 3:13-18, Proverbs 16:16, James 1:5, James 3:17

understanding: Heb. hearing, Proverbs 20:12

to judge: 1 Kings 3:28, Psalms 72:1, Psalms 72:2, Proverbs 14:8, Ecclesiastes 7:11, Ecclesiastes 7:19, Ecclesiastes 9:15-18, John 5:30

discern: 2 Samuel 14:17, Isaiah 11:2-4, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:15, Ephesians 5:17, Philippians 1:10,*Gr: Hebrews 5:14

who is able: Exodus 3:11, Exodus 3:12, Exodus 4:10-13, Jeremiah 1:6, Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:14, 2 Corinthians 2:16, 2 Corinthians 3:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:2 - General Exodus 18:17 - not good Exodus 18:21 - able men Exodus 31:3 - filled Deuteronomy 34:9 - full of the spirit 1 Kings 3:11 - discern 1 Kings 5:7 - a wise son 1 Kings 7:7 - of judgment 1 Kings 10:24 - which God 2 Kings 2:9 - Elisha said 2 Kings 15:5 - judging 1 Chronicles 11:2 - ruler 2 Chronicles 32:4 - find Job 28:12 - General Psalms 119:66 - Teach me Proverbs 1:2 - General Proverbs 2:6 - the Lord Proverbs 8:15 - decree Proverbs 18:15 - General Proverbs 25:2 - the honour Ecclesiastes 10:10 - wisdom Isaiah 11:3 - and he shall not Daniel 9:12 - our judges Matthew 12:42 - hear Romans 16:19 - yet 1 Corinthians 3:10 - as a Colossians 3:16 - all

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:12
And the man replied, "The woman whom you gave to be with me—she gave to me from the tree and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "You gave this woman to me and she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me some of the fruit of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
Then the man saide, The woman which thou gauest to be with me, she gaue me of the tree, and I did eate.

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave to me from the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
"It was the woman you put here with me," the man said. "She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 before him between man and man, that so he might be able to pass a right sentence, and do justice to every one:

for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? who are so very numerous, and have so many causes to be heard and and those many of them very intricate and difficult; so that no man is equal to such arduous work, unless he has more than an ordinary capacity given him by the Lord.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

One of the chief functions of the Oriental monarch is always to hear and decide causes. Hence, supreme magistrates were naturally called “judges.” (See the introduction to the Book of Judges.) In the minds of the Jews the “judge” and the “prince” were always closely associated, the direct cognisance of causes being constantly taken by their chief civil governors. (See Exodus 2:14; Exodus 18:16, Exo 18:22; 1 Samuel 8:20; 2 Samuel 15:2-6.)

Good and bad - i. e. “right and wrong,” “justice and injustice.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 3:9. Give - an understanding heart to judge thy people — He did not ask wisdom in general, but the true science of government. This wisdom he sought, and this wisdom he obtained.