1 Kings 3:11
in 1 Kings 3So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this instead of requesting long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies—but you have asked for discernment to administer justice—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern justice;
KJV
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
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This verse in 1 Kings 3
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Thine enemies - e. g. Hadad the Edomite 1Ki 11:14-22 and Rezon the son of Eliadah 1Ki 11:23-25, whom Solomon might well have wished to remove.
This site's exposition
it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request
on 1 Kings 3:10-12
God names the three things Solomon passed over, “long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies”. Any king of the ancient world might have asked for these. God grants “a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you”.
This site's exposition
death for your enemies
Albert Barnes names the enemies Solomon might have asked to be rid of, Hadad the Edomite and Rezon, who trouble his reign in chapter 11. The king had just cleared his own court of rivals in chapter 2. Here he asks for justice.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And God said unto him,....
The words behind it
27 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֜ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יַעַן֩ | yaan | because | H3282 → | 99 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁאַ֜לְתָּ | shaalta | you asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַדָּבָ֣ר | hadavar | the thing | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַזֶּ֗ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁאַ֨לְתָּ | shaalta | you asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| לְּךָ֜ | lekha | for yourself | ||
| יָמִ֣ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| רַבִּ֗ים | rabim | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁאַ֤לְתָּ | shaalta | you asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| לְּךָ֙ | lekha | for yourself | ||
| עֹ֔שֶׁר | ʾosher | wealth | H6239 → | 37 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁאַ֖לְתָּ | shaalta | you asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| נֶ֣פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ | ʾoyeveikha | enemies your | H341 → | 282 times |
| וְשָׁאַ֧לְתָּ | veshaalta | and you asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| לְּךָ֛ | lekha | for yourself | ||
| הָבִ֖ין | havin | to understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ | lishmoa' | to hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | mishpat | judgment | H4941 → | 422 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֱלֹהִ֜יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
יַעַן֩because
yaanH3282 →99 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שָׁאַ֜לְתָּyou asked
shaaltaH7592 →171 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַדָּבָ֣רthe thing
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
הַזֶּ֗ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁאַ֨לְתָּyou asked
shaaltaH7592 →171 times
לְּךָ֜for yourself
lekha
יָמִ֣יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
רַבִּ֗יםmany
rabimH7227 →454 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁאַ֤לְתָּyou asked
shaaltaH7592 →171 times
לְּךָ֙for yourself
lekha
עֹ֔שֶׁרwealth
ʾosherH6239 →37 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁאַ֖לְתָּyou asked
shaaltaH7592 →171 times
נֶ֣פֶשׁ[the] life of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
אֹיְבֶ֑יךָenemies your
ʾoyeveikhaH341 →282 times
וְשָׁאַ֧לְתָּand you asked
veshaaltaH7592 →171 times
לְּךָ֛for yourself
lekha
הָבִ֖יןto understand
havinH995 →170 times
לִשְׁמֹ֥עַto hear
lishmoa'H8085 →1159 times
מִשְׁפָּֽט׃judgment
mishpatH4941 →422 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 8:26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
it leads to
- Matthew 10:20
For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
- Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
- Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
- John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
- Jude 1:20–21
But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
- Matthew 10:20
Through
1 Kings 3:9Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
it leads to
- James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.
- Proverbs 16:16
How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
- James 1:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Kings

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); F. W. Farrar, The First Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
