1 Kings 3:12

_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;_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

5-15 Solomon's dream was not a common one. While his bodily powers were locked up in sleep, the powers of his soul were strengthened; he was enabled to receive the Divine vision, and to make a suitable choice. God, in like manner, puts us in the ready way to be happy, by assuring us we shall have what we need, and pray for. Solomon's making such a choice when asleep, and the powers of reason least active, showed it came from the grace of God. Having a humble sense of his own wants and weakness, he pleads, Lord, I am but a little child. The more wise and considerate men are, the better acquainted they are with their own weakness, and the more jealous of themselves. Solomon begs of God to give him wisdom. We must pray for it, James 1:5, that it may help us in our particular calling, and the various occasions we have. Those are accepted of God, who prefer spiritual blessings to earthly goo...

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 wo...

A WISE AND AN UNDERSTANDING HEART - Solomon’s wisdom seems to have been both moral and intellectual (see 1 Kings 4:29). 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 goi

EXPOSITION THE BEGINNING OF SOLOMON'S REIGN.—In the preceding chapter we have seen the establishment of Solomon's rule (verse 46) by the removal of internal foes, _i.e; _of disaffected and rebellious subjects. In this we see him strengthening his position by an external alliance, by a marriage with an Egyptian princess. This event, however, is related here, not because the historian had this connexion of ideas in his mind, but probably because the marriage came next in order of time. 1 KINGS 3:1 AND SOLOMON MADE AFFINITy [Not "alliance" (as some have supposed) but relationship. Lit; _made himself son-in-law_]_ _with PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT [which of the Pharaohs this was, it is impossible to say with certainty. As,

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; a

2. JEHOVAH APPEARS TO SOLOMON HIS PRAYER AND THE ANSWER CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Affinity with Pharaoh and Pharaoh's daughter (1 Kings 3:1)_ 2. Solomon loved the LORD (1 Kings 3:2) 3. Jehovah appears to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5) 4. The wisdom granted and exemplified (1 Kings 3:16) We shall now see how the Lord kept His promise He made unto David in the establishment of his kingdom. After the execution of the demanded judgment Solomon entered into affinity with Pharaoh King of Egypt (probably the last King of the 21 Tanitic dynasty) and married his daughter. She was with him in David's city until he made an end of

1 KINGS 3:1 TO 1 KINGS 4:34. EARLY DAYS, REIGN, AND WISDOM OF SOLOMON. The sources of this section are various, and the arrangement of the narrative in the LXX should be noticed. There are (_a_) a statistical account of Solomon s reign, referred to, apparently in 1 Kings 11:41, as the book of the acts of Solomon; (_b_) a number of narratives about this reign; (_c_) several Deuteronomic additions_ e.g._ 1 Kings 3:6; 1 Kings 3:14, etc.: and (_d_) some very late passages, possibly originally explanatory notes. The history of Solomon's reign

LIKE THEE. Supply Figure of speech _Ellipsis_, by adding "among the kings" from 1 Kings 3:13 with 1 Kings 10:23....

_according to thy words_ The Hebrew is singular, and there seems no gain in the English plural. _so that there was none_ It is more agreeable to the English idiom in this sense to render -there HATH BEEN none." In the matter of tenses the English and Hebrew are not at all conterminous, and choice must at times be made on the ground of English usage simply....