1 Kings 3:9

_AND THY SERVANT IS IN THE MIDST OF THY PEOPLE WHICH THOU HAST CHOSEN, A GREAT PEOPLE, THAT CANNOT BE NUMBERED NOR COUNTED FOR MULTITUDE._ 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 3:9. _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....

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.) GOOD AND BAD - i. e. “right and wrong,” “justice and injustice.”...

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,

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....

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

GIVE. Compare 2 Chronicles 1:10. UNDERSTANDING. hearing. Solomon began by asking wisdom from God. Rehoboam (his son) began by asking counsel from man (1 Kings 12:6; 1 Kings 12:8)....

_an understanding heart_ This is explained (2 Chronicles 1:10) by -wisdom and knowledge." The participle rendered -understanding" is literally -hearing," and the LXX. has paraphrased the clause thus: -a heart to hear and judge thy people in righteousness." But the hearing of the heart must refer to the following of the Divine guidance and promptings from within. That this was Solomon's meaning seems certain, from the end of this verse -Who is able to judge this thy so great people?" unless (that is) he have thy constant leading, and attend thereto? The word rendered -great" in this verse is different from that so translated in 1 Kings 3:8. Here the literal sense is -heavy," and the reference is to the great burden of care which the king must take upon himself....