# 1 Kings 03 đ: Solomon Asks for Wisdom
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đ Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đ Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#đ¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#đ§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#âď¸ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#đ Key Principles / đ Life Application]]
> [[#đŹ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#âď¸ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đ Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#đ Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đ Internal Notes]]
## đ Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Lord Gives Solomon Wisdom
[[#Verse 01.]] Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; he married Pharaohâs daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he could finish building his residence and the temple of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] Now the people were offering sacrifices at the high places, because in those days a temple had not yet been built to honor the Lord.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] Solomon demonstrated his loyalty to the Lord by following the practices of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
[[#Verse 04.]] The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places. Solomon would offer up 1,000 burnt sacrifices on the altar there.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said, âTell me what I should give you.âÂ
[[#Verse 06.]] Solomon replied, âYou demonstrated great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served you faithfully, properly, and sincerely. You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father Davidâs place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] Your servant stands among your chosen people; they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.âÂ
[[#Verse 10.]] The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request.Â
[[#Verse 11.]]Â God said to him, âBecause you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies,Â
[[#Verse 12.]] I grant your request and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] Furthermore, I am giving you what you did not requestâriches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] If you follow my instructions by obeying my rules and regulations, just as your father David did, then I will grant you long life.âÂ
[[#Verse 15.]] Solomon then woke up and realized it was a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lordâs covenant, offered up burnt sacrifices, presented peace offerings, and held a feast for all his servants.
### Solomon Demonstrates His Wisdom
[[#Verse 16.]]Â Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
[[#Verse 17.]]Â One of the women said, âMy master, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was with me in the house.Â
[[#Verse 18.]]Â Then three days after I had my baby, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one else in the house except the two of us.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] This womanâs child suffocated during the night when she rolled on top of him.Â
[[#Verse 20.]]Â She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your servant was sleeping. She put him in her arms, and put her dead son in my arms.Â
[[#Verse 21.]] I got up in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was, dead! But when I examined him carefully in the morning, I realized it was not my baby.âÂ
[[#Verse 22.]]Â The other woman said, âNo! My son is alive; your son is dead!â But the first woman replied, âNo, your son is dead; my son is alive.â Each presented her case before the king.
[[#Verse 23.]] The king said, âOne says, âMy son is alive; your son is dead,â while the other says, âNo, your son is dead; my son is alive.ââÂ
[[#Verse 24.]]Â The king ordered, âGet me a sword.â So they placed a sword before the king.Â
[[#Verse 25.]] The king then said, âCut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other!âÂ
[[#Verse 26.]] The real mother spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were awakened. She said, âMy master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, donât kill him!â But the other woman said, âNeither one of us will have him. Let them cut him in two!âÂ
[[#Verse 27.]] The king responded, âGive the first woman the living child; donât kill him. She is the mother.âÂ
[[#Verse 28.]] When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected the king, for they realized that he possessed divine wisdom to make judicial decisions.
## đ Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
## đ¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter (3:1), a sign of Israel's rising status among the nations.
2. Solomon loved the Lord, yet still offered sacrifices at the high places (3:3).
3. Gibeon was the site of the tabernacle and bronze altar at this time (2 Chronicles 1:3-6).
4. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar at Gibeon (3:4).
5. The Lord spoke to Solomon in a dream (3:5), one of the ways God revealed Himself in the Old Testament.
6. The phrase translated "understanding heart" or "discerning mind" (3:9) can be rendered literally as a "listening heart."
7. Solomon called himself a "young child" (3:7), an expression of inexperience rather than his actual age.
8. God gave Solomon riches and honor that he had not asked for (3:13), along with wisdom.
9. The promise of long life was conditioned on Solomon walking in God's ways (3:14).
10. Even two prostitutes could bring their case before the king (3:16), showing that royal justice was meant to reach every level of society.
## đ§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] đą Still growing. This section is on its way.
## âď¸ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30) and the One greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). The wisdom Solomon asked for is found fully in Jesus, and God gives it generously to all who ask (James 1:5).
## đ Key Principles / đ Life Application
> [!note] đą Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đŹ Discussion Questions
1. God invited Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted (3:5). If God asked you that today, what would your answer reveal about your heart?
2. Solomon admitted he felt like a young child who did not know how to lead (3:7). Why is humility the starting point of wisdom?
3. Solomon's ruling between the two women showed justice and care for the vulnerable (3:16-28). Where do you need God's wisdom to make a hard decision right now?
## âď¸ Key Verses to Remember
- đ verse 5: The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and invites him to ask.
- đ verse 9: Solomon asks for an understanding heart to judge God's people and discern good from evil.
- đ verse 28: All Israel sees that Solomon has God's wisdom to do justice.
## đ Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đ [[2 Chronicles 01#Verse 07.|2 Chronicles 1:7-12]] - The parallel account of Solomon's request.
- đ [[Proverbs 02#Verse 06.|Proverbs 2:6]] - The Lord gives wisdom.
- đ [[James 01#Verse 05.|James 1:5]] - Ask God for wisdom, and He will give it generously.
- đ [[Matthew 06#Verse 33.|Matthew 6:33]] - Seek first the kingdom, and these things will be added.
- đ [[1 Corinthians 01#Verse 30.|1 Corinthians 1:30]] - Christ became wisdom from God for us.
## đ Devotional Reflection
đ SOAP: [[1 Kings 03 - SOAP|The Best Way to Think About Prayer]]
## đ Internal Notes