1 Kings 3:8-12

3:8 Your servant stands¹ among your chosen people;² they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number. 3:9 So give your servant a discerning mind³ so he can make judicial decisions for⁴ your people and distinguish right from wrong.⁵ Otherwise⁶ no one is able⁷ to make judicial decisions for⁸ this great nation of yours.”⁹ 3:10 The Lord¹⁰ was pleased that Solomon made this request.¹¹ 3:11 God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies,¹² 3:12 I¹³ grant your request,¹⁴ and give¹⁵ you a wise and discerning mind¹⁶ superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.¹⁷

1 Kings 3:28

3:28 When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected¹⁸ the king, for they realized¹⁹ that he possessed supernatural wisdom²⁰ to make judicial decisions.

¹tn There is no verb expressed in the Hebrew text; “stands” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

²tn Heb “your people whom you have chosen.”

³tn Heb “a hearing heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

⁴tn Heb “to judge.”

⁵tn Heb “to understand between good and evil.”

⁶tn Heb “for”; the word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.

⁷tn Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”

⁸tn Heb “to judge.”

⁹tn Heb “your numerous people.”

¹⁰tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in v.15 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

¹¹tn Heb “And the thing was good in the eyes of the Lord, for Solomon asked for this thing.”

¹²tn Heb “because you asked for this thing, and did not ask for yourself many days and did not ask for yourself riches and did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you asked for yourself understanding to hear judgment.”

¹³tn This statement is introduced in the Hebrew text by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows.

¹⁴tn Heb “I am doing according to your words.” The perfect tense is sometimes used of actions occurring at the same time a statement is made.

¹⁵tn This statement is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows. The translation assumes that the perfect tense here indicates that the action occurs as the statement is made (i.e., “right now I give you”).

¹⁶tn Heb “heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

¹⁷tn Heb “so that there has not been one like you prior to you, and after you one will not arise like you.”

¹⁸tn Heb “feared,” perhaps in the sense, “stood in awe of.”

¹⁹tn Heb “saw.”

²⁰tn Heb “the wisdom of God within him.”