1 Kings 3:5

3:5 One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared¹ to Solomon in a dream. God said, “Tell² me what I should give you.”

1 Kings 3:11-15

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,³ 3:12 I⁴ grant your request,⁵ and give⁶ you a wise and discerning mind⁷ superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.⁸ 3:13 Furthermore, I am giving⁹ you what you did not request – riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.¹⁰ 3:14 If you follow my instructions¹¹ by obeying¹² my rules and regulations, just as your father David did,¹³ then I will grant you long life.”¹⁴ 3:15 Solomon then woke up and realized it was a dream.¹⁵ He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, offered up burnt sacrifices, presented peace offerings,¹⁶ and held a feast for all his servants.

¹tn Or “revealed himself.”

²tn Heb “ask.”

³tn 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.”

⁴tn This statement is introduced in the Hebrew text by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows.

⁵tn 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.

⁶tn 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”).

⁷tn Heb “heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

⁸tn Heb “so that there has not been one like you prior to you, and after you one will not arise like you.”

⁹tn The translation assumes that the perfect tense here indicates that the action occurs as the statement is made.

¹⁰tn Heb “so that there is not one among the kings like you all your days.” The LXX lacks the words “all your days.”

¹¹tn Heb “walk in my ways.”

¹²tn Or “keeping.”

¹³tn Heb “walked.”

¹⁴tn Heb “I will lengthen your days.”

¹⁵tn Heb “and look, a dream.”

¹⁶tn Or “tokens of peace”; NIV, TEV “fellowship offerings.”