1 Kings 3:1-10
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
1Now Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days.
3Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he was sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
4And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, 'Ask what you wish Me to give you.'
6Then Solomon said, 'You have shown great faithfulness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great faithfulness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7And now, Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am like a little boy; I do not know how to go out or come in.
8And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.
9So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil. For who is capable of judging this great people of Yours?'
King James Version
Chapter 3
1And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. 2Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days. 3And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. 4And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
5In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying Pharaoh's daughter. Solomon brought her to the city of David until he finished building his palace, the Lord's temple, and the wall surrounding Jerusalem. 2However, the people were sacrificing on the high places, because until that time a temple for the Lord's name had not been built. 3Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutes of his father David, but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask. What should I give you? "
7"Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David's place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership.
8Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted.
9So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours? "
New Living Translation
Chapter 3
1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the Lord and the wall around the city. 2At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the Lord had not yet been built.
3Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship.
4The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.
5That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, 'What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!'
7Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.
8And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!
9Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?'
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
1Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem. 2The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the LORD.
3Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
4And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”
6And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
7And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.
9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
New International Version
Chapter 3
1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. 3Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, 'Ask for whatever you want me to give you.'
7Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.
8Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.
9So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?'
New King James Version
Chapter 3
1Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall all around Jerusalem. 2Meanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. 3And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
4Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”
6And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
8And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
9Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”