1 Kings

1 Kings 3:5–9

5One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

6Solomon replied, “You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

7And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in. 8Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.

9Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”

Read all of 1 Kings 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Kings 3:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
One nightהַלָּ֑יְלָהhal·lā·yə·lāhArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
at Gibeonבְּגִבְע֗וֹןbə·ḡiḇ·‘ō·wnPreposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singularH1391 Gibon
the LORDיְהֹוָ֛הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
appearedנִרְאָ֧הnir·’āhVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7200 see
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Solomonשְׁלֹמֹ֖הšə·lō·mōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH8010 Solomon
in a dreamבַּחֲל֣וֹםba·ḥă·lō·wmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2472 dream
and Godאֱלֹהִ֔ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Askשְׁאַ֖לšə·’alVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH7592 ask, inquire
I will give itאֶתֶּן־’et·ten-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH5414 give, put, set
to youלָֽךְ׃lāḵPreposition; second person feminine singular

1 Kings 3:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Solomonשְׁלֹמֹ֗הšə·lō·mōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH8010 Solomon
repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Youאַתָּ֨ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
have shownעָשִׂ֜יתָ‘ā·śî·ṯāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
muchגָּדוֹל֒gā·ḏō·wlAdjective - masculine singularH1419 great
loving devotionחֶ֣סֶדḥe·seḏNoun - masculine singularH2617 goodness, kindness
toעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
Your servantעַבְדְּךָ֙‘aḇ·də·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
my fatherאָבִי֮’ā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1 father
Davidדָוִ֣דḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
becauseכַּאֲשֶׁר֩ka·’ă·šerPreposition-k; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
he walkedהָלַ֨ךְhā·laḵVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
before Youלְפָנֶ֜יךָlə·p̄ā·ne·ḵāPreposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singularH6440 face, before
in faithfulnessבֶּאֱמֶ֧תbe·’ĕ·meṯPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
righteousnessוּבִצְדָקָ֛הū·ḇiṣ·ḏā·qāhConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH6666 righteousness
and uprightnessוּבְיִשְׁרַ֥תū·ḇə·yiš·raṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH3483 uprightness
of heartלֵבָ֖בlê·ḇāḇNoun - masculine singularH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
And You have maintainedוַתִּשְׁמָר־wat·tiš·mār-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularH8104 keep, watch, preserve
thisהַזֶּ֔הhaz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
loving devotionהַחֶ֤סֶדha·ḥe·seḏArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2617 goodness, kindness
by givingוַתִּתֶּן־wat·tit·ten-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
himל֥וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
a sonבֵ֛ןḇênNoun - masculine singularH1121 son
to sitיֹשֵׁ֥בyō·šêḇVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3427 sit, remain, dwell
onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
his throneכִּסְא֖וֹkis·’ōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3678 seat
thisהַזֶּֽה׃haz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
very dayכַּיּ֥וֹםkay·yō·wmPreposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day

1 Kings 3:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And nowוְעַתָּה֙wə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
O LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
my Godאֱלֹהָ֔י’ĕ·lō·hāyNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH430 God
Youאַתָּה֙’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
Your servantעַבְדְּךָ֔‘aḇ·də·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
kingהִמְלַ֣כְתָּhim·laḵ·tāVerb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singularH4427 be or become king, or queen, reign
in my fatherאָבִ֑י’ā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1 father
David’sדָּוִ֣דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
placeתַּ֖חַתta·ḥaṯPrepositionH8478 the under part
But Iוְאָֽנֹכִי֙wə·’ā·nō·ḵîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH595 I
only a littleקָטֹ֔ןqā·ṭōnAdjective - masculine singularH6996 small, young, unimportant
childנַ֣עַרna·‘arNoun - masculine singularH5288 a shaking, scattering
notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
knowingאֵדַ֖ע’ê·ḏa‘Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH3045 know
to go outצֵ֥אתṣêṯVerb - Qal - Infinitive constructH3318 go or come out
or come inוָבֹֽא׃wā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH935 come in, come, go in, go

1 Kings 3:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Your servantוְעַ֨בְדְּךָ֔wə·‘aḇ·də·ḵāConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
is here amongבְּת֥וֹךְbə·ṯō·wḵPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8432 midst
the peopleעַמְּךָ֖‘am·mə·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5971 people
You have chosenבָּחָ֑רְתָּbā·ḥā·rə·tāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH977 choose
a peopleעַם־‘am-Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
too numerousמֵרֹֽב׃mê·rōḇPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
to countיִמָּנֶ֛הyim·mā·nehVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH4487 count, number, reckon, assign
or numberיִסָּפֵ֖רyis·sā·p̄êrVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5608 count

1 Kings 3:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Therefore giveוְנָתַתָּ֨wə·nā·ṯa·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
Your servantלְעַבְדְּךָ֜lə·‘aḇ·də·ḵāPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
an understandingשֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙šō·mê·a‘Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH8085 hear
heartלֵ֤בlêḇNoun - masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
to judgeלִשְׁפֹּ֣טliš·pōṭPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8199 judge, govern
Your peopleעַמְּךָ֔‘am·mə·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5971 people
and to discernלְהָבִ֖יןlə·hā·ḇînPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH995 discern
betweenבֵּֽין־bên-PrepositionH996 interval, space between
goodט֣וֹבṭō·wḇNoun - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and evilלְרָ֑עlə·rā‘Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine singularH7451 bad, evil
Forכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
whoמִ֤יmîInterrogativeH4310 who?
is ableיוּכַל֙yū·ḵalVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
to governלִשְׁפֹּ֔טliš·pōṭPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8199 judge, govern
thisהַזֶּֽה׃haz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
greatהַכָּבֵ֖דhak·kā·ḇêḏArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH3515 heavy
people of Yoursעַמְּךָ֥‘am·mə·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5971 people

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Kings 3:5 James 1:5–6 · 1 Kings 9:2 · Numbers 12:6 · 2 Chronicles 1:7–12 · John 14:13–14 · Mark 10:36 · Genesis 28:12–13 · Matthew 2:13 · 1 Kings 11:9 · John 15:16 · Matthew 2:19 · Matthew 7:7–8

1 Kings 3:6 1 Kings 9:4 · 1 Kings 1:48 · 1 Kings 2:4 · 2 Corinthians 9:11 · 2 Samuel 7:8–12 · 2 Kings 20:3 · 1 Chronicles 29:12–14 · 2 Corinthians 9:5 · Psalm 119:17 · Numbers 12:7 · Psalm 116:7 · 2 Samuel 12:7–8

1 Kings 3:7 1 Chronicles 29:1 · Numbers 27:17 · Jeremiah 1:6 · Matthew 18:3–4 · Daniel 2:21 · Daniel 4:32 · 2 Samuel 5:2 · Psalm 121:8 · 1 Samuel 18:16 · Daniel 4:25 · Ecclesiastes 10:16 · John 10:3–4

1 Kings 3:8 Genesis 15:5 · 1 Chronicles 21:2 · Genesis 22:17 · Genesis 13:16 · 1 Chronicles 27:23–24 · 1 Samuel 12:22 · Psalm 78:71 · Exodus 19:5–6 · Deuteronomy 7:6–8 · 1 Chronicles 21:5–6

1 Kings 3:9 James 1:5 · Hebrews 5:14 · Proverbs 16:16 · John 5:30 · Proverbs 2:3–9 · 2 Samuel 14:17 · Proverbs 3:13–18 · Isaiah 11:2–4 · 1 Chronicles 22:12 · Psalm 72:1–2 · Ephesians 5:17 · Psalm 119:144

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.