Poole on 1 Kings 3:10-15: God's Answer to Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

Verse 10:[1]  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

[Therefore, the speech pleased]  Because the petition was ordered toward the divine honor, toward his own salvation, and toward the good government of the people (Lyra).

The speech pleased the Lord:  How such a dreaming prayer could please God, see in notes on verses 5, 6.

Verse 11:[2]  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast (Jam. 4:3) not asked for thyself long life (Heb. many days[3]); neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern (Heb. to hear[4]) judgment…

[Many days]  That is, longevity (Piscator).

[Or the lives of thine enemies]  That is, take them away (Piscator); vengeance, and the death of thine enemies (Menochius).

Nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; that God would take away their lives, or put them into thy power to destroy them.

[But thou hast asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment, ‎הָבִ֖ין לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃]  Understanding (to understand [Montanus], discretion [Junius and Tremellius]) to hear (to understand [Junius and Tremellius]) judgment (Jonathan, Pagnine); understanding, and discretion in judgment (Munster).  That thou mightest understand, and be able to hear, judgment (Tigurinus, similarly Piscator), that is, to hear those litigating in judgment (Piscator).  Of course, Οὐκ ἔστι σοφίας κτῆμα τιμιώτερον, there is no possession more excellent than wisdom.  Similarly Sophocles[5] and Menander[6] (Grotius).

Verse 12:[7]  (1 John 5:14, 15) Behold, I have done according to thy words:  (1 Kings 4:29-31; 5:12; 10:24; Eccles. 1:16) lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

[I have given thee a wise heart]  But David had previously called him a wise man, 1 Kings 2:9.  Response:  God increased his former wisdom, and enlarged his heart readily to gain greater wisdom, as much through experience as through diligent study.  For he made progress in both ways, Ecclesiastes 1; 2 (Menochius).  Care is to be taken by us, 1.  lest we be deprived of the good things that we have received, through negligence or ingratitude; 2.  that those good things in us be increased (Martyr).  Question:  Of what sort was this wisdom, and how was it given?  Response 1:  A mind wise and sagacious, or prudent, understanding, in the conducting of affairs (Vatablus).  Prudence for governing the people; for he was asking for that (Cajetan in Sanchez); to understand and to furnish what things were pertaining to his office (Junius).  Response 2:  But not that only, but he also received at the same time all arts and sciences divinely infused (Sanchez, similarly Lapide, Tirinus, Serarius, Martyr).  Which is proved, 1.  From Wisdom of Solomon 7:17 (where he affirms this of himself[8]); Ecclesiasticus 47;[9] 1 Kings 4:29-34.  2.  From the comparison with the Children of the East and the Egyptians, who excelled in these things.  3.  From the effects, 1 Kings 3:16-28; 4:32; 10 (Serarius).  But Solomon was not able to obtain an understanding of so many things, whether before the beginning of his kingdom, since he was a child; or afterwards, since he was devoting his mind to the temple and to the republic, and so had not the leisure for the studies of the disciplines (Sanchez).  4.  Also, arts, etc., in Scripture are called wisdom, 1 Kings 7:14; Exodus 31:3, 4 (Serarius).  Response 3:  He also received wisdom supernatural, or of the mysteries of the faith (Lapide), as much as was sufficient for the salvation of himself and his people (Martyr).  Response 4:  He received this wisdom, both in the greatest quantity, with respect to the objects comprehended by it, which were as the sand of the sea, 1 Kings 4:29; and in a perfect manner, that is, so that he might have the habit, not just the act, as in prophecy; and through infusion, not through study and labor (Serarius); and in degree very intense, and in such a way that he could not forget (Lapide out of Serarius).

I have done according to thy words; I have granted, and do at this present grant, unto thee thy desire.  And accordingly at this time God did infuse into him a far higher degree and greater measure of wisdom than he naturally had.  A wise and an understanding heart, that is, wisdom to govern thy people, to know and do thy several duties; which was the thing that Solomon desired, verses 7, 9, and the effects whereof here follow, verse 16, etc.; and withal, all Divine and human wisdom, the knowledge of all things, of all the arts and sciences, as may be gathered from 1 Kings 4:29, etc., and that in a far greater proportion than by his years, and the time he could get for his study, could possibly produce.

[No man before thee was like thee, nor after thee]  Question:  How is this true?  Was he wiser than Adam, Moses, and the Apostles, etc.?  Responses:  1.  This is true, even if there are a few exceptions; for a universal sign does not always signify universally (Sanchez, similarly Menochius).  2.  He does not compare him to all, but only to Kings, and those indeed of Israel (Vatablus, thus Glassius, Lyra, Martyr); which is expressed in the following verse.  There is an Ellipsis here of a word to be repeated out of the following member, as in Numbers 9:5; Joshua 3:3 (Glassius’ “Grammar” 724).  3.  No one, that is, of those that have acquired wisdom by study and industry, shall be like thee; but wisdom was infused in Adam and the Apostles by God (Lapide out of Serarius).  4.  He was wiser than Adam, Moses, and the Apostles, namely, in things natural and political; but not in the mysteries of the faith (Lapide out of Tostatus).  Yet a great many think that more wisdom was infused in Adam as the parent of the human race, for the instruction and government of his posterity (Sanchez).  For Adam was an exemplar of the perfections to which man is able to be exalted in this life (Menochius).  Solomon was wiser than Moses in things natural, not divine (Hebrews in Vatablus).

So that there was none; either no king, or rather, no man; for he is herein preferred, not only before all kings, but before all men, 1 Kings 4:31; no mere man since the fall equalled him, to wit, in universal knowledge, and especially in the art of well-governing his people.  Neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.  Question:  Did not the apostles excel him?  Answer:  They did not in natural and political knowledge, but only in the knowledge of the mysteries of faith, which were more freely and more fully imparted in those times; the ignorance whereof was no disparagement to Solomon’s wisdom, because they were not discoverable by any creature without Divine revelation, which God saw fit not to afford in Solomon’s time.  I know no inconvenience in affirming that Solomon’s natural capacities were higher than any of the apostles; and Solomon had a more comprehensive knowledge of all things known in that age, than the apostles had in all the discoveries of their age.

Verse 13:[10]  And I have also (Wis. 7:11;[11] Matt. 6:33; Eph. 3:20) given thee that which thou hast not asked, both (1 Kings 4:21, 24; 10:23, 25, etc.; Prov. 3:16) riches, and honour:  so that there shall not be (or, hath not been[12]) any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

[I have given to thee riches and glory,[13] so that no one hath been like to thee]  These things have I given to thee as an ἐπίμετρον/addition, Matthew 6:29 (Grotius).  But in 2 Chronicles 1:12, it is I will give.[14]  Responses:  1.  I have already given vast riches, namely, acquired by thy father;[15] 2.  I have given, that is, I will give both certainly and soon.  What things are thus done, are wont to be set forth in the perfect tense (Sanchez).  Question:  How is this true, when in these things Alexander, Augustus, and the King of the Chinese, etc., appear to have excelled him.  Responses:  1.  This is to be understood of those three concurring at the same time, namely, wisdom, glory, and riches (Lyra, similarly Martyr, Serarius).  2.  This is to be understood of the future kings of Israel, as he himself explains in Ecclesiastes 2:7 (Sanchez, thus Martyr).

I have also given; either, first, I have granted and decreed to give; for words signifying action are oft put only for the purpose of the action.  Or rather, secondly, I will give, as it is expressed in the parallel place, 2 Chronicles 1:12; I will as certainly give them, as if I had actually done it; for future certain things are oft expressed in Scripture in the past time, as is well known to all.  There shall not be; so it is true of all the succeeding kings of Israel, of whom he speaks.  Or, hath not been, as it is in the Hebrew; and so it may be true of all the kings that then were or had been in the world, whereof none was like to him, to wit, in all the things here mentioned, and wherein he is compared with them, which is not only in riches, but also in wisdom, and in honour or renown.  All thy days, to wit of thy life; whereby he signifies, that these gifts of God were not temporary and transient, as they were in Saul, but such as should abide with him whilst he lived.

Verse 14:[16]  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, (1 Kings 15:5) as thy father David did walk, then I will (Ps. 91:16; Prov. 3:2) lengthen thy days.

[If thou wilt have, etc., I will lengthen thy days]  He speaks בתנאי, with a condition:  and, since he did not keep that condition, He prolonged not his days, neither did he live beyond fifty-two years (Munster).  God know that he was not going to walk in His ways, so why does He warn him?  Response:  So that, when his days are cut short, and adversities come, it might not be rashly concluded, that it happened by chance, but by the judgment of God, certain and strict (Martyr).

If thou wilt walk in my ways:  this caution God gives him, lest his great wisdom should make him proud, or careless, or presumptuous, as if he were out of all danger; and to oblige him to more care and circumspection to avoid the snares and mischiefs to which so much prosperity and glory would probably expose him; and withal, to justify himself in case he should afterwards alter the course of his providence towards Solomon; and that when men are surprised with Solomon’s dreadful fall, they might know it was no surprisal to God, but that he did foresee it, and would overrule it to his own glory one way or other.

Verse 15:[17]  And Solomon (so Gen. 41:7) awoke; and, behold, it was a dream.  And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and (so Gen. 40:20; 1 Kings 8:65; Esth. 1:3; Dan. 5:1; Mark 6:21) made a feast to all his servants.

[He awoke, and understood that it was a dream]  That is, sent from heaven (Menochius, Estius, Tirinus, thus Lapide, Sanchez); or, what then the dream was; or, what that dream was portending (Sanchez).  וגו״‎וַיִּקַ֥ץ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה חֲל֑וֹם , and Solomon awoke; and, behold, a dream (Munster, Montanus, Jonathan, Piscator, thus Pagnine, Tigurinus, Vatablus), understanding, it was; that is to say, the matter had not been thus conducted, but it was a dream.  Thus Genesis 41:7 (Piscator).  He perceived that he dreamed, and he began to remember the dream promising such magnificent things (Vatablus).  Behold, the dream was present, namely, to his mind and soul:  Divine dreams are more firmly retained (Martyr).  That the dream was Divine, he understood from the very effect, and the fruit following thereupon, namely, that vast change in him from the wisdom infused (Tirinus out of Sanchez).  The sense:  He was experiencing in himself the gift of wisdom given to him, even if it was but a dream (Munster).  Now, when Solomon had awakened, with the dream having been seen, he went to Jerusalem (Syriac).  He, having awakened…and knowing that he had seen a vision given by God, he went, etc. (Arabic).  Then, with Solomon having been awakened, while, behold, the dream was present, he went, etc. (Junius and Tremellius), that is, while, with sleep departing, he was sensing that the dream was not vanishing; but that he was endowed with the gifts that had been promised in the dream (Junius).  But this supplement appears to be foreign to the simplicity of the letter and too audacious (Piscator).  This passage shows that dreams are not always vain; and that in them God also foretells true things (Vatablus).

It was a dream, that is, he perceived that it was a dream; not a vain dream, wherewith men are commonly deluded; but a Divine dream, assuring him of the thing; which he knew, partly by a Divine impression and inspiration thereof in his mind after he was awakened; and partly by the vast alteration which he presently found within himself in point of wisdom and knowledge.

[And when he had come, etc.]  Hebrew:  and he came to Jerusalem,[18] not alone, but with a great crowd of nobles, as it is evident from Chronicles[19] (Martyr).

[He stood before the ark]  So that he might give thanks to God for the promise and gift (Martyr).

The ark of the covenant of the Lord was there in the city of David, 2 Samuel 6:17, before which he presented himself in the way of holy ministration and adoration, which may be noted by the word stood.  Or that word may note his abode there for some considerable time, as the offering of so many sacrifices required.  Offered up burnt-offerings, chiefly for the expiation of his and his people’s sins, through the blood of Christ, manifestly signified in these sacrifices.  And offered peace-offerings, solemnly to praise God for all his mercies, and especially for giving him a quiet and fixed possession of the kingdom, and for his glorious appearance to him in a dream, and for the great promise therein made to him, and the actual accomplishment of it since wrought in him.

[And a great feast]  For, he not only offered burnt-offerings, but also peace-offerings, of which this was the manner, that part was yielded to the Lord, and part to the priest; but the rest was eaten among those that had brought the gift (Martyr).  This was Solomon’s wedding day with wisdom, as it were; his birthday, when he was born wise.  But such were feast days (Sanchez).

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּיטַ֥ב הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י כִּ֚י שָׁאַ֣ל שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃

[2] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֙אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֵלָ֗יו יַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֙ר שָׁאַ֜לְתָּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה וְלֹֽא־שָׁאַ֙לְתָּ לְּךָ֜ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְלֹֽא־שָׁאַ֤לְתָּ לְּךָ֙ עֹ֔שֶׁר וְלֹ֥א שָׁאַ֖לְתָּ נֶ֣פֶשׁ אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁאַ֧לְתָּ לְּךָ֛ הָבִ֖ין לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

[3] Hebrew:  ‎יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים.

[4] Hebrew:  ‎לִשְׁמֹעַ.

[5] Antigone 1050.  Sophocles (c. 495-406) was a Greek playwright.  Of his one hundred and twenty-three plays, only seven tragedies survive.

[6] Monosticha 416.  Menander (342-291 BC) was a Greek playwright.  He wrote more than a hundred comedies, but they survive only in fragments.

[7] Hebrew: ‎הנֵּ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתִי כִּדְבָרֶ֑יךָ הִנֵּ֣ה׀ נָתַ֣תִּי לְךָ֗ לֵ֚ב חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּמוֹ֙ךָ֙ לֹא־הָיָ֣ה לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֹא־יָק֥וּם כָּמֽוֹךָ׃

[8] Wisdom of Solomon 7:17-21:  “For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements:  The beginning, ending, and midst of the times:  the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons:  The circuits of years, and the positions of stars:  The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beasts:  the violence of winds, and the reasonings of men:  the diversities of plants and the virtues of roots:  And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know.”

[9] Ecclesiasticus 47:12-18:  “After him rose up a wise son, and for his sake he dwelt at large.  Solomon reigned in a peaceable time, and was honoured; for God made all quiet round about him, that he might build an house in his name, and prepare his sanctuary for ever.  How wise wast thou in thy youth and, as a flood, filled with understanding!  Thy soul covered the whole earth, and thou filledst it with dark parables.  Thy name went far unto the islands; and for thy peace thou wast beloved.  The countries marvelled at thee for thy songs, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations.  By the name of the Lord God, which is called the Lord God of Israel, thou didst gather gold as tin and didst multiply silver as lead.”

[10] Hebrew:  ‎וְגַ֙ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־שָׁאַ֙לְתָּ֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ גַּם־עֹ֖שֶׁר גַּם־כָּב֑וֹד אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־הָיָ֙ה כָמ֥וֹךָ אִ֛ישׁ בַּמְּלָכִ֖ים כָּל־יָמֶֽיךָ׃

[11] Wisdom of Solomon 7:11:  “All good things together came to me with her, and innumerable riches in her hands.”

[12] Hebrew:  ‎לֹא־הָיָה.

[13] Hebrew:  ‎נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ גַּם־עֹ֖שֶׁר גַּם־כָּב֑וֹד.

[14] 2 Chronicles 1:12:  “Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour (‎וְעֹ֙שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֤ים וְכָבוֹד֙ אֶתֶּן־לָ֔ךְ), such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.”

[15] See 1 Chronicles 22:14-16; 28; 29:1-5, 28; 2 Chronicles 5:1.

[16] Hebrew:  ‎וְאִ֣ם׀ תֵּלֵ֣ךְ בִּדְרָכַ֗י לִשְׁמֹ֤ר חֻקַּי֙ וּמִצְוֹתַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלַ֖ךְ דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֑יךָ וְהַאַרַכְתִּ֖י אֶת־יָמֶֽיךָ׃ ס

[17] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּקַ֥ץ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה חֲל֑וֹם וַיָּב֙וֹא יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֣ד׀ לִפְנֵ֣י׀ אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־אֲדֹנָ֗י וַיַּ֤עַל עֹלוֹת֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁלָמִ֔ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־עֲבָדָֽיו׃ פ

[18] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּב֙וֹא יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם.

[19] 2 Chronicles 1:13, 14.