1 Kings 3

1 Kings · Chapter 3

1 Kings 3:8

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 shewed 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.11And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;12Behold, I have done according to thy words: 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.13And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.14And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.15And Solomon 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 made a feast to all his servants.16Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.17And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.18And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.19And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.20And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.22And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.23Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.24And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.25And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.26Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.27Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and servant yourוְעַ֨בְדְּךָ֔ve-'AV-de-khaH5650
servant/slave

עֲבַד (a.vad) servant, slave Aramaic of e.ved (עֶ֫בֶד "servant/slave" H5650)

[is] in amongבְּת֥וֹךְbe-TOKHH8432
midst

תָּ֫וֶךְ (ta.vekh) 1) midst, middle 1a) midst, middle 1b) into, through (after verbs of motion) 1c) among (of a number of persons) 1d) between (of things arranged by twos) 1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)

people yourעַמְּךָ֖'a-me-KHAH5971A
people

עַם (am) : people/nation 1) nation, people 1a) people, nation 1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

you have chosenבָּחָ֑רְתָּba-CHA-re-taH0977
to choose

בָּחַר (ba.char) 1) to choose, elect, decide for 1a) (Qal) to choose 1b) (Niphal) to be chosen 1c) (Pual) to be chosen, selected

a peopleעַם־'am-H5971A
people

עַם (am) : people/nation 1) nation, people 1a) people, nation 1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

numerousרָ֕בravH7227A
many

רַב (rav) adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly

whichאֲשֶׁ֧ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it will be numberedיִמָּנֶ֛הyi-ma-NEHH4487
to reckon/appoint

מְנָה (me.nah) 1) to number, reckon 1a) (P'al) to number 1b) (Pael) to appoint

and notוְלֹ֥אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it will be countedיִסָּפֵ֖רyi-sa-FERH5608A
to recount

סָפַר (sa.phar) v 1) to count, recount, relate 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to count (things) 1a2) to number, take account of, reckon 1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered 1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare 1c1) to recount (something), rehearse 1c2) to talk 1c3) to count exactly or accurately 1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related

from multitudeמֵרֹֽב׃me-ROH7230
abundance

רֹב (rov) 1) multitude, abundance, greatness 1a) multitude 1a1) abundance, abundantly 1a2) numerous 1b) greatness

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.