King Solomon Seated Holding an Oil LampBible World
3:101 Kings 3:10
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
At Gibeon God appeared to Solomon in a night dream and offered him whatever he would ask, and Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge God's people and discern between good and bad rather than long life, riches, honor, or the defeat of his enemies. Made king over a people too many to number, he confessed he was but a little child who did not know how to lead them, to rule justly, and to do the work given him. His choice pleased the Lord because it came from a humble and unselfish heart with no desire to exalt self, showing his sense of helplessness, his need of divine aid, and his desire to honor God. Because he asked rightly, God gave him wisdom and largeness of heart such as none before or after him would have, and added riches and honor he had not asked, with promise to establish his throne and lengthen his days if he would walk in uprightness and keep His commandments as David did. Wisdom is so obtained through earnest prayer and dependence upon God, by choosing the heavenly gifts that bring glory to Him rather than earthly good, and by glorying not in wisdom, might, or riches but in knowing the Lord, in lifelong watchfulness to the very last.
Request That Pleased God
The speech that pleased the Lord was spoken in a night dream at Gibeon, the first of two times God appeared to Solomon. In that dream God conversed with him, instructed him by angel, offered him whatever he would ask, and then spoke words of approval and counsel. It belongs to Solomon's royal approach to Gibeon by horse-drawn chariot with attendants through open hill country.
Before asking, Solomon recalled God's great mercy to David his father as he walked in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart, and God's kindness in giving David a son to sit on his throne. Made king instead of David over God's great chosen people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude, he confessed he was but a little child who did not know how to go out or come in. He felt unable by himself to lead them, to rule justly, to do the work given him, and to build the temple.
What he asked was an understanding heart to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad. He asked with quickness of mind, largeness of heart, and tenderness of spirit. He valued such wisdom and sound judgment above every earthly good, including earthly riches, honor, and long life.
What pleased the Lord was this thing he asked, and what he did not ask. He did not ask for himself long life, nor riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life, death, or defeat of his enemies.
The request pleased God because it came from a humble, unselfish heart with no selfish aspiration to exalt himself above others. Its sense of helplessness and great need for divine aid to carry kingly responsibilities faithfully showed a strong desire to honor God and bring Him glory.
God's Generous Answer
Because this was in his heart and he asked rightly, valuing an understanding heart and sound judgment above earthly riches, honor, and long life, God granted his desire and gave him a wise and understanding heart so that none was like him before and none after would arise like him. That gift was exceptional wisdom with largeness of heart and tenderness of spirit, imparted to one who sought wisdom to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad. Careful study of the prayer lays open every point on which receiving the rich blessings God stood ready to give depended.
With the wisdom God added what had not been asked, both riches and honor beyond any kings before or after, so that no king would be like him all his days. Length of days was added on condition of walking in God's ways to keep His statutes, commandments, and judgments as David his father walked, in uprightness and integrity of heart. God promised to be with Solomon as He had been with David and to establish his throne, with plain admonition to remain humble and obedient. So his reign would exalt Israel as a wise and understanding people, the light of surrounding nations.
The wisdom given was more precious than the gold of Ophir and astonished the world, and his power and wisdom were extolled throughout the land. It was evident in wise rule and in wise direction of every important enterprise and business of the kingdom. It produced writings including many proverbs and many songs, and direction of the temple's construction into the most magnificent temple the world had seen. Many years were marked by devotion to God, uprightness, firm principle, and strict obedience, and his superior knowledge, wisdom, character, and power were acknowledged and marveled at by all nations.
The choice of God's wisdom marked the bright and promising beginning of his reign. It is also a warning about turning from God after great light and trust, for when he later went forward relying upon himself instead of depending on God he fell a prey to temptation. He surrendered virtue to lustful passion and uncontrolled love of women, his wives led him into idolatry, he sought wisdom from other sources and separated himself from God the source of his strength. He lost firmness of character and became wavering between right and wrong, and the wisdom God had given was removed as he descended the declivity of life. Then the marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings only rendered him a more effective agent of evil.
Pattern For Believers
Wisdom is obtained through earnest prayer and dependence upon God, as Solomon in his youth looked to God for guidance and trusted in Him, and the wisdom God gave in answer to the request that pleased Him excited the wonder and admiration of the world. Heavenly wisdom so received prepares a person to use God-given abilities and means rightly without forgetting their Giver. While he relied on God that wisdom and those abilities became a means of influence for good, but when he turned from the Source of his strength and went forward relying upon himself he fell a prey to temptation, and then the marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings only rendered him a more effective agent of the adversary of souls and of evil.
When offered whatever he would ask, Solomon confessed himself but a little child unable to lead God's great numbered people, and asked for an understanding heart to judge them and to discern between good and bad, and he did not ask for himself long life, riches, or the life of his enemies. God was pleased because the request came from an unselfish heart seeking God's glory rather than selfish aspirations. Because he asked rightly, God gave him a wise and understanding heart such as none before him had and none after him would have, and also gave what he had not asked, both riches and honor beyond all kings, with length of days added on condition of walking in God's ways and keeping His statutes and commandments as David did. Petitions to God should therefore choose the heavenly in place of the earthly and choose gifts that redound to God's glory, opening heavenly commerce, encouragement to the loftiest aims, and security to the choicest treasure. The believer who so chooses rejoices in heavenly treasure and riches that cannot be lost in any earthly disaster when the earthly is swept away, sending property before him to heaven and laying up by works below a good foundation against the time to come.
The request pleased God because it revealed humility and a strong desire to honor Him, for Solomon realized that without divine aid he was as helpless as a little child to carry his responsibilities and knew he lacked discernment, so a sense of great need led him to ask God for wisdom. There was no selfish aspiration in his heart for knowledge that would exalt him above others, but he desired to discharge his duties faithfully and chose the gift that would cause his reign to bring glory to God. Solomon was never so rich or so wise or so truly great as when he confessed his childlike helplessness. What pleases Him is not glorying in wisdom, might, or riches but glorying in understanding and knowing Him as the Lord who exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things He delights, and this calls for lifelong watchfulness and dependence on God for strength to the very last.
At Gibeon God appeared to Solomon in a night dream and offered him whatever he would ask, and Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge God's people and discern between good and bad rather than long life, riches, honor, or the defeat of his enemies. Made king over a people too many to number, he confessed he was but a little child who did not know how to lead them, to rule justly, and to do the work given him. His choice pleased the Lord because it came from a humble and unselfish heart with no desire to exalt self, showing his sense of helplessness, his need of divine aid, and his desire to honor God. Because he asked rightly, God gave him wisdom and largeness of heart such as none before or after him would have, and added riches and honor he had not asked, with promise to establish his throne and lengthen his days if he would walk in uprightness and keep His commandments as David did. Wisdom is so obtained through earnest prayer and dependence upon God, by choosing the heavenly gifts that bring glory to Him rather than earthly good, and by glorying not in wisdom, might, or riches but in knowing the Lord, in lifelong watchfulness to the very last.
Request That Pleased God
The speech that pleased the Lord was spoken in a night dream at Gibeon, the first of two times God appeared to Solomon. In that dream God conversed with him, instructed him by angel, offered him whatever he would ask, and then spoke words of approval and counsel. It belongs to Solomon's royal approach to Gibeon by horse-drawn chariot with attendants through open hill country.
Before asking, Solomon recalled God's great mercy to David his father as he walked in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart, and God's kindness in giving David a son to sit on his throne. Made king instead of David over God's great chosen people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude, he confessed he was but a little child who did not know how to go out or come in. He felt unable by himself to lead them, to rule justly, to do the work given him, and to build the temple.
What he asked was an understanding heart to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad. He asked with quickness of mind, largeness of heart, and tenderness of spirit. He valued such wisdom and sound judgment above every earthly good, including earthly riches, honor, and long life.
What pleased the Lord was this thing he asked, and what he did not ask. He did not ask for himself long life, nor riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life, death, or defeat of his enemies.
The request pleased God because it came from a humble, unselfish heart with no selfish aspiration to exalt himself above others. Its sense of helplessness and great need for divine aid to carry kingly responsibilities faithfully showed a strong desire to honor God and bring Him glory.
God's Generous Answer
Because this was in his heart and he asked rightly, valuing an understanding heart and sound judgment above earthly riches, honor, and long life, God granted his desire and gave him a wise and understanding heart so that none was like him before and none after would arise like him. That gift was exceptional wisdom with largeness of heart and tenderness of spirit, imparted to one who sought wisdom to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad. Careful study of the prayer lays open every point on which receiving the rich blessings God stood ready to give depended.
With the wisdom God added what had not been asked, both riches and honor beyond any kings before or after, so that no king would be like him all his days. Length of days was added on condition of walking in God's ways to keep His statutes, commandments, and judgments as David his father walked, in uprightness and integrity of heart. God promised to be with Solomon as He had been with David and to establish his throne, with plain admonition to remain humble and obedient. So his reign would exalt Israel as a wise and understanding people, the light of surrounding nations.
The wisdom given was more precious than the gold of Ophir and astonished the world, and his power and wisdom were extolled throughout the land. It was evident in wise rule and in wise direction of every important enterprise and business of the kingdom. It produced writings including many proverbs and many songs, and direction of the temple's construction into the most magnificent temple the world had seen. Many years were marked by devotion to God, uprightness, firm principle, and strict obedience, and his superior knowledge, wisdom, character, and power were acknowledged and marveled at by all nations.
The choice of God's wisdom marked the bright and promising beginning of his reign. It is also a warning about turning from God after great light and trust, for when he later went forward relying upon himself instead of depending on God he fell a prey to temptation. He surrendered virtue to lustful passion and uncontrolled love of women, his wives led him into idolatry, he sought wisdom from other sources and separated himself from God the source of his strength. He lost firmness of character and became wavering between right and wrong, and the wisdom God had given was removed as he descended the declivity of life. Then the marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings only rendered him a more effective agent of evil.
Pattern For Believers
Wisdom is obtained through earnest prayer and dependence upon God, as Solomon in his youth looked to God for guidance and trusted in Him, and the wisdom God gave in answer to the request that pleased Him excited the wonder and admiration of the world. Heavenly wisdom so received prepares a person to use God-given abilities and means rightly without forgetting their Giver. While he relied on God that wisdom and those abilities became a means of influence for good, but when he turned from the Source of his strength and went forward relying upon himself he fell a prey to temptation, and then the marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings only rendered him a more effective agent of the adversary of souls and of evil.
When offered whatever he would ask, Solomon confessed himself but a little child unable to lead God's great numbered people, and asked for an understanding heart to judge them and to discern between good and bad, and he did not ask for himself long life, riches, or the life of his enemies. God was pleased because the request came from an unselfish heart seeking God's glory rather than selfish aspirations. Because he asked rightly, God gave him a wise and understanding heart such as none before him had and none after him would have, and also gave what he had not asked, both riches and honor beyond all kings, with length of days added on condition of walking in God's ways and keeping His statutes and commandments as David did. Petitions to God should therefore choose the heavenly in place of the earthly and choose gifts that redound to God's glory, opening heavenly commerce, encouragement to the loftiest aims, and security to the choicest treasure. The believer who so chooses rejoices in heavenly treasure and riches that cannot be lost in any earthly disaster when the earthly is swept away, sending property before him to heaven and laying up by works below a good foundation against the time to come.
The request pleased God because it revealed humility and a strong desire to honor Him, for Solomon realized that without divine aid he was as helpless as a little child to carry his responsibilities and knew he lacked discernment, so a sense of great need led him to ask God for wisdom. There was no selfish aspiration in his heart for knowledge that would exalt him above others, but he desired to discharge his duties faithfully and chose the gift that would cause his reign to bring glory to God. Solomon was never so rich or so wise or so truly great as when he confessed his childlike helplessness. What pleases Him is not glorying in wisdom, might, or riches but glorying in understanding and knowing Him as the Lord who exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things He delights, and this calls for lifelong watchfulness and dependence on God for strength to the very last.