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parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA PSA AMOS HOS 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH PRO ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL JOB YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1TH 2TH 1COR 2COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1TIM TIT 1PET 2PET 2TIM HEB YUD 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN REV
1Ki Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22
1Ki 3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) So please give your servant the ability to listen to your people and to judge them well—discerning between good and evil, because who’s able to judge your people—that’s a heavy task.”
OET-LV And_give to_servant_your a_heart [which]_listens to_judge DOM people_your to_discern between good from_evil if/because who is_he_able to_judge DOM people_yours the_great the_this.
UHB וְנָתַתָּ֨ לְעַבְדְּךָ֜ לֵ֤ב שֹׁמֵ֨עַ֙ לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֔ לְהָבִ֖ין בֵּֽין־ט֣וֹב לְרָ֑ע כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לִשְׁפֹּ֔ט אֶת־עַמְּךָ֥ הַכָּבֵ֖ד הַזֶּֽה׃ ‡
(vənātattā ləˊaⱱdəkā lēⱱ shomēˊa lishəpoţ ʼet-ˊamməkā ləhāⱱin bēyn-ţōⱱ lərāˊ kiy miy yūkal lishəpoţ ʼet-ˊamməkā hakkāⱱēd hazzeh.)
Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXX Καὶ δώσεις τῷ δούλῳ σου καρδίαν ἀκούειν καὶ διακρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ τοῦ συνιεῖν ἀναμέσον ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ· ὅτι τίς δυνηθήσεται κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου τὸν βαρὺν τοῦτον;
(Kai dōseis tōi doulōi sou kardian akouein kai diakrinein ton laon sou en dikaiosunaʸ, kai tou suniein anameson agathou kai kakou; hoti tis dunaʸthaʸsetai krinein ton laon sou ton barun touton; )
BrTr Thou shalt give therefore to thy servant a heart to hear and to judge thy people justly, and to discern between good and evil: for who will be able to judge this thy [fn]great people?
3:9 Gr. heavy.
ULT And may you give to your servant a heart that hears to judge your people, to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge your people, this heavy one?”
UST So please enable me to think clearly, in order that I may rule your people well. Enable me to know what is good and what is evil. If you do not do that, I will never be able to rule this great group of people who belong to you.”
BSB § Therefore 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?”
OEB Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?’
WEBBE Give your servant therefore 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?”
WMBB (Same as above)
NET So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”
LSV and You have given an understanding heart to Your servant, to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
FBV So please give me a mind that's receptive so I can rule[fn] your people well, understanding the difference between right and wrong, for who can rule this difficult people of yours?”
3:9 Rule not so much in terms of imposing control but in governing wisely.
T4T So please enable me to think clearly, in order that I may rule your people well. Enable me to know what is good and what is evil. If you do not do that, I will never [RHQ] be able to rule this great group of people who belong to you.”
LEB Give to your servant a listening heart to judge your people, to discern between good and bad, because who is able to judge this, your difficult people?”
BBE Give your servant, then, a wise heart for judging your people, able to see what is good and what evil; for who is able to be the judge of this great people?
Moff No Moff 1KI book available
JPS Give Thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
ASV Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?
DRA Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous?
YLT and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
Drby Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy numerous people?
RV Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?
Wbstr Give therefore to 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?
KJB-1769 Give 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?[fn]
(Give therefore thy/your servant an understanding heart to judge thy/your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy/your so great a people? )
3.9 understanding: Heb. hearing
KJB-1611 [fn][fn]Giue therefore thy seruant an understanding heart, to iudge thy people, that I may discerne betweene good and bad: for who is able to iudge this thy so great a people?
(Give therefore thy/your servant an understanding heart, to judge thy/your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy/your so great a people?)
Bshps Geue therfore thy seruaunt an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people, that I may discerne betweene good & bad: For who is able to iudge this thy so mightie a people?
(Give therefore thy/your servant an understanding heart to judge thy/your people, that I may discern between good and bad: For who is able to judge this thy/your so mighty a people?)
Gnva Giue therefore vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart, to iudge thy people, that I may discerne betweene good and bad: for who is able to iudge this thy mightie people?
(Give therefore unto thy/your servant an understanding heart, to judge thy/your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy/your mighty people? )
Cvdl Geue thy seruaunt therfore an obedient hert, that he maye iudge thy people, & vnderstonde what is good & bad: for who is able to iudge this thy mightie people?
(Give thy/your servant therefore an obedient heart, that he may judge thy/your people, and understood what is good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy/your mighty people?)
Wyc Therfor thou schalt yyue to thi seruaunt an herte able to be tauyt, `that is, liytned of thee, that he may deme the puple, and iuge bitwixe good and yuel; for who may deme this puple, thi puple, this miche puple?
(Therefore thou/you shalt give to thy/your servant an heart able to be tauyt, `that is, lightned of thee/you, that he may deme the people, and judge between good and evil; for who may deme this people, thy/your people, this miche puple?)
Luth So wollest du deinem Knechte geben ein gehorsam Herz, daß er dein Volk richten möge und verstehen, was gut und böse ist. Denn wer vermag dies dein mächtig Volk zu richten?
(So want you your servant(s) give a obedient/submissive heart, that he your people richten möge and verstehen, what/which good and evil is. Because who vermag this/these your mächtig people to richten?)
ClVg Dabis ergo servo tuo cor docile, ut populum tuum judicare possit, et discernere inter bonum et malum. Quis enim poterit judicare populum istum, populum tuum hunc multum?
(Dabis therefore servo tuo heart docile, as the_people your yudicare possit, and discernere between bonum and malum. Who because poterit yudicare the_people that, the_people your this_one multum? )
3:4-15 God’s gift of wisdom to Solomon is narrated as a chiasm (a symmetrical arrangement in which sections A and B are mirrored by sections B’ and A’), drawing the focus in on Solomon’s transaction with the Lord: A: While he sacrificed at Gibeon . . . the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream (3:4-5). B: Solomon prayed for wisdom to govern his people equitably and efficiently (3:6-9). B’: The Lord favorably answered his request and granted additional blessings (3:10-14). A’: Solomon awoke from the dream and offered additional sacrifices to the Lord (3:15).
Solomon’s Wisdom
When God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for anything he wanted, Solomon chose wisdom, so that he could “govern [God’s] people well and know the difference between right and wrong” (1 Kgs 3:9). In response to this unselfish choice, God granted the wisdom he desired (3:12) and the rewards of its proper use (3:13-14; 2 Chr 1:14-17).
Solomon’s subsequent behavior provided immediate evidence of his wisdom. He resolved an argument over a child with such insight that the people were “in awe of the king” (1 Kgs 3:16-28). Later, the queen of Sheba came to test him with difficult questions and found his wisdom exceeding all that she had heard about it (10:1-9). His administration (4:1-28), his diplomacy (5:1-9), his building projects (5:10–7:51), and his commerce (9:26-28; 10:14-29) all demonstrated his wisdom. Solomon accumulated vast knowledge (4:29-33) and wrote proverbs (much of the book of Proverbs), songs (Pss 72; 127), love poetry (the Song of Songs), and philosophical literature (Ecclesiastes). He used his wisdom to build the Temple (2 Chr 2:12), even as Bezalel had previously been endowed with wisdom to build the Tabernacle (Exod 31:1-3).
Jesus noted Solomon’s great wisdom and reminded his hearers that someone even greater than Solomon was among them (Matt 12:42). Jesus is the true wisdom of God in whom one can find ultimate wisdom (1 Cor 1:24). A life of wisdom is centered in Christ (1 Cor 1:18-25; Col 3:16; 2 Pet 3:18) and in Scripture (2 Tim 3:14-17).
Passages for Further Study
Exod 31:1-6; 1 Kgs 3:5-14; 3:16-28; 4:29-34; 5:2-7; 10:1-13; 2 Chr 1:7-12; Pss 72:1-20; 111:10; 127:1-5; Eccl 12:9-14; Isa 11:1-5; Jer 9:23-24; Matt 12:42; Jas 1:5
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
For who is able to judge this great people of yours?
(Some words not found in UHB: and,give to,servant,your heart understanding to,judge DOM people,your to,discern between good from,evil that/for/because/then/when who? he/it_would_be_able to,judge DOM people,yours the,great the,this )
Solomon asks a question to emphasize that he knows that no one can judge. Alternate translation: “No one is able to judge this great people of yours.”