1 Kings 3:12

behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been another like you, nor will there ever be.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Solomon at Gibeon, granting the discernment Solomon requested to judge his people (v. 9). This follows God's approval of that request in verse 11.

The words — נָבֹן (nāḇôn, H995) is the operative word: "understanding" or "discernment," the specific quality Solomon asked for. Paired with חָכָם (ḥāḵām), it defines the full scope of the gift.

The thread — Solomon reflects on this same gift in Ecclesiastes 1:16, and its visible fruit appears in Matthew 12:42, where the Queen of Sheba comes from the ends of the earth to hear his wisdom.

Why it lands — The promise is unmatched wisdom, yet Solomon's own writings show that wisdom without obedience yields vanity. The verse asks whether a reader can close the gap between receiving a gift and living it out.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הִנֵּ֥הhi.Nehhere!עָשִׂ֖יתִי'a.Si.tiI do כִּדְבָרֶ֑יךָki/d.va.Rei./khaaccording to/ words/ your הִנֵּ֣ה׀hi.Nehhere!נָתַ֣תִּיna.Ta.tiI giveלְךָ֗le./Khato/ youלֵ֚בleva heart חָכָ֣םcha.Khamwise וְנָב֔וֹןve./na.Vonand/ understanding אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherthat כָּמ֙וֹךָ֙ka.Mo./khalike/ you לֹא־lo'-not הָיָ֣הha.Yahanyone has been לְפָנֶ֔יךָle./fa.Nei./kha<to>/ before/ you וְאַחֲרֶ֖יךָve./'a.cha.Rei./khaand/ after/ you לֹא־lo'-not יָק֥וּםya.Kumanyone will arise כָּמֽוֹךָ׃ka.Mo./khalike/ you

King James Version

Behold, 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.

Cross-references

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Ecclesiastes 1:16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”
Matthew 12:42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.
1 Kings 5:12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.
1 Kings 3:28 When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
1 Kings 10:23 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
2 Chronicles 2:12 And Hiram added: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son with insight and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
Isaiah 65:24 Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
Luke 21:15 For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.