Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

This great kindness - David himself had regarded this as God‘s crowning mercy to him 1 Kings 1:48.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Solomon said,.... In his dream; not that he dreamt he said, when he did not; but he really said, as follows:

thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy; bestowed many favours and blessings upon him, both temporal and spiritual:

according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; in the truth of doctrine and worship, according to the revealed will and word of God, and which he observed with great strictness, living soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without failings and imperfections, yet with great integrity and sincerity; and this holy walk of his was not the cause of God's showing mercy to him, nor was it in proportion to that, but what he was influenced to by the mercy that was shown him:

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; a son to be his successor, meaning himself; which was an additional favour to all the rest, and was in reserve, and now bestowed, as time had made to appear.

Geneva Study Bible

And 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 ^e kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as [it is] this day.

(e) You have performed your promise.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

1 Kings 3:6-15. He chooses wisdom.

Solomon said — that is, had dreamed that he said.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And 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.

Truth — In the true worship of God, in the profession, belief, practice and defence of the true religion. So truth here contains all duties to God, as righteousness doth his duties to men, and uprightness the right manner of performing both sorts of duties.

With thee — That is, in thy judgment, to whom he often appealed as the witness of his integrity.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 3:6 And 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.

Ver. 6. And Solomon said.] Though asleep, yet thus he said in his heart, and perhaps with his mouth too; as some have prayed notably in their sleep, the roof of their mouth being "like the best wine, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak" [Song of Solomon 7:9]

According as he walked before thee.] "The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him." [Ezra 8:22]

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Solomon said, i.e. he dreamed that he said. See Poole "1 Kings 3:5". Or, he really said. For although the use of reason is ordinarily so dark and imperfect in dreams, that such actings are not human actions; yet in extraordinary and Divine dreams it is but reasonable to allow something extraordinary. For who can doubt but God may so clear up and assist a man’s reason in his dream, that he may have a true and strong apprehension of some things, which also may make a suitable impression upon the will or affections; and consequently such acts of the soul may be moral acts, and regardable by God and men? And this might be a kind of ecstatical rapture, whereby his soul might be as it were carried out of his body, as St. Paul’s was, 2 Corinthians 12:3, for a season; in which case both his reason might clearly and distinctly apprehend God’s mind, and his gracious offer; and his will might make a free choice of wisdom; which therefore might be accepted and rewarded by God.

In truth; either, first, Sincerely, and without dissimulation. But that is more fully expressed in the following words, in uprightness of heart. Or rather, secondly, In the true worship and service of God, in the profession, belief, practice, and defence of the truth, or of the true religion, or of God’s will or word, which is called truth, Proverbs 23:23 John 17:17 Galatians 3:1. So

truth here contains all his duties to God, as

righteousness doth his duties to men, and uprightness the right manner of performing both sorts of duties.

Uprightness of heart with thee, i.e. in thy judgment, to whom alone his heart was known; and to whom he oft appealed as the witness of his integrity; and with respect to whom he performed all his duties, even to men. Thou hast kept, or, reserved, that which thou didst not reserve for Saul, whose posterity thou didst cut off from the kingdom.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

said: i.e. in his sleep. Compare 1 Kings 3:15. See note on Psalms 127:2.

mercy = grace, or lovingkindness.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And 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.

Solomon said - i:e., had dreamed that he said.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) And Solomon said.—On Solomon’s “wisdom,” see Note on 1 Kings 4:29. Here it is clear that the wisdom which he asks is that of the ruler, involving elements both moral and intellectual—the wisdom to discern and do true justice between man and man. He calls himself “a little child”—his age is variously estimated from twelve to twenty at this time—and trembles at the responsibility of ruling over “so great a people.” But, in the characteristic spirit of the true godliness of the Old Testament, he looks for wisdom, not as the mere result of human teaching and experience, but as an inspiration of God, and prays for it accordingly, in a prayer of singular beauty and humility, pleading simply God’s promise to his father, and its fulfilment in his own accession to the throne.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And 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.

thy servant

Numbers 12:7; 2 Samuel 7:5

great

2 Samuel 7:8-12; 12:7,8; 22:47-51; 1 Chronicles 29:12-14; Psalms 78:70-72

mercy

or, bounty.

Psalms 13:6; 116:7; 119:17; 2 Corinthians 9:5,11

according

2:4; 9:4; 15:5; 2 Kings 20:3; Psalms 15:2; 18:20-24

that

1:48

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:9 - and Noah;  Genesis 17:1 - walk;  Genesis 48:15 - did walk;  1 Kings 2:24 - set me;  1 Kings 3:3 - walking;  1 Kings 8:23 - walk before;  2 Kings 22:2 - walked;  1 Chronicles 4:18 - Bithiah;  1 Chronicles 28:9 - the God;  2 Chronicles 6:10 - I am risen;  2 Chronicles 6:14 - walk before;  Psalm 78:72 - guided;  Proverbs 14:2 - that walketh;  Proverbs 15:14 - heart;  Ecclesiastes 7:11 - good with an inheritance;  Ecclesiastes 12:1 - Remember;  Jeremiah 4:2 - in truth;  Matthew 20:2 - he sent;  3 John 1:4 - walk