I Kings 3:10 · Bible study
1 Kings 3:10 Commentary: Solomon's Request That Pleased the Lord
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Solomon's request for wisdom please God? This study explores the Hebrew, context, and commentary behind a prayer that delighted Heaven.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God delights in requests that prioritize the good of others and His glory over personal gain.
- Key words: “pleased” (yitav, to be good/pleasant), “word/thing” (davar, request/matter), “asked” (sha’al).
- Main debate: Whether the dream context diminishes the genuineness of Solomon’s choice (Barnes says it reveals his character; JFB says it was his waking prayers answered).
- Theological theme: Prayer that reflects God’s heart, seeking wisdom to serve, receives His full approval.
- Best use: Teaching on prayer priorities; sermons on humble leadership and the character of God’s servants.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request.
WEB World English Bible 2000
This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the thing is good in the eyes of the Lord, that Solomon hath asked this thing,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the word pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the word was pleasing to the Lord, that Solomon had asked such a thing.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y agradó delante de Adonai que Salomón pidiese esto|strong="H2088, H1697".
E agradou diante do Senhor que Salomão pedisse isto.
Cette demande de Salomon plut au Seigneur.
Das gefiel dem Herrn wohl, daß Salomo um ein solches bat.
Die zaak nu was goed in de ogen des HEEREN, dat Salomo deze zaak begeerd had.
Piacque al Signore che Salomone gli avesse fatta una tale richiesta.
I podobało się to Panu, że żądał Salomon tej rzeczy.
И благоугодно было Господу, что Соломон просил этого.
所羅門 因為 求 這 事， 就蒙主 喜悅。
Now these words and Solomon's request were pleasing to the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 3:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Solomon's request pleased the Lord because it was selfless. He could have asked for long life, riches, or the death of his enemies (Matthew Henry, Gill), but instead he asked for an understanding heart to judge God's people. The Geneva Bible Notes simply notes that it pleased the Lord. Barnes adds that although the request came in a dream, it sprang from Solomon's will and so indicates his moral character. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown suggest it was his waking prayers that God heard and requited in the vision. The common thread: God delights when we prioritize His kingdom and His people over personal advantage.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God was pleased with Solomon's request because it was selfless and sought the good of His people, which reflects God's own priorities.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The dream and Solomon’s character | God’s answer came in a dream at Gibeon. | Barnes argues the request springs from Solomon’s will and indicates his moral character; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown see it as God responding to his waking prayers. |
| Selflessness of the request | Solomon did not ask for personal benefits (long life, riches, enemies’ death). | All commentators agree on the selflessness; no significant debate. Some see the divine offer (“Ask what I shall give thee”) as a test of his heart. |
| Conditional blessing in verse 14 | The promise of long life is conditional on obedience. | Lange’s commentary includes the condition as part of the passage. Some interpret it as an added incentive, others as a reminder that the gift of wisdom itself requires faithful stewardship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Solomon had just ascended to the throne of a united kingdom, inheriting a people too numerous to count (1 Ki 3:8). He felt wholly inadequate, calling himself “a little child” who did not know how to go out or come in (v.7). The occasion was a great sacrifice at Gibeon, where the tabernacle and the bronze altar stood (v.4). There the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Ask what I shall give thee” (v.5).
In the ancient Near East, when a deity offered a blank cheque, kings typically requested military victory, long life, or vast wealth. Solomon’s choice of wisdom for judging the people subverted every cultural expectation. His prayer shows he understood the weight of his office: God had chosen this people, and he was God’s vicegerent (Gill). The Hebrew idiom “good in the eyes of the Lord” (vayyitav be’enei Adonai) conveys personal delight, not merely approval. Proverbs 15:8 echoes this: “The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
This setting, a young king, a national altar, a divine offer, and a humble response, frames the verse as a watershed moment in Israel’s history. God’s pleasure is not capricious; it responds to a heart that seeks the good of the flock before its own comfort.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The different English renderings of davar, “speech” (KJV, ASV), “request” (WEB, BSB), “thing” (YLT, Darby), reflect the word’s semantic range rather than a textual discrepancy.
Reception History
This verse has been widely cited in sermons and devotional literature as a model of prayer that pleases God. Commentators such as Matthew Henry (1710) and the Geneva Bible (1599) used it to teach that God honors requests made for the benefit of His people. In the Reformed tradition, it illustrates the importance of praying according to God’s will. The verse has also been referenced in discussions of divine sovereignty and human prayer, since God grants the request yet the dream context raises questions about divine initiative. It remains a favorite for teaching on humility and the priority of spiritual wisdom.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The request of humility (v.7, 9): Solomon admits his inadequacy and asks for understanding to lead God’s people.
- The pleasure of God (v.10): God is pleased when our prayers align with His heart for His people.
- The overflowing answer (v.11, 13): God grants not only wisdom but also riches and honor.
Five-point outline
- Sacrifice precedes prayer (v.4, 5): Solomon worships before God speaks.
- Honesty in need (v.6, 7): He acknowledges his dependence.
- Vision beyond self (v.8, 9): He asks for the people’s sake.
- God’s delight (v.10): The Lord is pleased with such requests.
- Abundance beyond asking (v.11, 13): God gives more than we ask.
Illustration hooks
- A new team leader, given a blank slate, asks not for a bigger office but for insight into each person’s strengths.
- A young parent, when offered one wish, chooses patience and wisdom instead of financial security.
- A student, given the chance to request any grade, asks for understanding of the subject rather than an easy A.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if my prayers are selfish or godly?
- Does God only answer completely unselfish prayers?
- What about my own pressing needs, can I bring those too, like Solomon’s need for help in leading?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the hinge of the story: Solomon has prayed, and God responds with pleasure. The small group can explore what made this request so pleasing, and how our own prayers might align with God’s heart.
Discussion questions
- What specific words does Solomon use in his prayer (v.6, 9) that reveal his heart?
- Why do you think God was pleased with this request? What does it tell you about God’s character?
- In what ways do we sometimes ask for “long life, riches, or enemies’ death” in our own prayers?
- How can we cultivate a habit of asking for what God delights to give?
- What does it mean to “discern between good and evil” in our daily decisions?
- How does this passage challenge our ideas about success and leadership?
- What practical step could you take this week to align one prayer request with God’s priorities for His people?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 15:8 | The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists that Solomon's choice in the dream still came from his own will and therefore reveals his true moral character. The dream did not suspend his responsibility or personality; the request itself shows the kind of person he genuinely was.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that God was pleased not merely that Solomon made a request, but that he asked for wisdom rather than riches or honor. The content of Solomon's desire itself drew divine approval. For the commentator, the request's humble wisdom aligned with God's own priorities.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that God was pleased because Solomon asked not for personal gain but for understanding to govern God's chosen people well. His request was selfless, focused on the good of others and the honor of God, whose representative he was.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that God responded to Solomon's waking prayers, not to anything said in the dream itself. The vision was the sign of that acceptance, confirming that the Lord had already heard his petitions before he slept.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Solomon's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter was not a legal violation (only Canaanite unions were forbidden) and that worship at high places was an unavoidable, though abnormal, practice before the temple was built—not yet a sin for Solomon or the people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that what made Solomon's request so pleasing to God was his humble sense of personal inadequacy and his focus on serving the people rather than seeking his own advantage. Because Solomon asked for wisdom to govern, not for long life, riches or victory over enemies, God gave him both unprecedented wisdom and every blessing he had not asked for.