1 Kings 3:7

Verse

And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.

American Standard Version (1901)

And now, O Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.

Bible in Basic English

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; and I am only a young boy, with no knowledge of how to go out or come in.

Free Bible Version

Now, Lord God, you have made me king in place of my father David. But I am like an inexperienced young boy who doesn't know what to do.

Geneva Bible 1599

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy seruant King in steade of Dauid my father: and I am but a yong childe, and know not howe to go out and in.

King James (Authorized) Version

And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

Translation for Translators

“Now, Yahweh my God, you have appointed me to be the king like my father was. But I am very young, like a little child [MET]. I do not know how to lead/rule my people at all [IDM].

Unlocked Literal Bible

Now Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father, though I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.

Noah Webster Bible

And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

World English Bible

Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.

Young's Literal Translation

And now, O Jehovah my God, Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I [am] a little child, I do not know to go out and to come in;

Context

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

⁶Solomon replied, “You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day.⁷And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.⁸Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.

Sermons

Knowing God's Will

Peter Maiden

129

A Hearing Heart (Part 2)

Phil Beach Jr.

Will You Miss the Coming Revival?

David Smithers

Summary

In this verse, King Solomon expresses humility and acknowledges his own limitations before God. He recognizes his youth and inexperience in leading God's people and seeks wisdom and discernment to govern them justly. Solomon's prayer reflects a heart that desires to honor God and fulfill his responsibilities with integrity. His request for wisdom reveals a deep understanding of the importance of seeking God's guidance in all matters of leadership and decision-making.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

I know not how to go out or come in - I am just like an infant learning to walk alone, and can neither go out nor come in without help.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father,.... Removed by death, in whose stead he reigned by the appointment of God, and through his overruling providence, notwithstanding the attempts made to prevent it, and therefore to God he ascribes it: and I am but a little child; not in age and stature, but in knowledge and understanding; for though his father called him a wise man, and he was judged so by others, and really was one, yet in his own opinion and thought of himself such was his modesty and humility, that he was but a child as to his intellectual powers and capacity for government: some understand this of age; and the Jews commonly say he was but twelve years of age when he was anointed king, which they reckon thus; that he was born at the time that Ammon ravished Tamar, two years after which was Absalom's sheep shearing, when he slew Amnon, on which he fled to Geshur, and was there three years; here are five years; he returned thence and was at Jerusalem two years; lo, seven years; he rebelled and was slain, and after that there was a famine of three years, which make ten; and in the year following David numbered the people, which was nine or ten months in doing; the next year he died, which was the fortieth of his reign, in all twelve years; so reckon Jarchi and Kimchi; and Eupolemus, an Heathen writer (n), is express for it, who says, that David, when he had reigned forty years, delivered up the kingdom to Solomon his son, being then twelve years of age, which he must receive from the tradition of the Jews; the same is said by several of the ancient fathers, as Ignatius (o) and Jerom (p); but this cannot be fact; for, if so, his son Rehoboam must be born to him when he was but eleven years of age; See Gill on Kg1 3:5; it is best therefore to interpret this of the sense he had of the weakness of his understanding, and of his incapacity for government, as the next clause explains it: I know not how to go out or come in; in the administration of government, to execute his office as a king, in allusion to shepherds, as kings are sometimes called, going in and out before their sheep. (n) Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praeparat. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30, 31, 32.) (o) Epist. ad Magnesios, p. 141. Ed. Voss. (p) Epist. Rufino & Vitali, fol. 24, 25. tom. 3.

1 Kings 3:7

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.

American Standard Version (1901)

And now, O Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.

Bible in Basic English

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; and I am only a young boy, with no knowledge of how to go out or come in.

Free Bible Version

Now, Lord God, you have made me king in place of my father David. But I am like an inexperienced young boy who doesn't know what to do.

Geneva Bible 1599

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy seruant King in steade of Dauid my father: and I am but a yong childe, and know not howe to go out and in.

King James (Authorized) Version

And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

Translation for Translators

“Now, Yahweh my God, you have appointed me to be the king like my father was. But I am very young, like a little child [MET]. I do not know how to lead/rule my people at all [IDM].

Unlocked Literal Bible

Now Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father, though I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.

Noah Webster Bible

And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

World English Bible

Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.

Young's Literal Translation

And now, O Jehovah my God, Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I [am] a little child, I do not know to go out and to come in;

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

I know not how to go out or come in - I am just like an infant learning to walk alone, and can neither go out nor come in without help.

John Gill Bible Commentary

1 Kings 3:7

Verse

Context

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

1 Kings 3:7

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

Knowing God's Will

A Hearing Heart (Part 2)

Will You Miss the Coming Revival?

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes