In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”
Parallel translations
- KJV In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
- BSB One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”
- NKJV At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”
- NASB In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”
- NLT That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God appears to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon and invites him to ask for whatever he wishes. The offer tests and reveals the new king's heart.
Overview
In a remarkable act of grace, the LORD appears to Solomon and opens His hand to give. The open-ended invitation, 'Ask for what I should give you,' both honors Solomon and probes his deepest desires. God's readiness to give anticipates the gospel generosity of the One who invites His people to ask and promises good gifts to those who seek Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- 1 Kgs 9:2Yahweh appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.
- Jas 1:5–6But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
- 2 Chr 1:7–12That night, God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for what you want me to give you.”
- Num 12:6He said, “Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.
- John 14:13–14Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- Gen 28:12–13He dreamed. Behold, a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
- Mark 10:36He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
- Matt 2:13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
- 1 Kgs 11:9Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
- John 15:16You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
- Mark 10:38–51But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
- Matt 2:19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
- Matt 7:7–8“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
- Matt 1:20But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
- Job 33:14–15For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.
- Mark 11:24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
- 1 Jn 5:14–15This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 3:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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