Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
Parallel translations
- WEB Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?”
- BSB Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
- NKJV Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”
- NASB Now give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?”
- NLT Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”
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
Solomon asks for wisdom and knowledge to lead God's great people rightly. He prioritizes godly governance over personal gain.
Overview
Rather than seeking wealth or power, Solomon requests the wisdom needed to lead and judge God's people, recognizing the weight of the task. This God-honoring request reveals a heart oriented toward service and the good of others. It points to Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Kgs 3:9Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
- Prov 2:2–6So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
- Prov 4:7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
- Prov 3:13–18Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
- Jas 1:5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
- Ps 119:34Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
- 2 Sam 5:2Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
- Ps 119:73Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
- Num 27:17Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
- 2 Cor 3:5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
- Deut 31:2And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
- 2 Cor 2:16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 1:10 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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