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.
Parallel Translations
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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.
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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.
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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.
Cross-references (17)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 3:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Numbers 27:17 who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, that the congregation of Yahweh may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:1 David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for Yahweh God.
- Jeremiah 1:6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”
- Matthew 18:3-4 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- 1 Samuel 18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
- 2 Samuel 5:2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and in. Yahweh said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be prince over Israel.’ ”
- Job 32:6-8 Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered, “I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn’t dare show you my opinion. I said, ‘Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’ But there is a spirit in man, and the Spirit of the Almighty gives them understanding.
- Psalms 121:8 Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
- Daniel 2:21 He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.
- Daniel 4:25 that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.
- Daniel 4:32 You shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’ ”
- Daniel 5:18 “You, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.
- Daniel 5:21 He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.
- John 10:3-4 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
- John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.
- Deuteronomy 31:2 He said to them, “I am one hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go out and come in. Yahweh has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That is, to behave himself in executing this charge…
That is, to behave himself in executing this charge of ruling.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou…
1Ki 3:7 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.
Ver. 7. And I am but a little child.] So he seemed to himself; though his father counted and called him a wise man, {1Ki 2:9} even before that wonderful increase of his wisdom after David’s death. See the like modesty in Agur, that great wise man. {Pro 30:2-3}
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I know not how to go out or come in,] i.e., To sway this massy sceptre, to rule this great people. An allusion to captains or shepherds, or, as some think, to a little child who learneth of his mother to go out and come into the house. {a}
{a} Vatab. A Lapide.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain I am but a little child; so he was…
I am but a little child; so he was in years; not as if he were now but twelve years old, as many gather from this name of child; for that name is given to Ishmael when eighteen years old, Gen 21:14,15, and to Rehoboam when forty-one years old, 2Ch 13:7, where the word is the same in the Hebrew; and before this time David calls him a wise man, 1Ki 2:9; but he was now not above twenty years old; and withal, (which he principally intends,) he was raw and unexperienced, as a child, in state affairs, and altogether unfit for so hard a task.
To go out or come in, i.e. to govern my people, and manage affairs, as that phrase signifies, Num 27:17; Deu 31:2; Jos 14:11.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made…
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:
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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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Child - So he was in years: not above…
Child - So he was in years: not above twenty years old; and withal (which he principally intends) he was raw and unexperienced, as a child, in state affairs. Go out, &c. - To govern my people, and manage affairs.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 7. I know not how to go out…
Verse 7. 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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain See 1Ki 2:2 note, and on the hyperbole contained…
See 1Ki 2:2 note, and on the hyperbole contained in the phrase “little child,” compare Gen 43:8; Exo 33:11.
How to go out or come in - This expression is proverbial for the active conduct of affairs. (See the marginal reference.)
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain In. So as to judge with discretion, and to…
In. So as to judge with discretion, and to lead my people. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain I am but a little child--not in age, for…
I am but a little child--not in age, for he had reached manhood (Kg1 2:9) and must have been at least twenty years old; but he was raw and inexperienced in matters of government.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 7. I am but a little child — His…
7. I am but a little child — His exact age at this time is not known, but he was evidently still a youth, probably not more than twenty years of age. David, in his old age, spoke of him as “young and tender.” 1Ch_29:1. Solomon, with graceful modesty and humility, feels and acknowledges his youth and inexperience.
To go out or come in — An idiomatic expression denoting the whole official conduct of a ruler before his people. Compare Num_27:17.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7. I am but a little child] This is…
7. I am but a little child] This is a form of expression meant to indicate want of experience, but cannot be pressed literally. What Solomon’s age may have been we have very imperfect data for judging. The ordinary chronology puts the murder of Uriah about twenty years before David’s death. If this be correct Solomon might be at this time 17 or 18 years old. Bunsen (Bibelwerk) says 22.
to go out or come in] This expression of going out and coming in is frequent in one form or another for the manner of leading one’s life, and engaging in one’s proper duties. So Joshua uses it (1Ki_14:11) of his fitness for the leadership of Israel. Moses (Deu_31:2) when he is speaking of his growing age, says he can no more go out and come in.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And now, O Lord my Cod, thou hast made…
And now, O Lord my Cod, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but (Heb. and I...) a little child: These words are generally understood as indicating Solomon"s humility rather than his age. No doubt, there is some exaggeration in the expression, which manifestly is not to be taken au pied de la lettre; at the same time it is questionable whether such words would be used of himself by a young man of twenty, which Solomon is commonly supposed to have been. (ee 1Ki_2:2, and 1Ki_12:8) I know not how to go out or come in. The same phrase is found in the Pentateuch, Deu_28:6 Deu_31:2. Also 1Sa_18:13 2Sa_3:25 Psa_121:8. It is the formula for expressing behaviour, conduct, the outward life of man.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Solomon asks for wisdom.
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your servant
Solomon speaks as if he is another person to show respect to Yahweh. AT: "me" (See: Pronouns)
I am only a little child
Solomon is saying that he is like a child who does not know as much as a father. (See: Metaphor)
I do not know how to go out or come in
This is an idiom that means Solomon does not know how to govern as king. AT: "I do not know how to be the king" or "I do not know the right way to do things as king" (See: Idiom)
For who is able to judge this great people of yours?
Solomon asks a question to emphasize that he knows that no one can judge. AT: "No one is able to judge this great people of yours." (See: Rhetorical Question)
translationWords
Yahweh
God
servant
king
David
ancestor
children
people group
chosen one
judge
discern
evil
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 3:7-9 The Hebrew term translated little child was often…
3:7-9 The Hebrew term translated little child was often used of someone who lacked experience in his profession (“assistant,” 19:21). Solomon humbly recognized his inexperience and his need for an understanding heart. If he desired to govern the people well and render proper decisions, he knew that he needed God’s help.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.