1st Kings Chapter 3 verse 9 Holy Bible
Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?
read chapter 3 in ASV
Give your servant, then, a wise heart for judging your people, able to see what is good and what evil; for who is able to be the judge of this great people?
read chapter 3 in BBE
Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy numerous people?
read chapter 3 in DARBY
Give 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?
read chapter 3 in KJV
Give therefore to 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?
read chapter 3 in WBT
Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this your great people?
read chapter 3 in WEB
and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
read chapter 3 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 9. - Give therefore thy servant an understanding [Heb. hearing. Cf. ver. 11 (Heb. "to hear judgment.") The idea is not docility, as the Vulg. (cor docile), but discrimination, penetration. Cf. 2 Samuel 14:17 (Heb.); Philippians 1:9, 10 (marg.)] heart [i.e., a judicial mind. The "hearing heart" was desired, not that it might "give heed to the law" (Keil), but to qualify him] to Judge thy people [The Hebrew king, like most ancient monarchs, was supreme judge as well as governor ("prince and judge," Exodus 5:14; and cf. Exodus 18:16). The Jews desired a king that he might judge them (1 Samuel 8:5). Their rulers so far had been purely "Judges" (שֹׁפְטִים; compare the Carthaginian name, suffetes.) When they desired one who should, lead their armies, they still put his judicial functions in the first place (loc. cit. ver. 20). And what were the duties of a king in this respect, Absalom's words (2 Samuel 15:4) show. In vers. 16-28 we see Solomon sitting as Chief Justice], that I may discern between good and bad [i.e., right and wrong, true and false; cf. Hebrews 5:14): for who is able to judge this thy so great [Heb. heavy, i.e., numerous; compare graves greges] a people. [The number of the Israelites at this period is referred to in 1 Kings 4:20.]
