1 Kings 3:9 (LSB)

Passage

So give Your slave a listening heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this glorious people of Yours?”

Nearby Context

1 Kings 3:7 So now, O Yahweh my God, You have made Your slave king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.

1 Kings 3:8 And Your slave is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a numerous people who are too many to be numbered or counted.

1 Kings 3:9 So give Your slave a listening heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this glorious people of Yours?”

1 Kings 3:10 And it was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.

1 Kings 3:11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to listen to justice,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "give", "slave", "listening", "heart", "judge", "people", "discern", and "between". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "give" and "slave", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "And Your slave is in the midst..." into verse 10's "And it was pleasing in the sight...", so "give" and "slave" belong inside that flow. In 1 Kings context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "give" and "slave" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.