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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>1 Kings 3:28 Commentaries: When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God <i>was</i> in him, to do judgment.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/barnes/1_kings/3.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/1_kings/3.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/1_kings/3.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/1_kings/3.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/1_kings/3.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/1_kings/3.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/1_kings/3.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/1_kings/3.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/1_kings/3.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/1_kings/3.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/1_kings/3.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/1_kings/3.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/1_kings/3.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/1_kings/3.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/1_kings/3.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/1_kings/6-7.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/1_kings/3.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/1_kings/3.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kad/1_kings/3.htm" title="Keil and Delitzsch OT">KD</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/1_kings/3.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/1_kings/3.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/1_kings/3.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/1_kings/3.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/1_kings/3.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/1_kings/3.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/1_kings/3.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/1_kings/3.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/1_kings/3.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/1_kings/3.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/1_kings/3.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/1_kings/3.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/1_kings/3.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>3:16-28 An instance of Solomon's wisdom is given. Notice the difficulty of the case. To find out the true mother, he could not try which the child loved best, and therefore tried which loved the child best: the mother's sincerity will be tried, when the child is in danger. Let parents show their love to their children, especially by taking care of their souls, and snatching them as brands out of the burning. By this and other instances of the wisdom with which God endued him, Solomon had great reputation among his people. This was better to him than weapons of war; for this he was both feared and loved.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/1_kings/3.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>The wisdom of God - i. e. "Divine wisdom," "a wisdom given by God" <a href="/1_kings/3-12.htm">1 Kings 3:12</a>. The ready tact and knowledge of human nature exhibited in this pattern judgment, and its special fitness to impress Orientals, have generally been admitted. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/1_kings/3.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>1Ki 3:16-28. His Judgment between Two Harlots.<p>16. Then came there two women—Eastern monarchs, who generally administer justice in person, at least in all cases of difficulty, often appeal to the principles of human nature when they are at a loss otherwise to find a clue to the truth or see clearly their way through a mass of conflicting testimony. The modern history of the East abounds with anecdotes of judicial cases, in which the decision given was the result of an experiment similar to this of Solomon upon the natural feelings of the contending parties. <div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/1_kings/3.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">The wisdom of God; </span> either great and eminent wisdom, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">as the cedars or mountains</span> of God are the highest and most eminent of the kind; or Divine wisdom with which God had inspired him for the better government of his people. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">Was in him to judgment; </span> to assist him in wisely examining and justly determining the causes and controversies of his people. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/1_kings/3.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged,.... In the above case; the decision of it was divulged throughout the land, and the fame of it was spread everywhere: <p>and they feared the king; reverenced him as a wise, judicious, and faithful king, and feared to do anything of a criminal nature, as perceiving that he was so sagacious and penetrating, that he would discover it quickly, and bring them to shame and punishment: <p>for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment; that God had put more than ordinary wisdom into him, to make a right judgment in causes that came before him, and finish them in the most just and equitable manner. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/1_kings/3.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.</span></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/1_kings/3.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">28</span>. <span class="ital">they feared the king</span>] As having a power beyond what they had seen in any other to detect wrong, and to find out truth and falsehood, and so to make certain the punishment of evildoers. There was no escape from such a judge.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">the wisdom of God</span>] i.e. Wisdom which God had given, and which made the king skilful in trying the very thoughts of those who came before him. A superhuman discernment had taken up its home within him.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/1_kings/3.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 28.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And an Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king</span> [<span class="accented">i.e.</span>, were impressed and awed by his almost supernatural penetration. Bahr refers to <a href="/luke/4-36.htm">Luke 4:36</a>; <a href="/luke/8-25.htm">Luke 8:25</a>], <span class="cmt_word">for they saw that the wisdom of God</span> [for which he asked (ver. 9) and which God gave (ver. 12] <span class="cmt_word">was in him</span> [Heb. <span class="accented">within him</span>] <span class="accented"><span class="cmt_word"></span>to do Judgment</span>. [Most of the commentators cite from Grotius, the familiar story found in Diodorus Siculus, of Ariopharnes, king of Thrace. Three youths claimed before this king each to be the son, and therefore successor, of a deceased king of the Cimmerians. He decided that that one was the real son who refused to cast a javelin at his father's corpse.] <span class="p"><br /><br /></span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span> 1 Kings 3:28<a name="kad" id="kad"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/kad/1_kings/3.htm">Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament</a></div>This judicial decision convinced all the people that Solomon was endowed with divine wisdom for the administration of justice. <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/1_kings/3-28.htm">1 Kings 3:28 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../1_kings/3-27.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="1 Kings 3:27"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="1 Kings 3:27" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../1_kings/4-1.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="1 Kings 4:1"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="1 Kings 4:1" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>