1 Kings 3:3
WEB
Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
BSB
And Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
KJV
And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H157
v — have affection
Derivation: or אָהֵב ; a primitive root;
to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
KJV: (be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.
vb — love
אָהֵב 216 vb. love
Qal
1. human love to human object
2. less oft. of appetite
3. love to God
4. esp. Pt.
5. of divine love
Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable
Pi.
1. friends
2. lovers
H8010
n-pr-m — Shelomah
Derivation: from 7965; peaceful;
Shelomah, David's successor
KJV: Solomon.
n.pr.m — Solomon
שְׁלֹמֹה 293 n.pr.m. Solomon
H853
prt — self, even, namely
Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].
mark of the accusative
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H3212
v — walk, carry
Derivation: a primitive root (compare 1980);
to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
KJV: × again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, × be weak.
vb — go
הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk
Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך
I. lit.
1. of persons
2. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
3. in like manner of inanimate things
4. The inf. abs. is often used
a. as in other vbs., quite independently
b. to intensify meaning of finite form
c. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.
(1). with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
(2). with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
(3). in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance
(4). twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
(5). quite by itself
(6). 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
d. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
5. In combination with other verbal forms
II. Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:
1. pass away, die
2. live (‘walk’), in general
3. of moral and religious life
4. other fig. uses
Pi. (chiefly poet. and late)
1. walk in or with a throng
2. also of walking about = living
3. depart, go entirely away
4. fig. of mode of life, action, etc.
Hithp. walk, walk about, move to and fro
Hiph.
1. lead, bring
2. lead away
3. carry, bring
4. fig. of influence on character
5.
a. cause to walk, go
b. cause to flow, run
c. cause to depart, retire, go back
H2708
n-f — appointed
Derivation: feminine of 2706, and meaning substantially the same
KJV: appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.
n.f — something prescribed
חֻקָּה 104 n.f. something prescribed, enactment, statute
H1732
n-pr-m — David
Derivation: rarely (fully); דָּוִיד; from the same as 1730; loving;
David, the youngest son of Jesse
KJV: David.
n.pr.m — David
דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David
H1
n-m — father
Derivation: a primitive word;
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), × patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
n.m — father
אָב 1101 n.m. father
1. father of individual
2. of God as father of his people
3. head of household, family or clan
4. ancestor
5. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6. fig. of producer, generator
7. fig. of benevolence & protection
8. term of respect & honor
9. specif., ruler, chief (late)
H7535
adv — leanness, limitation, merely, although
Derivation: the same as 7534 as a noun;
properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
KJV: but, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.
adj — emaciated
רַק
1. adj. thin
2. adv. with restrictive force, only, altogether, surely
H1116
n-f — elevation
Derivation: from an unused root (meaning to be high);
an elevation
KJV: height, high place, wave.
n.f — Bamah. See also
בָּמָה 104 n.f. high place
1. high place, mountain
2. high places, battle-fields
3. high places, as places of worship
4. funereal mound (?)
H1931
p — he, she, it, self, same, this, that, as, are
Derivation: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; he a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular;
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.
m — he
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
1. an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
2. It resumes the subj. with emph.
3. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
4. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
5. As an emph. predicate, of God
6. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
7. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
H2076
v — slaughter
Derivation: a primitive root;
to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
KJV: kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.
vb — slaughter for sacrifice
זָבַח 134 vb. slaughter for sacrifice
Qal 112
I. slaughter for sacrifice
II. slaughter for eating
III. slaughter for divine judgment
Pi. 22 sacrifice
H6999
v n-m n-f — smoke, turn into fragrance by fire
Derivation: a primitive root (identical with through the idea of fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants);
to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)
KJV: burn (incense, sacrifice) (upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a sacrifice).
vb. denom — make sacrifices smoke
[קָטַר] 116 vb. denom. Pi. Hiph. make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke
Pi. make sacrifices smoke, offer them by burning
Pu. fumigated with myrrh
Hiph.
1. make sacrifices smoke
2. cause incense to smoke, offer incense
3. make smoke upon
Hoph. be made to smoke as a sacrifice
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Verses 1–4
1 Kings 3:1–4
We are here told concerning Solomon,
I. Something that was unquestionably good, for which he is to be praised and in which he is to be imitated. 1. He loved the Lord, Kg1 3:3. Particular notice was taken of God's love to him, Sa2 12:24. He had his name from it: Jedidiah - beloved of the Lord. And here we find he returned that love, as John, the beloved disciple, was most full of love. Solomon was a wise man, a rich man; yet the brightest encomium of him is that which is the character of all the saints, even the poorest, He loved the Lord, so the Chaldee; all that love God love his worship, love to hear from him and speak to him, and so to have communion with him. 2. He walked in the statutes of David his father, that is, in the statutes that David gave him, Kg1 2:2, Kg1 2:3; Ch1 28:9, Ch1 28:10 (his dying father's charge was sacred, and as a law to him), or in God's statutes, which David his father walked in before him; he kept close to God's ordinances, carefully observed them and diligently attended them. Those that truly love God will make conscience of walking in his statutes. 3. He was very free and generous in what he did for the honour of God. When he offered sacrifice he offered like a king, in some proportion to his great wealth, a thousand burnt-offerings, Kg1 3:4. Where God sows plentifully he expects to reap accordingly; and those that truly love God and his worship will not grudge the expenses of their religion. We may be tempted to say, To what purpose is this waste? Might not these cattle have been given to the poor? But we must never think that wasted which is laid out in the service of God. It seems strange how so many beasts should be burnt upon one altar in one feast, though it continued seven days; but the fire on the altar is supposed to be more quick and devouring than common fire, for it represented that fierce and mighty wrath of God which fell upon the sacrifices, that the offerers might escape. Our God is a consuming fire. Bishop Patrick quotes it as a tradition of the Jews that the smoke of the sacrifices ascended directly in a straight pillar, and was not scattered, otherwise it would have choked those that attended, when so many sacrifices were offered as were here.
II. Here is something concerning which it may be doubted whether it was good or no. 1. His marrying Pharaoh's daughter, Kg1 3:1. We will suppose she was proselyted, otherwise the marriage would not have been lawful; yet, if so, surely it was not advisable. He that loved the Lord should, for his sake, have fixed his love upon one of the Lord's people. Unequal matches of the sons of God with the daughters of men have often been of pernicious consequence; yet some think that he did this with the advice of his friends, that she was a sincere convert (for the gods of the Egyptians are not reckoned among the strange gods which his strange wives drew him in to the worship of, Kg1 11:5, Kg1 11:6), and that the book of Canticles and the 45th Psalm were penned on this occasion, by which these nuptials were made typical of the mystical espousals of the church to Christ, especially the Gentile church. 2. His worshipping in the high places, and thereby tempting the people to do so too, Kg1 3:2, Kg1 3:3. Abraham built his altars on mountains (Gen 12:8; Gen 22:2), and worshipped in a grove, Gen 21:33. Thence the custom was derived, and was proper, till the divine law confined them to one place, Deu 12:5, Deu 12:6. David kept to the ark, and did not care for the high places, but Solomon, though in other things he walked in the statutes of his father, in this came short of him. He showed thereby a great zeal for sacrificing, but to obey would have been better. This was an irregularity. Though there was as yet no house built, there was a tent pitched, to the name of the Lord, and the ark ought to have been the centre of their unity. It was so by divine institution; from it the high places separated; yet while they worshipped God only, and in other things according to the rule, he graciously overlooked their weakness, and accepted their services; and it is owned that Solomon loved the Lord, though he burnt incense in the high places, and let not men be more severe than God is.
Cross-references: 1Kgs 3:3 · 2Sam 12:24 · 1Kgs 2:2 · 1Kgs 2:3 · 1Chr 28:9 · 1Chr 28:10 · 1Kgs 3:4 · 1Kgs 3:1 · 1Kgs 11:5 · 1Kgs 11:6 · 1Kgs 3:2 · Gen 12:8 · Gen 22:2 · Gen 21:33 · Deut 12:5 · Deut 12:6