1 Kings 3:12

1Ki 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Ver. 12. So that there was none like thee before thee.] Solomon was not only wiser than Trismegist, Orpheus, Homer, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Lycurgus, Ptolemy Philadelph - who was βασιλευς φιλολογωτατος, saith Cyril, a most learned king, but also Abraham, Moses, David, yea, Adam himself after the fall: he was the wisest mere man, take him for everything, that ever was; insomuch as he had all manner of knowledge, natural and supernatural, infused into him - his deep insight into the mystery of Christ, he discovered in the Canticles - and so became a notable type of Christ, "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." {Col 2:3} And here Solomon had more than he asked, so have we; {Eph 3:20} and not only more than he asked, but other things also that he asked not.

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.

Verse 12. I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart] I have given thee a capacious mind, one capable of knowing much: make a proper use of thy powers, under the direction of my Spirit, and thou shalt excel in wisdom all that have gone before thee; neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. But, query, Was not all this conditional? If he should walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and commandments, 1Kg 3:14. Was it not to depend upon his proper use of initiatory inspirations? Did he ever receive all this wisdom? Did not his unfaithfulness prevent the fulfilment of the Divine purpose? Instead of being the wisest of men, did he not become more brutish than any man? Did he not even lose the knowledge of his Creator, and worship the abominations of the Moabites, Zidonians, c., &c.! And was not such idolatry a proof of the grossest stupidity? How few proofs does his life give that the gracious purpose of God was fulfilled in him! He received much but he would have received much more, had he been faithful to the grace given. No character in the sacred writings disappoints us more than the character of Solomon.

None like thee before thee] That is, no king, either in Israel or among the nations, as the following verse explains.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. according to thy words] The Hebrew is singular, and there seems no gain in the English plural.

so that there was none] It is more agreeable to the English idiom in this sense to render ‘there hath been none.’ In the matter of tenses the English and Hebrew are not at all conterminous, and choice must at times be made on the ground of English usage simply.

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.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked,.... That is, intended to give him, and now promised it, and was about to bestow it on him:

both riches and honour; the former through the presents and tribute of the nations about him, and his trading to foreign parts; and the latter chiefly through his wisdom, the fame of which was spread everywhere:

so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days; that is, none like him for riches and honour among all the kings of the neighbouring nations so long as he lived; though there might be kings in later times as rich, or richer than he, as Croesus, Alexander, &c. but then not so honourable as he; so, putting both together, there were no kings like him before or after, and especially if wisdom be added to them, as in Ch2 1:12.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A wise and an understanding heart - Solomon’s wisdom seems to have been both moral and intellectual (see 1Ki 4:29-34). But it was moral wisdom alone which he requested, and which was promised him. The terms translated “wise” and “understanding,” both denote practical wisdom. (See Gen 41:33, Gen 41:39; Deu 4:6; Pro 1:2, etc.)

Neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee - i. e. in the knowledge of what was in man, and in the wisdom to direct men’s goings, he was to be the wisest of “all” mere men. In such wisdom the world would know one only “greater than Solomon” Mat 12:42; Luk 11:31.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

After thee. Solomon has given us some idea of his wisdom in the works which he has left. They were dictated by the Holy Spirit, who adorned his soul with so many graces, chap. iv. 29, 30. (Haydock) --- His knowledge of nature, and of the art of governing, excelled that of any of the kings of Israel; (Lyranus, &c.; 2 Paralipomenon ix.) though Moses and the apostles had a more comprehensive knowledge of the mysteries of God. (Calmet) --- Yet, even granting that no mere man might come up to him, Jesus Christ, in whom the treasures of wisdom were contained, was far superior. (Haydock) --- General propositions are often to be understood with a limitation. (Menochius)

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).

I have done according to thy words; I have granted, and do at this present grant, unto thee thy desire. And accordingly at this time God did infuse into him a far higher degree and greater measure of wisdom than he naturally had.

A wise and an understanding heart, i.e. wisdom to govern thy people, to know and do thy several duties; which was the thing that Solomon desired, 1Ki 3:7,9, and the effects whereof here follow, 1Ki 3:16, &c.; and withal, all Divine and human wisdom, the knowledge of all things, of all the arts and sciences, as may be gathered from 1Ki 4:29, &c., and that in a far greater proportion than by his years, and the time he could get for his study, could possibly produce.

So that there was none; either no king, or rather, no man; for he is herein preferred, not only before all kings, but before all men, 1Ki 4:31; no mere man since the fall equalled him, to wit, in universal knowledge, and especially in the art of well-governing his people.

Neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Quest. Did not the apostles excel him? Answ. They did not in natural and political knowledge, but only in the knowledge of the mysteries of faith, which were more freely and more fully imparted in those times; the ignorance whereof was no disparagement to Solomon’s wisdom, because they were not discoverable by any creature without Divine revelation, which God saw fit not to afford in Solomon’s time. I know no inconvenience in affirming that Solomon’s natural capacities were higher than any of the apostles; and Solomon had a more comprehensive knowledge of all things known in that age, than the apostles had in all the discoveries of their age.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. Lo, I have given thee — It is the Father’s good pleasure to give wisdom to them that seek for it. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Jas_1:5.

None like thee — Solomon’s wisdom was, to a certain extent, a supernatural gift, a signal dispensation of Divine favour, which must not be classed with natural acquirements which are ordinarily obtained by dint of mental application alone. But while this much appears upon the face of the history before us, we must not suppose that all his knowledge was so special and supernatural an endowment as that he received it without any effort on his part. He doubtless studied and toiled like other men for his acquirements, but he was divinely and supernaturally assisted in a manner and to an extent which no other man ever enjoyed. We shall see further in 1Ki_4:29-34, that Solomon’s wisdom comprehended natural science, political sagacity, and a deep insight into spiritual truths.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, I have done according to thy words (i.e. , granted thy prayer, as the next words show): lo (Heb. behold) I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. (Cf. 1Ch_29:25 2Ch_9:22. But there is no need to restrict the reference to kings and princes.)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.