1 Kings 3 8

1 Kings 3:8 kjv

And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

1 Kings 3:8 nkjv

And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.

1 Kings 3:8 niv

Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.

1 Kings 3:8 esv

And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.

1 Kings 3:8 nlt

And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!

1 Kings 3 verses

1 Kings 3 8 Meaning

Solomon humbly presents himself as God's servant, positioned to lead God's vast and divinely chosen people, emphasizing their immense, countless number as a testament to God's faithful fulfillment of His covenant promises. This profound acknowledgment of the people's divine ownership and overwhelming multitude forms the foundation for his subsequent request for wisdom to govern such a unique and blessed nation.

1 Kings 3 8 Context

1 Kings 3 opens with Solomon establishing his reign, but it pivots significantly when he goes to Gibeon, where the most important high place was, to offer a thousand burnt offerings. This extraordinary act of worship leads to God appearing to Solomon in a dream, asking him to request whatever he wished. This verse (1 Ki 3:8) is a pivotal part of Solomon’s response, where he establishes his humble posture before God and acknowledges the nature of the people he has been appointed to lead. He recognizes Israel not as his personal domain but as "Your people," a divinely "chosen" nation of "great" and innumerable multitude, setting the stage for his subsequent request for wisdom, not wealth or long life. Historically, this highlights Israel's significant growth since the Exodus, reflecting the ongoing fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Abraham regarding numerous descendants.

1 Kings 3 8 Word analysis

• And your servant (וְעַבְדֶּךָ, veʿavdekha): The Hebrew word עֶבֶד (ʿeved) typically means "servant" or "slave." In this context, it signifies Solomon's deep humility and subservience to God, contrasting sharply with the common perception of kings in the ancient Near East as divine or semi-divine. Solomon sees himself as a mere steward or agent of God’s divine authority, emphasizing covenant kingship where the human king rules under the divine King.

• is in the midst of (בְּקֶרֶב, bəqerev): This preposition indicates location "in the middle of" or "among." It highlights that Solomon, as king, is not isolated from his people but immersed among them, sharing in their lives. This physical proximity is key for empathetic and just governance.

• your people (עַמְּךָ, ʿammeḵā): The pronoun "your" explicitly attributes ownership to God. Israel is not Solomon's people but "God's people" (עַם, ʿam). This reinforces that Israel is a unique, covenant nation, belonging entirely to Yahweh, and that Solomon's leadership is a divine trust, not a personal dominion.

• whom you have chosen (אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בָהֶם, ʾăšer bāḥartā bāhem): The verb בָּחַר (baḥar), "to choose," signifies divine election. This emphasizes that Israel's existence and special status are due solely to God's sovereign and gracious choice, not to any inherent merit of the people themselves. It underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant and His unique relationship with Israel, distinguishing them from all other nations.

• a great people (עַם רָב, ʿam rav): The term רָב (rav), "great," signifies not only numerous but also strong and significant. This acknowledges the immense growth and prosperity of the nation as a direct fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham that his descendants would become a "great nation" (Gen 12:2). It points to God's abundant blessing.

• too many to be numbered or counted (לֹא יִמָּנֶה וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר, loʾ yimmanneh wəlōʾ yissāfer): These are parallel expressions of immensity. יִמָּנֶה (yimmanneh) from מָנָה (manah), "to number," and יִסָּפֵר (yissāfer) from סָפַר (saphar), "to count or recount." This signifies a multitude beyond human capacity to enumerate, reiterating the miraculous fulfillment of God's promises for countless offspring (e.g., stars of the heaven, sand on the seashore, Gen 15:5, 22:17). It speaks to the infinite nature of God's blessings and challenges human limitation in grasping divine scale.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen": This phrase establishes a divinely ordained hierarchy and an intimate relationship. It places Solomon in a position of humble service under God, and among God’s special people, highlighting that his role is mediation between God and His chosen ones. The emphasis is entirely on God's initiative in selecting the people, not on any human achievement.
  • "a great people, too many to be numbered or counted": This segment magnifies the scale of God's blessing and faithfulness. It signifies the tangible fulfillment of God's covenant promises of multiplying Abraham's descendants. This overwhelming number, beyond human quantification, simultaneously points to God’s immense power and providence, and the tremendous, God-given responsibility placed upon the king to govern them justly.

1 Kings 3 8 Bonus section

• Solomon's self-description as "your servant" sets him apart from other Near Eastern monarchs who often claimed divine ancestry or divinity themselves. This distinct language highlights Israel's unique covenant theology, where the king serves Yahweh.
• The "numberless" quality of the people signifies a divinely blessed abundance, not chaos. This contrasts with instances in the Bible where numbering the people for human pride or reliance on strength (e.g., David's census in 2 Sam 24) is portrayed negatively. Here, the inability to count emphasizes God's immeasurable favor and the complete fulfillment of His promise.
• This prayer serves as a paradigm for righteous leadership, showing that true authority flows from humble service to God and His people, not from power or prestige. It is a striking portrayal of a king prioritizing spiritual wisdom for righteous governance over earthly desires like wealth or victory over enemies.
• The idea of God choosing a people finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament with the "chosen race" (1 Pet 2:9) of the Church, consisting of people from every tribe, tongue, and nation, an ultimately countless multitude (Rev 7:9). Solomon's understanding of his natural Israel prefigures this global, spiritual reality.

1 Kings 3 8 Commentary

In 1 Kings 3:8, Solomon demonstrates profound theological insight at the very outset of his reign. He recognizes that his kingship is not for self-aggrandizement but for service to God and His uniquely chosen nation. His use of "your servant" underlines his submission to divine authority, eschewing the absolute monarchies typical of his era. By referring to Israel as "your people whom you have chosen," he attributes their very existence and identity to God's sovereign election and covenant faithfulness, acknowledging God's promise-keeping. The descriptor "a great people, too many to be numbered or counted," points to the overwhelming scale of God's blessing, fulfilling the Abrahamic promise of innumerable descendants. This acknowledgment serves as the humble and theocentric premise for his subsequent, Spirit-led request for wisdom—a "discerning heart"—to effectively govern such a special and vast nation, whose ownership and blessing originate solely from God. This statement establishes a timeless paradigm for godly leadership: a posture of humility, a recognition of divine ownership over the governed, and an understanding that effective governance requires supernatural enablement.