John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And Solomon said , etc.] In his dream; not that he dreamt he said, when he did not; but he really said, as follows: thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy ; bestowed many favours and blessings upon him, both temporal and spiritual: according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee ; in the truth of doctrine and worship, according to the revealed will and word of God, and which he observed with great strictness, living soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without failings and imperfections, yet with great integrity and sincerity; and this holy walk of his was not the cause of God’s showing mercy to him, nor was it in proportion to that, but what he was influenced to by the mercy that was shown him: and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as [it is] this day ; a son to be his successor, meaning himself; which was an additional favour to all the rest, and was in reserve, and now bestowed, as time had made to appear.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-15 - Solomon's dream was not a common one. While his bodily powers wer locked up in sleep, the powers of his soul were strengthened; he wa enabled to receive the Divine vision, and to make a suitable choice God, in like manner, puts us in the ready way to be happy, by assurin us we shall have what we need, and pray for. Solomon's making such choice when asleep, and the powers of reason least active, showed it came from the grace of God. Having a humble sense of his own wants an weakness, he pleads, Lord, I am but a little child. The more wise an considerate men are, the better acquainted they are with their ow weakness, and the more jealous of themselves. Solomon begs of God to give him wisdom. We must pray for it, Jas 1:5, that it may help us in our particular calling, and the various occasions we have. Those ar accepted of God, who prefer spiritual blessings to earthly good. It wa a prevailing prayer, and prevailed for more than he asked. God gave his wisdom, such as no other prince was ever blessed with; and also gav him riches and honour. If we make sure of wisdom and grace, these wil bring outward prosperity with them, or sweeten the want of it. The way to get spiritual blessings, is to wrestle with God in prayer for them The way to get earthly blessings, is to refer ourselves to God concerning them. Solomon has wisdom given him, because he did ask it and wealth, because he did not.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 שׁלמה8010 אתה859 עשׂית6213 עם5973 עבדך5650 דוד1732 אבי1 חסד2617 גדול1419 כאשׁר834 הלך1980 לפניך6440 באמת571 ובצדקה6666 ובישׁרת3483 לבב3824 עמך5973 ותשׁמר8104 לו את853 החסד2617 הגדול1419 הזה2088 ותתן5414 לו בן1121 ישׁב3427 על5921 כסאו3678 כיום3117 הזה׃2088
