## Rashi on I Kings Chapter 3

###### Rashi on I Kings 3:1:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:1:1)

**וַיִּתְחַתֵּן שְׁלֹמֹה.** וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעִי רַבּוֹ קַיָּם, לֹא נִתְחַתֵּן בּוֹ, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: לְעוֹלָם יָדוּר אָדָם בִּמְקוֹם רַבּוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Shlomo became the son-in-law.** As long as Shim’i, his teacher, was alive, he did not enter into marriage [with Pharaoh’s daughter]. From here, [our Sages derived and] declared, that a person should always live in the vicinity of his teacher.¹²

footnotes:
¹ Based on the juxtaposition of Shimi’s death and Shlomo’s marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter. See Maseches Berachos 8a.
² In order to remain under his teacher’s guidance and influence.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:1:2
[Rashi on I Kings 3:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:1:2)

**עַד כַּלֹּתוֹ לִבְנוֹת וְגוֹ'.** וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּנָה לָהּ בַּיִת.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Until he finished building, etc.** And afterwards he built a house for her.³

footnotes:
³ Alternatively, after he finished building the Beis Hamikdosh, Shlomo moved Pharaoh’s daughter out of the City of Dovid which had become sanctified by the presence of the Ark.—Radak


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:2:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:2:1)

**מְזַבְּחִים בַּבָּמוֹת.** לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, כָּל הָרוֹצֶה בּוֹנֶה מִזְבֵּחַ בְּרֹאשׁ גַּגּוֹ אוֹ בַּחֲצֵרוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Sacrificed on improvised altars.** For the sake of Heaven, each [person] who so desired would build an altar on top of his roof or in his yard.⁴

footnotes:
⁴ This was permitted during the period between the destruction of the Mishkan in Shilo and the construction of the Beis Hamikdosh. See Mishnayos Zevachim 14:7.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:3:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:3:1)

**וַיֶּאֱהַב שְׁלֹמֹה לָלֶכֶת בְּחֻקּוֹת דָּוִד אָבִיו.** אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים, עַד שֶׁלֹּא הִתְחִיל לִבְנוֹת הַבַּיִת, אֲבָל מִשֶּׁהִתְחִיל לִבְנוֹת, וַיִּתְחַתֵּן שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת פַּרְעֹה, נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר: כִּי עַל אַפִּי וְעַל חֲמָתִי הָיְתָה לִּי הָעִיר הַזֹּאת, לְמִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ אוֹתָהּ וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, כָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ בְּסֵדֶר עוֹלָם, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁאֵין הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת כְּתוּבוֹת כַּסֵּדֶר.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And Shlomo loved Adonoy, he conformed to the decrees of his father Dovid.** [During the first] four years, before beginning to build the Beis [Hamikdosh]. But once he began to build and Shlomo married Pharaoh’s daughter, consequently it states, “for as a provocation of anger and of fury has this city has been to me from the day that they built it until this day.”⁵ Thus we learned in Seder Olam. We learn that the passages are not written in chronological order.

footnotes:
⁵ Yirmiyahu 32:31.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:3:2
[Rashi on I Kings 3:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:3:2)

**בַּבָּמוֹת הוּא מְזַבֵּחַ.** בִּגְנוּתוֹ דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁשָּׁהָה אֶת בִּנְיַן הַבַּיִת אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Upon improvised altars he brought sacrifices.** The text discusses his dishonor, [this occurred] because he delayed the construction of the Beis [Hamikdosh] four years.⁶

footnotes:
⁶ Alternatively, Shlomo desired to attain prophetic revelation by offering sacrifices.—Ralbag


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:4:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:4:1)

**הִיא הַבָּמָה הַגְּדוֹלָה.** הוּא מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת שֶׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְהֻקְבְּעָה בְּשִׁילֹה, חָרְבָה שִׁילֹה בִּימֵי עֵלִי וּבָא לְנוֹב, חָרְבָה נוֹב בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל, וּבָאוּ לְגִבְעוֹן.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**For that was the great improvised altar.** That was the copper altar which Moshe made in the wilderness,⁷ and it was instituted in Shilo. Shilo was destroyed in Eili’s days, and then it came to Nov. Nov was destroyed in Shaul’s days, and they came to Givon.

footnotes:
⁷ I.e., it was “great” because of its holiness.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:4:2
[Rashi on I Kings 3:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:4:2)

**יַעֲלֶה שְׁלֹמֹה.** כְּמוֹ מַעֲלֶה שְׁלֹמֹה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Shlomo offered.** Did Shlomo offer.⁸

footnotes:
⁸ Literally, יעלה means, “will offer.”


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:4:3
[Rashi on I Kings 3:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:4:3)

**עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ הַהוּא.** בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Upon that altar.** In one day.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:6:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:6:1)

**וַתִּשְׁמָר לוֹ.** לְשׁוֹן מְאַמֵּת אֶת דְּבָרָיו, כְּמוֹ: וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ וְגוֹ', וְאַף כָּאן וַתִּשְׁמָר לוֹ אֶת הַחֶסֶד, הֶאֱמַנְתָּ דְבָרֶיךָ לְקַיֵּם לוֹ אֶת הַחֶסֶד, אֲשֶׁר הִבְטַחְתּוֹ עַל יְדֵי נָתָן הַנָּבִיא.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**You preserved for him.** An expression of authenticating His words as in, “And Adonoy, your God will keep for you, etc.”⁹ Here too You have preserved for him the kindness, You have authenticated Your words to fulfill to him the kindness which You had promised him through Noson the prophet.

footnotes:
⁹ Devarim 7:12.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:7:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:7:1)

**נַעַר קָטֹן.** בֶּן שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה, וְזֶה לְךָ הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יְדִידְיָה, בּוֹ בַּפֶּרֶק עִנָּה אַמְנוֹן אֶת תָּמָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי כֵן וּלְאַבְשָׁלוֹם אָחוֹת, מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים וַיִּהְיוּ גֹזְזִים לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וְהָרַג אֶת אַמְנוֹן, וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם בָּרַח וַיֵּלֶךְ גְּשׁוּרָה, וַיְהִי שָׁם שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים, הֲרֵי חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וְשָׁב אַבְשָׁלוֹם לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, וַיֵּשֶׁב בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שְׁנָתַיִם, הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע לִשְׁלֹמֹה, וּמָרַד בְּאָבִיו וְנֶהֱרַג, אַחַר זֹאת: וַיְהִי רָעָב בִּימֵי דָוִד שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים, הֲרֵי עֶשֶׂר, בְּאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה מָנָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיָּשׁוּטוּ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים, בִּשְׁנַת מוֹתוֹ תִּקֵּן מִשְׁמָרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בִּשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים לְמַלְכוּת דָּוִיד נִדְרָשׁוּ, הֲרֵי שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה לַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**A small lad.** He was twelve years old. And this is how [his age] is calculated: “And he called his name Yedidyah.”¹⁰ At the same time Amnon raped Tamar, as it is stated, “And it was after this, and Avsholom [the son of Dovid] had a sister.”¹¹ At the end of, “two years, and Avsholom had sheep shearers,”¹² and he killed Amnon. Avsholom fled and went to Geshur, and he remained there three years,¹³ so we have five years. Avsholom then returned to Yerusholayim, “and [Avsholom] lived in Yerusholayim two years,”¹⁴ so we have seven [years in the life] of Shlomo. And he [Avsholom] rebelled against his father and was killed. After this, [it states], “And there was famine in the days of Dovid [for] three years,”¹⁵ so we have ten [years]. In the eleventh [year] he counted the [Bnei] Yisroel, “and they scattered in all the land,”¹⁶ nine months. In the year of his death he instituted divisions as it is stated, “In the fortieth year of Dovid’s reign they were sought,”¹⁷ so we have twelve [years in the life] of King Shlomo.¹⁸

footnotes:
¹⁰ II Shmuel 12:25.
¹¹ Ibid., 13:1.
¹² Ibid. v. 23.
¹³ Ibid. v. 38.
¹⁴ Ibid. 14:28.
¹⁵ Ibid. 21:1.
¹⁶ Ibid 24:8.
¹⁷ I Divrei Hayomim 26:31.
¹⁸ Other, including Abarbanel, suggest that Shlomo may have been around twenty years old at the time. The fact that he is referred to as a “lad ]=נער]” is not necessarily a reflection of his age, for in Bereishis 44:22, Binyomin is described as a “lad [=נער]”at the age of thirty.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:9:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:9:1)

**אֶת עַמְּךָ הַכָּבֵד.** מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֵם רַבִּים, יֵשׁ לָהֶם עֲסָקִים רַבִּים, וּבָאִים לְדִין, וְאֵין לִי מָתוּן לְעַיֵּן בְּדִינָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי מִי יוּכַל לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת עַמְּךָ הַכָּבֵד הַזֶּה, מִשְׁפָּטָם כָּבֵד מְאֹד, אִם יָבֹא דִין שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם לְפָנַי, וְאֶטֹּל מִזֶּה וְאֶתֵּן לָזֶה שֶׁלֹּא כַדִּין, אֵינִי נֶעֱנַשׁ, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵינִי נֶעֱנַשׁ עָלָיו עֹנֶשׁ נְפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְקָבַע אֶת קֹבְעֵיהֶם נָפֶשׁ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**This great people of Yours.** Since they are many, they have many dealings, and they come to litigate and I have no time to deliberate over their arguments. Another interpretation of, “for who is able to judge this great people of Yours,” their legal decisions are very difficult [for me to make]. If a lawsuit comes before me between two non-Jews, and I take from one and give to the other unjustly, I will not be punished. But [if a lawsuit comes before me] between Jews [and I take from one and give to the other unjustly], I will be punished for it with capital punishment,¹⁹ as it is stated, “And He takes the lives of those that steal from them.”²⁰

footnotes:
¹⁹ That is why Shlomo refers to the Bnei Yisroel as a “weighty [=כבד] nation.”
²⁰ Mishlei 22:23.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:14:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:14:1)

**וְאִם תֵּלֵךְ בִּדְרָכַי וְגוֹ' וְהַאֲרַכְתִּי אֶת יָמֶיךָ.** הָעשֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד שֶׁלֹּא הִתְנֵיתִי בְּתוֹרָתִי לָתֵת לַמֶּלֶךְ, אֶתֵּן לְךָ, בֵּין זַכַּאי בֵּין חַיָּב, אֲבָל אֹרֶךְ הַיָּמִים וּמַלְכוּת הַדּוֹרוֹת, כְּבָר הִתְנֵיתִי בְּתוֹרָתִי: לְבִלְתִּי סוּר מִן הַמִּצְוָה לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עַל מַמְלַכְתּוֹ וְגוֹ', וְעַל אוֹתוֹ תְּנַאי לֹא אֶשְׁנֶה, וְאִם תֵּלֵךְ בִּדְרָכַי וְהַאֲרַכְתִּי וְגוֹ', וְכֵן בְּמַלְכוּת דּוֹרוֹתָיו אַחֲרָיו, אָמַר לוֹ: וְאַתָּה אִם תֵּלֵךְ לְפָנַי וְגוֹ' לֹא יִכָּרֵת לְךָ אִישׁ וְגוֹ', כָּךְ שְׁנוּיָה בְּסִפְרֵי. וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר גַּם עשֶׁר גַּם כָּבוֹד וְגוֹ'.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And if you will go in My ways, etc., I will lengthen your days.** The wealth and the honor for which I did not impose any conditions in my Torah to give to the king, I will give you whether deserving or not. However, [to attain] longevity and [continuation of] the monarchy for [future] generations, I have already imposed conditions in my Torah, “that he shall not turn aside from the commandment [etc.,] so that he may prolong days over his kingdom, etc.”²¹ and that condition I will not alter. So, “if you will go in My ways...I will lengthen, etc.” and likewise concerning [the continuation of] the monarchy to his descendants, He said to him, “As for you, if you walk before Me, etc., no man [descendant] of yours will be cut off, etc.”²² Thus is it learned in Sifrei, Rabbi Chanina the son of Gamliel says, “Behold he has said, ‘both wealth and honor, etc.’”²³

footnotes:
²¹ Devarim 17:20.
²² Below, 9:4, 5.
²³ Above v. 13.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:15:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:15:1)

**וַיִּקַץ שְׁלֹמֹה וְהִנֵּה חֲלוֹם.** וְהִנֵּה הֵבִין שֶׁחֲלוֹמוֹ אֱמֶת, שׁוֹמֵעַ עוֹף מְצַפְצֵף וּמֵבִין לְשׁוֹנוֹ, כֶּלֶב נוֹבֵחַ וּמֵבִין לְשׁוֹנוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Shlomo woke up and behold it was a dream.** And behold he understood that his dream was true. He heard a bird chirping and understood its language, a dog barking and he understood its language.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:15:2
[Rashi on I Kings 3:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:15:2)

**וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה.** מִשִּׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ, שֶׁהֵבִין שֶׁחֲלוֹמוֹ אֱמֶת.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And [he] made a feast.** Out of his heart’s happiness [he celebrated] because he realized that his dream was true.²⁴

footnotes:
²⁴ Shlomo celebrated his newly acquired wisdom. Rabbi Elazar said that from here we derive the custom of making a festive meal [e.g., siyum] to honor the completion of reading the Torah or studying a Masechta. See Shir Hashirim Rabboh 1:9.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:21:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:21:1)

**וָאֶתְבּוֹנֵן אֵלָיו.** נָתַתִּי לֵב לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**I scrutinized him.** I concentrated to scrutinize him.²⁵

footnotes:
²⁵ And therefore I am certain of not making a mistake.


###### Rashi on I Kings 3:27:1
[Rashi on I Kings 3:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Kings/r/3:27:1)

**הִיא אִמּוֹ.** בַּת קוֹל הוֹפִיעָה וְאָמְרָה: הִיא אִמּוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**She is his mother.** A Divine voice appeared and said, “She is his mother.”²⁶

footnotes:
²⁶ See Rashi in Maseches Makos 23b.