1 Kings 3:4 Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.

◄ 1 Kings 3:4 ►

New International Version
The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

New Living Translation
The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.

English Standard Version
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Berean Standard Bible
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.

King James Bible
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

New King James Version
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

New American Standard Bible
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

NASB 1995
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

NASB 1977
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered one thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Amplified Bible
The king went to Gibeon [near Jerusalem, where the tabernacle and the bronze altar stood] to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Christian Standard Bible
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered 1,000 burnt offerings on that altar.

American Standard Version
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

Contemporary English Version
The most important shrine was in Gibeon, and Solomon had offered more than 1,000 sacrifices on that altar.

English Revised Version
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
King Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice because it was the most important place of worship. Solomon sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on that altar.

Good News Translation
On one occasion he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most famous altar was. He had offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past.

International Standard Version
The king used to go to Gibeon to sacrifice, since there was a famous high place there, where Solomon once offered 1,000 burnt offerings on that altar.

Majority Standard Bible
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.

NET Bible
The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places. Solomon would offer up a thousand burnt sacrifices on the altar there.

New Heart English Bible
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

World English Bible
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and the king goes to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for it [is] the great high place; Solomon causes one thousand burnt-offerings to ascend on that altar.

Young's Literal Translation
and the king goeth to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for it is the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings cause to ascend doth Solomon on that altar.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will go to the hill to sacrifice there; for it was the great height: a thousand burnt-offerings will Solomon bring up upon that altar.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
He went therefore to Gabaon, to sacrifice there: for that was the great high place: a thousand victims for holocausts did Solomon offer upon that altar in Gabaon.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, he went away to Gibeon, so that he might immolate there; for that was the greatest high place. Solomon offered upon that altar, at Gibeon, one thousand victims as holocausts.

New American Bible
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the great high place. Upon its altar Solomon sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings.

New Revised Standard Version
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place; a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon the altar which was in Gibeon.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King went to Gebuun to sacrifice there, because great high place was there; Solomon was sacrificing one thousand offerings on that altar

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he arose and went to Gabaon to sacrifice there, for that was the highest place, and great: Solomon offered a whole-burnt-offering of a thousand victims on the altar in Gabaon.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom
4Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. 5One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Chronicles 1:3-6
And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. / Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. / But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, was in Gibeon before the tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there. ...

1 Kings 9:25
Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built for the LORD, burning incense with them before the LORD. So he completed the temple.

1 Kings 8:63
And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 7:4-5
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. / And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

1 Samuel 9:12-14
“Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place. / As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.” / So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

1 Samuel 10:8
And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”

1 Samuel 15:21
The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 16:2-5
“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ / Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.” / So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” ...

1 Kings 11:7-8
At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites. / He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

2 Chronicles 1:2-3
Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the heads of the families. / And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

2 Chronicles 1:13
So Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place in Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

1 Kings 12:32-33
And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up. / On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.

1 Kings 18:30-32
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. / And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” / And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

2 Chronicles 8:12-13
At that time Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD he had built in front of the portico. / He observed the daily requirement for offerings according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

2 Chronicles 29:21-24
They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And the king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. / So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splattered it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and splattered the blood on the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs and splattered the blood on the altar. / Then they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, who laid their hands on them. ...

Treasury of Scripture

And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer on that altar.

Gibeon

1 Kings 9:2
That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

Joshua 9:3
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

Joshua 10:2
That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

a thousand

1 Kings 8:63
And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 1:6,7
And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it…

2 Chronicles 29:32-35
And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD…

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Altar Ascend Burnt Burnt-Offerings Cause Chief Gibeon Great gs High Important Offer Offered Offering Offerings Sacrifice Sacrifices Solomon Solomon's Thousand Used Way

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1 Kings 3

1. Solomon marries Pharaoh's daughter
2. High places being in use, Solomon sacrifices at Gibeon
5. Solomon at Gibeon, in the choice which God gave him,
10. preferring wisdom, obtains wisdom, riches, and honor
16. Solomon's judgment makes him renowned

Berean Study Bible

Now the king
This phrase refers to Solomon, who had recently ascended to the throne of Israel following the death of his father, King David. Solomon's kingship marks a significant period in Israel's history, characterized by peace and prosperity. The Hebrew word for "king" is "melek," which signifies not only a ruler but also one who is divinely appointed. Solomon's reign is often seen as a fulfillment of God's promise to David, establishing a dynasty that would lead to the coming of the Messiah.

went to Gibeon
Gibeon was an important city located northwest of Jerusalem. It was known for its "great high place," a significant site for worship before the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. The act of going to Gibeon signifies Solomon's desire to seek God's favor and guidance at the beginning of his reign. Historically, Gibeon was a Canaanite city that made a treaty with Israel during Joshua's conquest, and it became a Levitical city, highlighting its religious significance.

to sacrifice there
Sacrificing was a central act of worship in ancient Israel, symbolizing devotion, repentance, and communion with God. The Hebrew word for "sacrifice" is "zabach," which involves offering something valuable to God. Solomon's decision to sacrifice at Gibeon demonstrates his commitment to honoring God and seeking His wisdom. It reflects the importance of worship and sacrifice in maintaining a relationship with God.

for it was the great high place
The "great high place" refers to a prominent location for worship before the Temple was built. High places were often elevated sites where altars were constructed for sacrifices. The term "great" indicates its significance and possibly its size or the number of people who gathered there. In the context of Israel's history, high places were sometimes associated with idolatry, but in this instance, it was a legitimate site for worshiping Yahweh.

Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings
A "burnt offering" was a type of sacrifice where the entire animal was consumed by fire, symbolizing complete dedication to God. The Hebrew term "olah" means "that which goes up," referring to the smoke rising to heaven. Offering a thousand burnt offerings signifies Solomon's extraordinary devotion and desire to honor God lavishly. It reflects the abundance and prosperity of Solomon's reign and his recognition of God's sovereignty.

on the altar there
The altar was a sacred structure where sacrifices were made. In Hebrew, "mizbeach" means "place of sacrifice." The altar at Gibeon served as a focal point for worship and communion with God. Solomon's use of the altar underscores the importance of approaching God in the prescribed manner, acknowledging His holiness and the need for atonement. This act of worship sets the stage for God's subsequent appearance to Solomon, where He grants him wisdom.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Gibeon.--The name itself, signifying "belonging to a hill," indicates its position on the central plateau of Israel, in the land of Benjamin, whence rise several round hills, on one of which the town stood. There was now reared the Tabernacle, with the brazen altar of sacrifice, to which the descendants of the old Gibeonites were attached as "hewers of wood and drawers of water" (Joshua 9:23). It was therefore naturally "the great high place."

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - And the king went to Gibeon [Joshua 9:3; Joshua 10:2; Joshua 18:25; Joshua 21:17; 2 Samuel 21:1. Now known as El-Jib, a commanding eminence (as the name implies) some six miles north of Jerusalem. Strictly, it consists of two heights, on one of which, it is conjectured, the town stood, while the other was the high place. Solomon was accompanied to Gibeon by "all the congregation," including the captains, judges, governors, etc. (2 Chronicles 1:2, 3] to sacrifice there [This religious service was designed to inaugurate his reign (2 Chronicles 1:13), after the precedent of 1 Samuel 11:15; cf. 2 Samuel 6:2. His object was also to supplicate the Divine blessing on his undertakings. If his visit served at the same time as a farewell, or "honourable funeral to the tabernacle" (Wordsw.) this was an accident]; for that was the great high place [being the place of the tabernacle and brazen altar. In 1 Samuel 21:6 we find the tabernacle at Nob, though without the ark (1 Samuel 4:2). After the massacre of the priests it lost the ephod (1 Samuel 22:20; 1 Samuel 23:6). It could hardly remain in a spot stained by so much blood; but how or when it found its way to Gibeon, we do not know. See 1 Chronicles 16:37, 39; 2 Chronicles 1:3-6]: a thousand burnt offerings [such numbers were not infrequent at festivals. See on 1 Kings 8:62, and cf. 2 Chronicles 29:33, 34. Rawlinson reminds us that "Xerxes offered 1000 oxen at Troy" (Herod. 7:43).] did Solomon offer [not, of course, personally, as some (Ewald. e.g.) have sup. posed. He is said to have "offered" them, because he (together with the congregation, perhaps) provided them. The immense number alone shows that he cannot have offered in person. The festival probably lasted for seven or eight days,but even then a thousand victims can hardly have been offered whole (עֹלות) unless the altar was greatly enlarged, or additional temporary altars were erected. This latter supposition is not negatived by the next words. See on 1 Kings 8:63, 64.] upon that altar.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Now the king
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

went
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to Gibeon
גִּבְעֹ֙נָה֙ (giḇ·‘ō·nāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1391: Gibeon -- a Levitical city in Benjamin

to sacrifice
לִזְבֹּ֣חַ (liz·bō·aḥ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

there,
שָׁ֔ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

for
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

it [was]
הִ֖יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

the great
הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה (hag·gə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

high place.
הַבָּמָ֣ה (hab·bā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1116: An elevation

Solomon
שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne

offered
יַעֲלֶ֣ה (ya·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

a thousand
אֶ֤לֶף (’e·lep̄)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 505: A thousand

burnt offerings
עֹלוֹת֙ (‘ō·lō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5930: Whole burnt offering

on
עַ֖ל (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the
הַהֽוּא׃ (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

altar [there].
הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

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OT History: 1 Kings 3:4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)