The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 1:11 Explained

2 Chronicles 1:11

KJV: And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

YLT: And God saith to Solomon, 'Because that this hath been with thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, and honour, and the life of those hating thee, and also many days hast not asked, and dost ask for thyself wisdom and knowledge, so that thou dost judge My people over which I have caused thee to reign --

Darby: And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked for thyself wisdom and knowledge, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

ASV: And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  said  to Solomon,  Because this was in thine heart,  and thou hast not asked  riches,  wealth,  or honour,  nor the life  of thine enemies,  neither yet hast asked  long  life;  but hast asked  wisdom  and knowledge  for thyself, that thou mayest judge  my people,  over whom I have made thee king: 

What does 2 Chronicles 1:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 1

1  The solemn offering of Solomon at Gibeon
7  Solomon's choice of wisdom is blessed by God
13  Solomon's forces and wealth

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 1:11 mean?

and said God to Solomon because that was this in your heart and not you have asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies and life long nor have you asked but have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge - My people whom I have made you king over whom
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר־ אֱלֹהִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֡ה יַ֣עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיְתָ֨ה זֹ֜את עִם־ לְבָבֶ֗ךָ וְלֹֽא־ שָׁ֠אַלְתָּ עֹ֣שֶׁר נְכָסִ֤ים וְכָבוֹד֙ וְאֵת֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ שֹׂנְאֶ֔יךָ וְגַם־ יָמִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים לֹ֣א שָׁאָ֑לְתָּ וַתִּֽשְׁאַל־ לְךָ֙ חָכְמָ֣ה וּמַדָּ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּשְׁפּוֹט֙ אֶת־ עַמִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִמְלַכְתִּ֖יךָ עָלָֽיו

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר־  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לִשְׁלֹמֹ֡ה  to  Solomon 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
יַ֣עַן  because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
אֲשֶׁר֩  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
זֹ֜את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְבָבֶ֗ךָ  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁ֠אַלְתָּ  you  have  asked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
עֹ֣שֶׁר  riches 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹשֶׁר  
Sense: wealth, riches.
נְכָסִ֤ים  or  wealth 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נְכָסִים  
Sense: riches, treasures.
וְכָבוֹד֙  or  honor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ  the  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
שֹׂנְאֶ֔יךָ  of  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
יָמִ֥ים  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
רַבִּ֖ים  long 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
לֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁאָ֑לְתָּ  have  you  asked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
וַתִּֽשְׁאַל־  but  have  asked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
לְךָ֙  for  yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
חָכְמָ֣ה  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
וּמַדָּ֔ע  and  knowledge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַדָּע  
Sense: knowledge, thought.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תִּשְׁפּוֹט֙  you  may  judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַמִּ֔י  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִמְלַכְתִּ֖יךָ  I  have  made  you  king 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
עָלָֽיו  over  whom 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.