1 Kings 3:7 Meaning and Explanation
“And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Solomon humbly confesses his inexperience, calling himself a little child who does not know how to lead.
What Does 1 Kings 3:7 Mean?
Now Solomon turns from the past to his own need. Though a grown king, he calls himself "but a little child" who does not know "how to go out or come in" — a phrase for the daily work of leading a people. He stands before God not with a resume but with an honest admission of his limits. The throne has not gone to his head.
Humility is the soil in which wisdom grows. Solomon's smallness before God is not weakness but the truest strength, for it makes room for what only God can give. Those who know their own insufficiency are the ones God delights to fill. The Lord gives grace to the humble (James 4:6), and the prayer that begins "I am but a little child" is already halfway to wisdom.
1 Kings 3:7 in the Original Language
naar (נַעַר), 'little child' -- a youth or young servant, here a confession of inexperience.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 3:7
What does 1 Kings 3:7 mean?
Solomon humbly confesses his inexperience, calling himself a little child who does not know how to lead.