1 Kings 3:9

3:9 So give your servant a discerning mind ¹  so he can make judicial decisions for ²  your people and distinguish right from wrong. ³  Otherwise ⁴  no one is able ⁵  to make judicial decisions for ⁶  this great nation of yours.” ⁷ 

1 Kings 8:39

8:39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin, ⁸  and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of his motives. ⁹  (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.) ¹⁰ 

¹ tn Heb “a hearing heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

² tn Heb “to judge.”

³ tn Heb “to understand between good and evil.”

⁴ tn Heb “for”; the word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.

⁵ tn Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”

⁶ tn Heb “to judge.”

⁷ tn Heb “your numerous people.”

⁸ tn The words “their sin” are added for clarification.

⁹ tn Heb “and act and give to each one according to all his ways because you know his heart.” In the Hebrew text vv. 37-39a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided up for stylistic reasons.

¹⁰ tn Heb “Indeed you know, you alone, the heart of all the sons of mankind.”