Missed Connection (2)

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.1 Kings 3:10  NIV

Was pleased – Something odd is happening.  We examined the fact that Solomon’s request was not about “right and wrong,” but rather about “good and evil.”  That seems to be an ominous portent of his future idolatry.  Human beings are not equipped to know good and evil; at least not to know it and survive unscathed.  But then the text says that God “was pleased” with Solomon’s request.  If this is exactly the same thing that God prohibited for Adam, why is He pleased with Solomon?

First, let’s look at this rather unusual construction.  In Hebrew, “was pleased” is actually yiṭab had’dābār be’ene’.  The first word, yiṭab, comes from yāṭab, meaning, “be good, be well, be glad, be pleasing.”  The verb is a Qal consecutive plus imperfect.  That gives us an important clue.  You will recall that the consecutive imperfect is like a time machine.  It looks forward and backward at the same time.  So “was pleased” isn’t quite right.  It should be more like “was pleased – please – will be pleased.”  In other words, the action reaches from the past to the future and is yet unfinished.  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that God was hopeful that Solomon would be able to do what Adam couldn’t, namely, know good and evil and still obey.  Maybe God anticipates that Solomon will exercise free will with regard to God’s desires rather than his own; something Adam was not capable of doing.

But this is only the first word of the three word construction translated by the past “was pleased.” The second word in Hebrew is dābār.  Actually it is dābār with the definite article.  So it isn’t, “word.”  It is “the word (thing, speech).” Now we enter into the world of idiomatic expression.  had’dābār is connected to be’ene’.  That is, “the word in the eye.”  Not just any word—the word.  What is this?  Is it what Solomon says?  Is that what’s “pleased-pleases-will please” God?  Or is it that Solomon steps up to the challenge of the Garden Tree—and God hopes he will undo what Adam did?  If this is the case, then this story ends in Adamic tragedy and we will have to wait for the Messiah to complete the mission of being human.  Schultz’ comment on ʿayin (“eye”) points us in the idiomatic direction:

More than the eye itself is implied by this word. Occasionally it represents the whole process of seeing and by extension, of understanding and obedience (Jer 5:21). However, in the otit is the ear which is generally used in this figurative way. The eye is used to express knowledge, character, attitude, inclination, opinion, passion, and response. The eye is a good barometer of the inner thoughts of man.^[1]

The translated text doesn’t leave room for all the ambiguities buried in the Hebrew. Too bad.  By translating the text as “was pleased” all of the connections to Adam, human being, and free will obedience are lost.  Most importantly, this translation sets up the inevitable contradiction:  How can a man who knows the difference between good and evil end up as an idolater?

Topical Index:  Solomon, was pleased, yiṭab had’dābār be’ene’, tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 1 Kings 3:10

^[1]Schultz, C. (1999). 1612 עִין. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (662). Chicago: Moody Press.