1 Kings 3:2

With the Hebrew beneath

1 Kings 3:2, word by word

the peopleעָםam

crowd

The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.

Where else “am” appears

were sacrificingמְזַבְּחִיםmezabchim

sacrifice

To kill an animal as a gift to God or other gods.

Where else “mezabchim” appears

at the high placesבָּמוֹתbamot

high place

An elevated site with an altar, often for other gods.

Where else “bamot” appears

houseבַיִתvayit

temple

The temple: "the house of YHWH".

Where else “vayit” appears

had been builtנִבְנָהnivna

build

To raise a house, a city or an altar, setting stone on stone.

Where else “nivna” appears

for the nameשֵׁםshem

name of YHWH

YHWH's name: himself, as he makes himself known.

Where else “shem” appears

of YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

daysיָּמִיםyamim

time

Literally "the days": a period, an age, or the span of someone's life.

Where else “yamim” appears

Translation note

“High places”: elevated sites where altars were set up. Before the temple, sacrifices were offered to YHWH on them; later the book condemns them.

The context