Ask of me and I will give you the nations. If the nations are already your inheritance, as it is said (Psalm 72:8), "May he rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." And if the ends of the earth are already your possession, as it is said (ibid. 2:8), "From the rivers of Ethiopia to the ends of the earth," then what did God mean when He said to three people, "Ask of Me," namely, Solomon, Ahaz, and the Messiah?
Solomon, as it is said (1 Kings 3:5), "Ask what I shall give you." Ahaz, as it is said (Isaiah 7:11), "Ask a sign for yourself." And why was he called Ahaz? Because he held on to the promise of bringing good to the world.
Another explanation is that he seized upon the study of Torah in the study halls. The Messiah, as it is said, "Ask of me and I will give you the nations." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "We learned from the aggadah that Abraham and Jacob both asked of God. Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 15:2), "Lord God, what will You give me?" implying that he was asking.
Jacob, as it is said (ibid. 28:20), "If God will be with me and will keep me," implying that he was asking. And it is also said (Psalm 21:5), "You gave him his heart's desire and did not withhold the request of his lips." And what did he ask? He asked that Israel should live and endure forever."