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Friday, September 27th, 2024
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Christian Standard Bible ®

1 Kings 4:29

God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Heart;   Liberality;   Solomon;   Wisdom;   Wise Men;   Thompson Chain Reference - Deterioration-Development;   Enlargement;   Larger Life;   Progress, Spiritual;   Solomon;   Spiritual;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Sea, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Solomon;   Song of songs;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Heart;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jabez (1);   Solomon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Gift, Giving;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Wisdom and Wise Men;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Government;   Heart;   Israel;   Salutation;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Learning;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Solomon;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Hyperbole;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Breadth;   Proverb;   Proverbs, Book of;   Sand;   Shore;   Solomon;   Wisdom;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of understanding in his heart, like the sand that is on the seashore.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And God gaue Solomon wysdome and vnderstanding exceeding much, and a large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore.
Literal Translation
And God gave Solomon exceeding great wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the lip of the sea.
Easy-to-Read Version
God made Solomon very wise. Solomon could understand more than you can imagine.
Revised Standard Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and largeness of mind like the sand on the seashore,
World English Bible
God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
King James Version (1611)
And God gaue Solomon wisdome, and vnderstanding, exceeding much, and largenesse of heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shoare.
King James Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And God gaue Salomon maruelous greate wy?dome and vnderstondinge, and a large hert, as the sonde that lyeth vpon ye See shore:
THE MESSAGE
God gave Solomon wisdom—the deepest of understanding and the largest of hearts. There was nothing beyond him, nothing he couldn't handle. Solomon's wisdom outclassed the vaunted wisdom of wise men of the East, outshone the famous wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, wiser than Heman, wiser than Calcol and Darda the sons of Mahol. He became famous among all the surrounding nations. He created 3,000 proverbs; his songs added up to 1,005. He knew all about plants, from the huge cedar that grows in Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows in the cracks of a wall. He understood everything about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Sent by kings from all over the earth who had heard of his reputation, people came from far and near to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.
American Standard Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
Bible in Basic English
And God gave Solomon a great store of wisdom and good sense, and a mind of wide range, as wide as the sand by the seaside.
Update Bible Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
Webster's Bible Translation
And God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that [is] on the sea-shore.
New English Translation
God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore.
New King James Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.
Contemporary English Version
Solomon was brilliant. God had blessed him with insight and understanding.
Complete Jewish Bible
King Shlomo was king over all Isra'el, and these were his high officials: ‘Azaryah the son of Tzadok, the cohen; Elichoref and Achiyah the sons of Shisha, secretaries; Y'hoshafat the son of Achilud, secretary of state; B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada, commander of the army; Tzadok and Evyatar, cohanim; ‘Azaryah the son of Natan, chief administrator; Zavud the son of Natan, the king's trusted counselor; Achishar, in charge of the palace; Adoniram the son of ‘Avda, in charge of forced labor. Shlomo had twelve officers over all Isra'el who were in charge of providing food and supplies for the king and his household; each one was in charge of provisions for one month out of the year. They were: the son of Hur, in the hills of Efrayim; the son of Deker, in Makatz, Sha‘albim, Beit-Shemesh and Eilon-Beit-Hanan; the son of Hesed, in Arubot; he also had charge of Sokhoh and all the territory of Hefer; the son of Avinadav, in all the area of Dor; he had Tafat the daughter of Shlomo as his wife; Ba‘ana the son of Achilud, in Ta‘anakh, Megiddo, and all Beit-Sh'an by Tzartan below Yizre‘el, from Beit-Sh'an to Avel-M'cholah, as far as beyond Yokme‘am; the son of Gever, in Ramot-Gil‘ad; he was in charge of the villages of Ya'ir the son of M'nasheh in Gil‘ad and in charge of the region of Argov in Bashan, sixty large cities with walls and bronze bars; Achinadav the son of ‘Iddo, in Machanayim; Achima‘atz, in Naftali; he also took Basmat the daughter of Shlomo as his wife; Ba‘ana the son of Hushai, in Asher and in Alot; Y'hoshafat the son of Paruach, in Yissakhar; Shim‘i the son of Ela, in Binyamin; and Gever the son of Uri, in the land of Gil‘ad, the country of Sichon king of the Emori and ‘Og king of Bashan. Over all these, there was one administrator in the land. Y'hudah and Isra'el were as numerous as sand grains on the seashore; they ate, drank and enjoyed themselves.
Darby Translation
And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And God gaue Salomon wisdome and vnderstanding exceeding much, & a large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore,
George Lamsa Translation
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart,
Amplified Bible
Now God gave Solomon [exceptional] wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand of the seashore.
Hebrew Names Version
God gave Shlomo wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="1ki.4.1" class="versetxt"> And king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister and the king's friend; and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the levy. And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year. And these are their names: The son of Hur, in the hill-country of Ephraim; the son of Deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; the son of Hesed, in Arubboth; to him pertained Socoh, and all the land of Hepher; the son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife; Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; the son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars; Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz, in Naphtali; he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife; Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and one officer that was [over all the officers] in the land. Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.
New Living Translation
God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.
New Life Bible
God gave Solomon wisdom and much understanding and learning, as much as the sand beside the sea.
New Revised Standard
God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord gave understanding to Solomon, and very much wisdom, and enlargement of heart, as the sand on the seashore.
English Revised Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
Berean Standard Bible
And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And God gave wisdom unto Solomon, and discernment, and very great largeness of heart, - like the sand that is on the shore of the sea:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And God gave to Solomon wisdom, and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, as the sand that is on the sea shore.
Lexham English Bible
God gave wisdom to Solomon and very great discernment, as well as breadth of understanding, as the sand which is on the edge of the seashore.
English Standard Version
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore,
New American Standard Bible
Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore.
New Century Version
God gave Solomon great wisdom so he could understand many things. His wisdom was as hard to measure as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Good News Translation
God gave Solomon unusual wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also God yaf to Salomon wisdom, and prudence ful myche, and largenesse of herte, as the soond which is in the brenke of the see.
Young's Literal Translation
And God giveth wisdom to Solomon, and understanding, very much, and breadth of heart, as the sand that [is] on the edge of the sea;

Contextual Overview

29 God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol. His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations. 32 Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005. 33 He described trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 People came from everywhere, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, to listen to Solomon's wisdom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: 1 Kings 3:12, 1 Kings 3:28, 1 Kings 10:23, 1 Kings 10:24, 2 Chronicles 1:10-12, Psalms 119:34, Proverbs 2:6, Ecclesiastes 1:16, Ecclesiastes 2:26, James 1:5, James 1:17, James 3:17

largeness: Isaiah 60:5

as the sand: 1 Kings 4:20, Genesis 41:49, Judges 7:12, Jeremiah 33:22, Habakkuk 1:9

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 5:12 - as he promised him 1 Kings 10:4 - Solomon's 2 Chronicles 9:2 - there Job 32:8 - the inspiration Psalms 119:32 - enlarge Proverbs 25:2 - the honour Proverbs 25:3 - is unsearchable Ezekiel 28:3 - no secret Daniel 1:17 - God Daniel 1:20 - in all Daniel 2:21 - he giveth Matthew 12:42 - hear Acts 7:22 - was learned 2 Peter 3:15 - according

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much,.... In things natural, moral, divine, and spiritual, and that not slight and superficial, but exceeding deep, and large beyond expression; and this he had not from the acuteness of his genius merely, nor from his industry and diligence; but by the gift of God, as whatsoever solid wisdom and understanding is in any man, it is from the liberal hand of God, the fountain of wisdom, James 1:5;

and largeness of heart, even as sand that [is] on the seashore; he had a genius and capacity to receive anything; his knowledge was vast and comprehensive; it reached to and included things innumerable, as the sand of the sea; there was scarce anything under the heavens, or on the earth, and in the sea, but came within the compass of it, as what are later mentioned show.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Largeness of heart - What we call “great capacity.” The expression which follows is common in reference to numerical multitude 1 Kings 4:20, but its use here to express mere amplitude or greatness is unique.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 4:29. God gave Solomon wisdom, &c. — He gave him a capacious mind, and furnished him with extraordinary assistance to cultivate it.

Even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. — Lord Bacon observes on this: "As the sand on the sea-shore encloses a great body of waters, so Solomon's mind contained an ocean of knowledge." This is a happy and correct illustration.


 
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