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

1 Kings 4:31

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Chalcol;   Darda;   Ethan;   Heman;   Mahol;   Solomon;   Wisdom;   Wise Men;   Thompson Chain Reference - Fame;   Heman;   Honour-Dishonour;   Solomon;   Wisdom;   Wisdom-Folly;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ethan;   Heman;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Proverbs;   Solomon;   Song of songs;   Wisdom;   Wisdom literature;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Calcol;   Darda;   Ethan;   Ezrahite;   Heman;   Mahol;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Calcol;   Dara;   Ethan;   Ezrahite;   Heman;   Mahol;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chalcol;   Dara;   Darda;   Ethan;   Ezrahite;   Heman;   Kadmonite;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Mahol;   Wisdom and Wise Men;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Azariah;   Calcol;   Darda;   Ethan;   Ezrahite;   Government;   Heman;   Israel;   Mahol;   Nations;   Solomon;   Wisdom;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Learning;   Queen (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Calcol ;   Chalcol;   Darda ;   Ethan ;   Ezrahite ;   Heman ;   Mahol ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Chal'col;   E'than;   Ez'rahite, the;   He'man;   Ma'hol;   Philosophy;   Ze'rah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Ethan;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Calcol;   Darda;   Ethan;   Ezrahite;   Fame;   Heman;   Mahol;   Proverb;   Proverbs, Book of;   Ucal;   Wisdom;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Calcol;   Ezrahite;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and the renown of his name was in all the surrounding nations.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For he was wiser then al men, yea then Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda the sonnes of Mahol: And his name was spoken of throughout all nations on euery syde.
Literal Translation
For he was wiser than all men; wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his name was in all nations all around.
Easy-to-Read Version
He was wiser than anyone on earth, even Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. King Solomon became famous in all the surrounding countries.
Revised Standard Version
For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ez'rahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations round about.
World English Bible
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
King James Version (1611)
For hee was wiser then all men; then Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda the sonnes of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
King James Version
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he was wyser then all men, yee wyser then Ethan the Esrahite, Heman, Chalcal, and Darda, the sonnes of Mahol: and had a greate name amonge all the Heythe on euery syde.
American Standard Version
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
Bible in Basic English
For he was wiser than all men, even than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and he had a great name among all the nations round about.
Update Bible Version
For he was wiser than all of man; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
Webster's Bible Translation
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
New English Translation
He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations.
New King James Version
For he was wiser than all men--than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
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
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations round about.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For he was wiser then any man: yea, then were Ethan the Ezrahite, the Heman, then Chalcol, then Darda the sonnes of Mahol: and he was famous throughout all nations round about.
George Lamsa Translation
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Easterner, and Heman, and Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations round about.
Amplified Bible
For he was wiser than all [other] men, [wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. His fame was known in all the surrounding nations.
Hebrew Names Version
For he was wiser than all men; than Etan the Ezrachite, and Heman, and Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of Machol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
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
He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations.
New Life Bible
He was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, Darda, and the sons of Mahol. His name was known in all the nations around him.
New Revised Standard
He was wiser than anyone else, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, children of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he was wiser than all other men: and he was wiser than Gaethan the Zarite, and than Ænan, and than Chalcad and Darala the son of Mal.
English Revised Version
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
Berean Standard Bible
He was wiser than all men-wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and wiser than Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread throughout the surrounding nations.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
so that he was wiser than any man - than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Calcol and Darda, sons of Mahol, - and it came to pass that, his name, was throughout all the nations round about.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he was wiser than all men: wiser than Ethan, the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Dorda, the sons of Mahol, and he was renowned in all nations round about.
Lexham English Bible
He was wiser than all the men: Ethan the Ezrahite; Heman, Calcol, and Darda the children of Mahol; and he was very well known.
English Standard Version
For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
New American Standard Bible
For he was wiser than all other people, more than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations.
New Century Version
He was wiser than anyone on earth. He was even wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, as well as Heman, Calcol, and Darda—the three sons of Mahol. King Solomon became famous in all the surrounding countries.
Good News Translation
He was the wisest of all men: wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he was wisere than alle men; he was wisere than Ethan Esraite, and than Eman, and than Cacal, and than Dorda, the sones of Maol; and he was named among alle folkis bi cumpas.
Young's Literal Translation
and he is wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol, and his name is in all the nations round about.

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

wiser: 1 Kings 3:12, Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31, Colossians 2:3

Ethan: 1 Chronicles 15:19, Psalms 89:1,*title

Heman: 1 Chronicles 2:6, 1 Chronicles 6:33, 1 Chronicles 15:17, Psalms 88:1, *title

his fame: 1 Kings 5:7, 1 Kings 10:1, 1 Kings 10:6, 2 Chronicles 9:23, Matthew 4:24

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 9:1 - fame 2 Chronicles 9:6 - exceedest 2 Chronicles 9:22 - passed all the kings 2 Chronicles 26:8 - his name Job 1:8 - none Proverbs 1:1 - proverbs

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For he was wiser than all men,.... Not only that lived in his time, but in ages past since the fall of Adam, and in times to come, especially in natural wisdom and knowledge, in all the branches of it; for though some men excel in some part of knowledge, yet not in all, as Solomon did:

than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; men of the same names are said to be sons of Zerah, grandson of Judah, 1 Chronicles 2:6; wherefore these are either other men, or their father had two names; or Mahol here may be an appellative, and describe the character of these then, and point at what they were famous for, as that they were sons of music, piping, and dancing, as Mahol may signify; the Jews have a tradition o, that Ethan is Abraham, and Heman Moses, and Chalcol Joseph:

and his fame was in all nations round about; not for his riches and grandeur only, but chiefly for his wisdom.

o Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 80. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is most probable that the persons with whom Solomon is compared were contemporaries, men noted for “wisdom,” though there is no other mention of them.

His fame was in all nations - See below, 1 Kings 10:0.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 4:31. He was wiser than all men — He was wiser than any of those who were most celebrated in his time, among whom were the four after mentioned, viz., Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda. Ethan was probably the same as is mentioned in some of the Psalms, particularly Psalms 89:1, title; and among the singers in 1 Chronicles 6:42. There is a Heman mentioned in the title to Psalms 88:1. In 1 Chronicles 2:6 we have all the four names, but they are probably not the same persons, for they are there said to be the sons of Zerah, and he flourished long before Solomon's time.

Some suppose that בני מחול beney machol should be rendered masters of dancing or music, as מחול machol signifies not only a dance or choir, but also an instrument of music of the pipe kind. Perhaps a reference is here made to Solomon's skill in music and poetry, as he is compared to persons who appear to have been eminent poets and musicians.


 
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