1 Kings 4:31

Contextual Overview

²⁹God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. ²⁹ God gave Shlomo wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. ²⁹ And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. ²⁹ And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, ²⁹ 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. ²⁹ God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. ²⁹Now God gave Solomon [exceptional] wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand of the seashore. ²⁹ Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. ²⁹ And God gaue Salomon wisdome and vnderstanding exceeding much, & a large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore, ²⁹And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of understanding in his heart, like the sand that is on the seashore.

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.