1 Kings 4:33

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

the cedar tree: The word airez, whence the Chaldee and Syriac arzo, and the Arabic and Ethiopic arz, and Spanish alerze, unquestionably denotes the cedar; it is thus rendered by the LXX and other versions, ךוהסןע, and by the Vulgate cedrus; and the inhabitants of mount Lebanon still call it ars. The cedar is a large and nobel evergreen tree, and grows on the most elevated part of the mountain, is taller than the pine, and so thick that five men together could scarcely fathom one. It shoots out its branches at ten or twelve feet from the ground; they are large and distant from each other, and are perpetually green. The wood is of a brown colour, very solid and incorruptible, if preserved from wet. The tree bears a small cone, like that of the pine. Numbers 24:6, 2 Kings 19:23, Psalms 92:12

the hyssop: Exodus 12:22, Numbers 19:18, Psalms 51:7, Hebrews 9:19

of beasts: Genesis 1:20-25

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 14:9 - The thistle 2 Chronicles 25:18 - thistle John 19:29 - hyssop

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he spake of trees,.... Of all trees, herbs, and plants, of the nature, virtues, and use them:

from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon: a mountain on the northern border of Judea, famous for cedars, the tallest and largest of trees:

even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; which grew about Jerusalem, and in the mountains of it, as an Arabic writes testifies p, the lowest and least herb; so that what is between the cedar and hyssop include trees and plants of every kind and sort: whether the same herb we call hyssop is meant, is not certain; some take it to be mint; others marjoram; some houseleek; others the wallflower; Levinus Lemnius q supposes it to be Adiantum, or maiden hair: the Targum interprets it allegorically, that he prophesied of the kings of the house of David in this world, and in the world to come of the Messiah:

he spake also of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes; he understood the nature of all sorts of animals in the earth, air, and sea, and discoursed of their names, kinds, qualities, and use, with the greatest ease and perspicuity; the Jews fancy that Aristotle's History of Animals is his, which that philosopher came upon, and published it in his own name. Suidas r says it was reported that Solomon wrote a book of medicines for all diseases, which was fixed to the entrance of the temple, which Hezekiah took away, because sick people applied to that for cure of their disorders, and neglected to pray to God.

p Isaac Ben Omram apud Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 50. col. 590. q Herb. Bibl. Explicat. c. 26. r In voce εζεκιας.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Trees ... - A keen appreciation of the beauties of nature, and a habit of minute observation, are apparent in the writings of Solomon that remain to us. The writer here means to say that Solomon composed special works on these subjects. The Lebanon cedars were the most magnificent of all the trees known to the Hebrews, and hence, represent in the Old Testament the grandest of vegetable productions. (Psalms 104:16; Song of Solomon 5:15; Ezekiel 31:3, etc.) For the hyssop, see Exodus 12:22 note.

Of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes - This is the usual Biblical division of the animal kingdom Genesis 1:26; Genesis 9:2; Psalms 148:10.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 4:33. He spake of trees - beasts - fowl - creeping things, and of fishes. — This is a complete system of natural history, as far as relates to the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and the first intimation we have of any thing of the kind: Solomon was probably the first natural historian in the world.

O, how must the heart of Tournefort, Ray, Linne, Buffon, Cuvier, Swammerdam, Blosch, and other naturalists, be wrung, to know that these works of Solomon are all and for ever lost! What light should we have thrown on the animal and vegetable kingdoms, had these works been preserved! But the providence of God has not thought fit to preserve them, and succeeding naturalists are left to invent the system which he probably left perfect. If there be any remains of his wisdom, they must be sought among the orientals, among whom his character is well known, and rates as high as it does with either Jews or Christians. I shall give some extracts from their works relative to Solomon when I come to consider his character at the end of 1 Kings 11:43.