1 Kings 4:31

1 Kings 4:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of 1 Kings 4:31

29God gave Solomon wisdom so that he understood things well. He knew about everything, more things than there is sand on the shore of the sea! 30Solomon was wiser than all the wise men in the East and all the wise men in Egypt. He was wiser than any other man. This includes Ethan the Ezrahite, as well as Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. Solomon was famous in all the nations around Israel. 32He wrote down 3,000 proverbs and he wrote 1,005 songs. 33He could describe many plants. These included large trees like cedar trees that grow in Lebanon and small plants like hyssop that grows on walls. He also taught people about all kinds of animals, birds, insects and fish.

1 Kings 4:31 word by word

וַיֶּחְכַּם֮ מִכָּל־הָֽאָדָם֒ מֵאֵיתָ֣ן הָאֶזְרָחִ֗י וְהֵימָ֧ן וְכַלְכֹּ֛ל וְדַרְדַּ֖ע בְּנֵ֣י מָח֑וֹל וַיְהִֽי־שְׁמ֥וֹ בְכָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם סָבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For he was wiserחָכַםchâkam · be wiseH2449
• than all menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• than Ethanאֵיתָן'êythân · EthanH387
• the Ezrahiteאֶזְרָחִי'ezrâchîy · EzrahiteH250
• and Hemanהֵימָןhêymân · HemanH1968
• and Chalcolכַּלְכֹּלkalkôl · CalcolH3633
• and Dardaדַּרְדַּעdarda‛ · DardaH1862
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Maholמָחוֹלmâchôl · MaholH4235
• and his fameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• was in all nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439

Cross-references for 1 Kings 4:31

• Matthew 12:42Also, the Queen of Sheba travelled a long way to meet King Solomon. She wanted to hear his wise words. When God judges everyone, she will stand up. She will speak against you who are alive today. She will show that you are bad people. She listened to King Solomon. But look! There is someone here now who is greater than Solomon was. But you are not listening to me.’
• Luke 11:31Also, the queen of Sheba travelled a long way to see King Solomon. She wanted to hear his wise words. When God judges everyone, she will stand up. She will speak against you who are alive today. She will show that you are bad people. She listened to King Solomon. But look! There is someone here now who is greater than Solomon was.
• Colossians 2:3Christ is the one who holds everything that makes people wise. He helps people to know the true message that God had hidden.
• 1 Chronicles 15:19They chose these musicians to make music with bronze cymbals: Heman, Asaph and Ethan.
• Psalms 89:1I will always sing about the Lord's faithful love. I will tell my children and my grandchildren that you are always faithful.
• 1 Chronicles 2:6Zerah's five sons were: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Dara.
• 1 Chronicles 6:33These are the leaders of the music and their sons: From Kohath's clan: Heman the singer. He was Joel's son. Joel was Samuel's son.
• 1 Chronicles 15:17The Levites chose Joel's son Heman. They also chose Berekiah's son Asaph, who was a relative of Heman. And they chose Kushaiah's son Ethan, who belonged to Merari's clan.
• Psalms 88:1Lord, you are the God who rescues me. I call out to you in the day, and I pray for help at night.
• 1 Kings 5:7Hiram was very happy when he received Solomon's message. He said, ‘Praise the Lord today, because he gave David a wise son to rule over the great nation, Israel.’
• 1 Kings 10:1The Queen of Sheba heard news that Solomon was a great king who served the Lord. So she came to ask Solomon some difficult questions to see how wise he was.
• 2 Chronicles 9:23The kings of every nation in the world wanted to talk to Solomon. They wanted to listen to the wisdom that God had given to him.
• Matthew 4:24More and more people in all parts of Syria heard about Jesus. So they brought all the sick people to see him. These people had many different illnesses, and some of them had strong pains. Bad spirits were living inside some of them. Some people could not control their bodies, and some people could not walk. Jesus caused all these people to become well again.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 4:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31He 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 Psalm 89:1, title; and among the singers in 1 Chronicles 6:42. There is a Heman mentioned in the title to Psalm 88:1. In 1 Chronicles 2:6; we have all the four names, but they are probably not the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31It 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.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-34Verses 29-34 Solomon's wisdom was more his glory than his wealth. He had what is here called largeness of heart, for the heart is often put for the powers of the mind. He had the gift of utterance, as well as wisdom. It is very desirable, that those who have large gifts of any kind, should have large hearts to use them for the good of others. What treasures of wisdom and knowledge are lost! But every sort of knowledge that is needful for salvation is to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31Ethan and Heman were musicians chosen by David (see 1 Chronicles 6:33–47; 15:16–19; Psalms 88, 89). The sons of Mahol were Temple singers. So Heman, Calcol, and Darda likely took part in worship services (see 1 Chronicles 15:17, 19–22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. wiser than all men--that is, all his contemporaries, either at home or abroad. than Ethan--or Jeduthun, of the family of Merari (1Ch 6:44). Heman--(1Ch 15:17-19)--the chief of the temple musicians and the king's seers (1Ch 25:5); the other two are not known. the sons of Mahol--either another name for Zerah (1Ch 2:6); or taking it as a common noun, signifying a dance, a chorus, "the sons of Mahol" signify persons eminently skilled in poetry and music.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 4:31

• Chalcol
• Darda
• Ethan
• Heman
• Mahol
• Solomon
• Wisdom
• Wise Men

In the dictionaries

• Calcol
• Darda
• Ethan
• Ezrahite
• Heman
• Mahol
• Region
• Solomon
• Abishag
• Deer

Commentaries on 1 Kings 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings