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 and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. 30Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt. 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. 32He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. 33He produced manuals on botany, describing every kind of plant, from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on walls. He also produced manuals on biology, describing 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

• 1 Kings 3:12I grant your request, and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.
• Matthew 12:42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
• Luke 11:31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
• Colossians 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
• 1 Chronicles 15:19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;
• Psalms 89:1I will sing continually about the Lord’s faithful deeds; to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness.
• 1 Chronicles 2:6The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol, Dara – five in all.
• 1 Chronicles 6:33These are the ones who served along with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman the musician, son of Joel, son of Samuel,
• 1 Chronicles 15:17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
• Psalms 88:1O Lord God who delivers me! By day I cry out and at night I pray before you.
• 1 Kings 5:7When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy. He said, “The Lord is worthy of praise today because he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”
• 1 Kings 10:1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.
• 2 Chronicles 9:23All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.
• Matthew 4:24So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.

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
• Calcol; Chalkol

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