New English Translation
1 Kings 4:33
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 4:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
- New International Version (NIV)He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.
Context of 1 Kings 4:33
31He 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. He 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. 34People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.
Read all of 1 Kings 41 Kings 4:33 word by word
וַיְדַבֵּר֮ עַל־הָֽעֵצִים֒ מִן־הָאֶ֙רֶז֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וְעַד֙ הָאֵז֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹצֵ֖א בַּקִּ֑יר וַיְדַבֵּר֙ עַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה וְעַל־הָע֔וֹף וְעַל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַל־הַדָּגִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- of treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- from the cedar treeאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
- in Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
- even unto the hyssopאֵזוֹב'êzôb · hyssopH231
- that springeth outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: issueH3318
- of the wallקִירqîyr qir qîyrâh · wallH7023
- also of beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- and of fowlעוֹף‛ôph · birdH5775
- and of creeping thingsרֶ֫מֶשׂremeώ · creepingH7431
- and of fishesדָּגdâg dâ'g · fishH1709
Cross-references for 1 Kings 4:33
- Numbers 24:6They are like valleys stretched forth, like gardens by the river’s side, like aloes that the Lord has planted, and like cedar trees beside the waters.
- 2 Kings 19:23Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, ‘With my many chariots I climbed up the high mountains, the slopes of Lebanon. I cut down its tall cedars, and its best evergreens. I invaded its most remote regions, its thickest woods.
- Psalms 92:12The godly grow like a palm tree; they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon.
- Exodus 12:22Take a branch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply to the top of the doorframe and the two side posts some of the blood that is in the basin. Not one of you is to go out the door of his house until morning.
- Numbers 19:18Then a ceremonially clean person must take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all its furnishings, and on the people who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, or one killed, or one who died, or a grave.
- Psalms 51:7Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
- Hebrews 9:19For when Moses had spoken every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
- Genesis 1:20God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
Commentaries on 1 Kings 4:33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33He 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33Trees - 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. (Psalm 104:16; Ezekiel 31:3, etc.) For the hyssop, see…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. 32-34proverbs … songs: Solomon wrote much of the book of Proverbs and composed Psalms 72 and 127. His knowledge of plants and animals showed his careful observation of nature (see Proverbs 6:6–8). Solomon’s wisdom and literary skill (see Matthew 12:42) are evident in the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes. It is no surprise that many, including kings (1 Kings 10:1–9), sought Solomon's wisdom.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3333. he spake of trees, from the cedar ... to the hyssop--all plants, from the greatest to the least. The Spirit of God has seen fit to preserve comparatively few memorials of the fruits of his gigantic mind. The greater part of those here ascribed to him have long since fallen a prey to the ravages of time, or perished in the Babylonish captivity, probably because they were not inspired.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 4:33
In the dictionaries
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
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