New International Version
1 Kings 4:33
33He 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.
Context of 1 Kings 4:33
31He 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. 32He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 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. 34From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of 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 24:6“Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters.
- 2 Kings 19:23By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord. And you have said, “With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains, the utmost heights of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the choicest of its junipers. I have reached its remotest parts, the finest of its forests.
- Psalms 92:12The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
- Exodus 12:22Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning.
- Numbers 19:18Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death.
- Psalms 51:7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
- Hebrews 9:19When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.
- Genesis 1:20And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault 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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