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 very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. 30In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 32He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. 33He 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.

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 will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!
• Matthew 12:42The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
• Luke 11:31“The queen of Sheba will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
• Colossians 2:3In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
• 1 Chronicles 15:19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals.
• Psalms 89:1I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
• 1 Chronicles 2:6The sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Darda—five in all.
• 1 Chronicles 6:33These are the men who served, along with their sons: Heman the musician was from the clan of Kohath. His genealogy was traced back through Joel, Samuel,
• 1 Chronicles 15:17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel along with his fellow Levites: Asaph son of Berekiah, and Ethan son of Kushaiah from the clan of Merari.
• Psalms 88:1O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.
• 1 Kings 5:7When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he was very pleased and said, “Praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.”
• 1 Kings 10:1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
• 2 Chronicles 9:23Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.
• Matthew 4:24News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all.

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