New Living Translation
1 Kings 4:33
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 4:33 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 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. 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. 34And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.
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 spread before me like palm groves, like gardens by the riverside. They are like tall trees planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters.
- 2 Kings 19:23By your messengers you have defied the Lord. You have said, ‘With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest corners and explored its deepest forests.
- Psalms 92:12But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
- Exodus 12:22Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning.
- Numbers 19:18Then someone who is ceremonially clean must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water. That person must sprinkle the water on the tent, on all the furnishings in the tent, and on the people who were in the tent; also on the person who touched a human bone, or touched someone who was killed or who died naturally, or touched a grave.
- Psalms 51:7Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
- Hebrews 9:19For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool.
- Genesis 1:20Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”
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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