Revised Literal Translation
1 Kings 4:31
31For 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.
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
29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 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. 32And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. 33And 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.
Read all of 1 Kings 41 Kings 4:31 word by word
וַיֶּחְכַּם֮ מִכָּל־הָֽאָדָם֒ מֵאֵיתָ֣ן הָאֶזְרָחִ֗י וְהֵימָ֧ן וְכַלְכֹּ֛ל וְדַרְדַּ֖ע בְּנֵ֣י מָח֑וֹל וַיְהִֽי־שְׁמ֥וֹ בְכָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם סָבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear
- 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 3:12Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
- Matthew 12:42The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
- Luke 11:31The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
- Colossians 2:3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- 1 Chronicles 15:19So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;
- Psalms 89:1I will sing of the mercies of Yhwh for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
- 1 Chronicles 2:6And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
- 1 Chronicles 6:33And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel,
- 1 Chronicles 15:17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
- Psalms 88:1O Yhwh God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
- 1 Kings 5:7And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Yhwh this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
- 1 Kings 10:1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Yhwh, she came to prove him with hard questions.
- 2 Chronicles 9:23And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.
- Matthew 4:24And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; 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
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries