1 Kings 10:23
in 1 Kings 10So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
KJV
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
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This verse in 1 Kings 10
Commentary
7 notes on this verseSo King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. In which he was an eminent type of Christ; see Eph 3:8.
This site's exposition
King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth
on 1 Kings 10:23-25
The chapter's summary says Solomon “surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom”. Jesus draws on this scene when he speaks of one greater than Solomon. What the world seeks is “the wisdom that God had put in his heart”, the gift asked for at 3:9.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The more moderate our desires are towards earthly things the better qualified we are for the enjoyment of them and the more likely to have them. See, in Solomon's greatness, the performance of God's promise ( ch. iii. 13 ), and let it encourage us to seek first the righteousness of God's kingdom.
), that "king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches, and for wisdom." Yet what was he to the King of kings? Where Christ is, by his word and Spirit, "Behold, a greater than Solomon is there." Visit of the Queen of Sheba.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
See the marginal references. By “all the earth” we are, of course, only to understand the kings or people of neighboring nations.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The ascent to it was by six steps, on each of which stood lions, in place of a railing--while a lion, probably of gilt metal, stood at each side, which, we may suppose from the analogy of other Oriental thrones, supported a canopy. A golden footstool is mentioned (2Ch 9:18) as attached to this throne, whose magnificence is described as unrivalled.
Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches - Mr. Reynolds, stating the yearly tribute of Solomon, 666 talents of gold, at about four times as much as his father left him, hence reckons that he had £4,909, 371 8s. 8d. each year, £94,410 19s. 9 1/4d. per week, £13,487 5s. 8d. per day, taking each day, week, and year, one with another.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּגְדַּל֙ | vaiyigdal | and he became great | H1431 → | 117 times |
| הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה | shelomoh | Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| מִכֹּ֖ל | mikol | more than all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַלְכֵ֣י | malkhei | [the] kings of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| לְעֹ֖שֶׁר | leosher | to wealth | H6239 → | 37 times |
| וּלְחָכְמָֽה׃ | ulechakhemah | and to wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
וַיִּגְדַּל֙and he became great
vaiyigdalH1431 →117 times
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
שְׁלֹמֹ֔הSolomon
shelomohH8010 →291 times
מִכֹּ֖לmore than all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
מַלְכֵ֣י[the] kings of
malkheiH4428 →2525 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
לְעֹ֖שֶׁרto wealth
leosherH6239 →37 times
וּלְחָכְמָֽה׃and to wisdom
ulechakhemahH2451 →153 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 15:9
For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
- Colossians 1:27
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
- 1 Timothy 1:13
I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
- Ephesians 3:16
I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
- Ephesians 2:7
in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 15:9
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); F. W. Farrar, The First Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.