1 Kings 10:7
in 1 Kings 10But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.
KJV
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
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This verse in 1 Kings 10
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThose who, through grace, are brought to experience the delights of communion with God will say that the one-half was not told them of the pleasures of Wisdom's ways and the advantages of her gates. Glorified saints, much more, will say that it was a true report which they heard of the happiness of heaven, but that the thousandth part was not told them, 1 Cor. ii.
This site's exposition
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon
on 1 Kings 10:4-7
The queen has heard the report, and now she sees the court itself. The sight “took her breath away”, an idiom for astonishment past words. Her verdict in verse 7, “not even half was told to me”, admits that the report could not carry what sight did.
This site's exposition
not even half was told to me
Matthew Henry carries her words over to the life of faith. Those who come to know God find that half was never told them of the pleasures of wisdom's ways. The saints in glory will say the same of heaven, with 1 Corinthians 2:9 behind them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
In almost all places from the east to the west where the Christian religion is practiced, your manner of life for the glory of God is preached with most illustrious fame. It is rightly required of you that what is believed in your case should …
We entrust our case to the most prudent person we can find and ask advice from him more readily than we do from others. However, the faithful counsel of a just person stands first and often has more weight than the great abilities of the wisest of people: "For better are the wounds of a friend than the kisses of others." And just because it is the judgment of a just person, it is also the conclusion of a wise one: in the one lies the result of the matter in dispute, in the other readiness of invention.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it,....
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּי | heemanti | I believed | H539 → | 106 times |
| לַדְּבָרִ֗ים | ladevarim | <to> the words | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| עַ֤ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּ֙אתִי֙ | bati | I came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָה | vatireinah | and they saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| עֵינַ֔י | ʾeinai | eyes my | H5869 → | 887 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֥ה | vehineh | and here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הֻגַּד־ | hugad- | it was told | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לִ֖י | li | to me | ||
| הַחֵ֑צִי | hachetzi | the half | H2677 → | 125 times |
| הוֹסַ֤פְתָּ | hosafta | you have added | H3254 → | 212 times |
| חָכְמָה֙ | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וָט֔וֹב | vatov | and good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖ה | hashemuah | the report | H8052 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃ | shamaeti | I heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
הֶאֱמַ֣נְתִּיI believed
heemantiH539 →106 times
לַדְּבָרִ֗ים<to> the words
ladevarimH1697 →1440 times
עַ֤דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בָּ֙אתִי֙I came
batiH935 →2568 times
וַתִּרְאֶ֣ינָהand they saw
vatireinahH7200 →1300 times
עֵינַ֔יeyes my
ʾeinaiH5869 →887 times
וְהִנֵּ֥הand here!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הֻגַּד־it was told
hugad-H5046 →370 times
לִ֖יto me
li
הַחֵ֑צִיthe half
hachetziH2677 →125 times
הוֹסַ֤פְתָּyou have added
hosaftaH3254 →212 times
חָכְמָה֙wisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
וָט֔וֹבand good
vatovH2896 →538 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַשְּׁמוּעָ֖הthe report
hashemuahH8052 →
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃I heard
shamaetiH8085 →1159 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
1 Corinthians 2:9Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 64:4
From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
- Psalms 31:19
How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Isaiah 65:17
For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
- Isaiah 64:4
Through
1 John 3:2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as…
it leads to
- Philippians 3:21
who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
- Colossians 3:4
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
- Philippians 3:21
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Kings

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 2.10.50-53; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 236.3; F. W. Farrar, The First Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
