1 Kings 4:29
in 1 Kings 4And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.
KJV
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
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This verse in 1 Kings 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verse[Greek philosophers] took these ideas from Solomon, since it was long before them in age and time that he first gave these teachings through the Spirit of God. The Greeks have brought them forth as their own discoveries, and they have also included them in their books of instructions and left them to be handed down to their successors.
This site's exposition
God gave Solomon wisdom
on 1 Kings 4:29-31
God gave Solomon wisdom “like the sand on the seashore”, the language verse 20 used of the nation. Ethan and Heman carry the names in the titles of Psalms 89 and 88, and whether these are the men Solomon surpasses is uncertain. His “fame spread throughout the surrounding nations”.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But that the object of Christianity is that we should become wise can be proved from the ancient Jewish writings, which we also use, as well as from those that were composed after the time of Jesus and that are believed among the churches to be divine. Now, in the fiftieth psalm, David is described as saying in his prayer to God these words: "The unseen and secret things of your wisdom you have manifested to me." Solomon, too, because he asked for wisdom, received it; and if anyone were to peruse the Psalms, he would find the book filled with many maxims of wisdom; and the evidences of Solomon's wisdom may be seen in his treatises, which contain a great amount of wisdom expressed in few words, and in which you will find many praises of wisdom and encouragements towards obtaining it. So wise, moreover, was Solomon, that the queen of Sheba, having heard his name and the name of the Lord, came to try him with difficult questions and spoke to him all things, whatsoever were in her heart; and Solomon answered her all her questions. There was no question omitted by the king that he did not answer her. And the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the possessions that he had, and there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, "The report is true that I heard in my own land regarding you and your wisdom; and I did not believe them who told me, until I had come, and my eyes have seen it. And, lo, they did not tell me the half. You have added wisdom and possessions above all the report that I heard." It is also recorded of him that "God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He gives the powers of reason ( Job xxxviii. 36 ), preserves and improves them. The ordinary advances of them are owing to his providence, the sanctification of them to his grace, and this extraordinary pitch at which they arrived in Solomon to a special grant of his favour to him in answer to prayer.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much,....
Thus great was Solomon, but our Lord Jesus was greater than he ( Matt. xii. 42 ), though he took upon him the form of a servant; for divinity, in its lowest humiliation, infinitely transcends royalty in its highest elevation. 1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Largeness of heart - What we call “great capacity.” The expression which follows is common in reference to numerical multitude 1Ki 4:20, but its use here to express mere amplitude or greatness is unique.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart--that is, high powers of mind, great capacity for receieving, as well as aptitude for communicating knowledge.
God gave Solomon wisdom, etc. - He gave him a capacious mind, and furnished him with extraordinary assistance to cultivate it. Even as the sand that is on the sea-shore - Lord Bacon observes on this: “As the sand on the sea-shore encloses a great body of waters, so Solomon’s mind contained an ocean of knowledge.” This is a happy and correct illustration.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתֵּן֩ | vaiyiten | and he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֨ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| חָכְמָ֧ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה | lishlomoh | to Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| וּתְבוּנָ֖ה | utevunah | and understanding | H8394 → | |
| הַרְבֵּ֣ה | harbeh | great | H7235 → | 227 times |
| מְאֹ֑ד | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וְרֹ֣חַב | verochav | and breadth of | H7341 → | 101 times |
| לֵ֔ב | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| כַּח֕וֹל | kachol | like the sand | H2344 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֖ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [is] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׂפַ֥ת | sefat | [the] shore of | H8193 → | 176 times |
| הַיָּֽם׃ | haiyam | the sea | H3220 → | 396 times |
וַיִּתֵּן֩and he gave
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
אֱלֹהִ֨יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
חָכְמָ֧הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛הto Solomon
lishlomohH8010 →291 times
וּתְבוּנָ֖הand understanding
utevunahH8394 →
הַרְבֵּ֣הgreat
harbehH7235 →227 times
מְאֹ֑דvery
meodH3966 →300 times
וְרֹ֣חַבand breadth of
verochavH7341 →101 times
לֵ֔בheart
levH3820 →595 times
כַּח֕וֹלlike the sand
kacholH2344 →
אֲשֶׁ֖רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[is] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׂפַ֥ת[the] shore of
sefatH8193 →176 times
הַיָּֽם׃the sea
haiyamH3220 →396 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
James 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 2:3–6
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
- 1 John 5:14–15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 3:5–7
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- Proverbs 2:3–6
Through
James 3:17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:22–23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- Galatians 5:22–23
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Wisdom35 verses
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Studies4
On this verse
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About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS PROLOGUE 3 and Origen of Alexandria, AGAINST CELSUS 3.45.