1 Kings 4:34
in 1 Kings 4So men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
KJV
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
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This verse in 1 Kings 4
Commentary
8 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
three thousand proverbs
on 1 Kings 4:32-34
Solomon's “three thousand proverbs” and songs numbering “a thousand and five” stand behind the wisdom books. Proverbs draws on part of this output, and the Song of Solomon is one song kept from the thousand and five. He spoke of trees “from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop”.
This site's exposition
sent by all the kings of the earth
Matthew Henry reads Solomon, whose wisdom drew men of all nations and the kings of the earth, as a type of Christ. A type pictures Christ ahead of time. All the treasures of wisdom are hidden in Christ, Henry writes, and hidden for use.
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
But, Lastly, Solomon was, herein, a type of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and hidden for use; for he is made of God to us wisdom.
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth,....
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
There came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon - We learn from 1 Kings 10, that the queen of Sheba was one of those visitants, and perhaps the most remarkable, as we have the particulars of her visit, but not of the others. It is astonishing that of a person so renowned for wisdom, so little should be left to prove the truth of a fact of which all the civilized nations of the world have heard, and of which scarcely any man has ever doubted.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ | vaiyavou | and people came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | from all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים | haamim | the peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לִשְׁמֹ֕עַ | lishmoa' | to hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חָכְמַ֣ת | chakhemat | [the] wisdom of | H2451 → | 153 times |
| שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה | shelomoh | Solomon | H8010 → | 291 times |
| מֵאֵת֙ | meet | from with | H854 → | 929 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַלְכֵ֣י | malkhei | [the] kings of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁמְע֖וּ | shameu | they had heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חָכְמָתֽוֹ׃ ס | chakhemato | wisdom his | H2451 → | 153 times |
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙and people came
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
מִכָּל־from all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
הָ֣עַמִּ֔יםthe peoples
haamimH5971 →1873 times
לִשְׁמֹ֕עַto hear
lishmoa'H8085 →1159 times
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
חָכְמַ֣ת[the] wisdom of
chakhematH2451 →153 times
שְׁלֹמֹ֑הSolomon
shelomohH8010 →291 times
מֵאֵת֙from with
meetH854 →929 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מַלְכֵ֣י[the] kings of
malkheiH4428 →2525 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שָׁמְע֖וּthey had heard
shameuH8085 →1159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חָכְמָתֽוֹ׃ סwisdom his
chakhematoH2451 →153 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
Isaiah 2:2In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to…
it leads to
- Micah 4:1–3
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to…
- Isaiah 56:7
I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called…
- Zechariah 8:3
This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be…
- Micah 4:1–3
Through
1 Kings 10:1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
it leads to
- Matthew 12:42
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 11:31
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon,…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 12:42
Through
Zechariah 8:23This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for…
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:5
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory…
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
- 1 Corinthians 14:25
and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”
- Isaiah 55:5
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; F. W. Farrar, The First Book of Kings (Expositor's Bible); 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.