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
4 notes on this verseon 1 Kings 4:29-34
[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
wisdom and understanding exceeding much
on 1 Kings 4:29-31
God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, the sand-of-the-shore language of verse 20 now measuring the king rather than the nation he ruled. Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman carry the same names given in the titles of Psalms 89 and 88, and while the identification is not certain, the bench has long weighed whether these are the very men Solomon is said to surpass. His fame reaches nations round about before a single proverb is quoted, so the chapter states the wisdom's reputation before it opens the collection of it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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.
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.
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
On this page
Studies1
By subject
Wisdom35 verses
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS PROLOGUE 3.