1 Kings 4 · Verse 31

1 Kings 4:31

For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
1 Kings 4:31, King James Version

1 Kings 4:31 in other translations

BSBHe was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and wiser than Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread throughout the surrounding nations.
WEBFor he was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations all around.
ASVFor he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.
YLTand he is wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol, and his name is in all the nations round about.
DARBYFor he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations round about.
BBEFor he was wiser than all men, even than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and he had a great name among all the nations round about.
WebsterFor he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.

What does 1 Kings 4:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
31. wiser than all men--that is, all his contemporaries, either at home or abroad. than Ethan--or Jeduthun, of the family of Merari (1Ch 6:44). Heman--(1Ch 15:17-19)--the chief of the temple musicians and the king's seers (1Ch 25:5); the other two are not known. the sons of Mahol--either another name for Zerah (1Ch 2:6); or taking it as a common noun, signifying a dance, a chorus, "the sons of Mahol" signify persons eminently skilled in poetry and music.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 He was wiser than all men - He was wiser than any of those who were most celebrated in his time, among whom were the four after mentioned, viz., Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda. Ethan was probably the same as is mentioned in some of the Psalms, particularly Psa 89:1, title; and among the singers in 1Chr 6:42. There is a Heman mentioned in the title to Psa 88:1. In 1Chr 2:6 we have all the four names, but they are probably not the same persons, for they are there said to be the sons of Zerah, and he flourished long before Solomon's time. Some suppose that בני מחול beney machol should be rendered masters of dancing or music, as מחול machol signifies not only a dance or choir, but also an instrument of music of the pipe kind. Perhaps a reference is here made to Solomon's skill in music and poetry, as he is compared to persons who appear to have been eminent poets and musicians.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 4:29-34

Solomon's wisdom was more his glory than his wealth. He had what is here called largeness of heart, for the heart is often put for the powers of the mind. He had the gift of utterance, as well as wisdom. It is very desirable, that those who have large gifts of any kind, should have large hearts to use them for the good of others. What treasures of wisdom and knowledge are lost! But every sort of knowledge that is…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 4:29-34 →

1 Kings 4:31 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֶּחְכַּם֮vai.yech.Kamand he was wiseH2449
מִכָּל\־mi.kolmore than anyH3605
הָֽאָדָם֒ha.'a.Dam<the> humanH120
מֵאֵיתָ֣ןme.'ei.Tanmore than EthanH387
הָאֶזְרָחִ֗יha.'ez.ra.Chithe EzrachiteH250
וְהֵימָ֧ןve.hei.Manand HemanH1968
וְכַלְכֹּ֛לve.khal.Koland KalkolH3633
וְדַרְדַּ֖עve.dar.Da'and DardaH1862
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] sons ofH1121
מָח֑וֹלma.CholMaholH4235
וַיְהִֽי\־vay.hi-and it wasH1961
שְׁמ֥וֹshe.Moname hisH8034
בְכָֽל\־ve.khal-among allH3605
הַגּוֹיִ֖םha.go.Yimthe nationsH1471
סָבִֽיב\׃sa.VivaroundH5439

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 4:31

  • 1 Chronicles 15:19

    So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;

  • 1 Chronicles 2:6

    And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.

  • 1 Kings 3:12

    Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

  • 1 Chronicles 6:33

    And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel,

  • Psalms 89:1-52

    Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. …

  • Luke 11:31

    The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

  • Matthew 12:42

    The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

  • 2 Chronicles 9:23

    And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

  • 1 Kings 10:1

    And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.

  • 1 Kings 10:6

    And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

  • 1 Chronicles 15:17

    So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

  • Matthew 4:24

    And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wiser.
3:12; Mt 12:42; Lu 11:31; Col 2:3
Ethan.
1Ch 15:19; Ps 89:1; *title
Heman.
1Ch 2:6; 6:33; 15:17; Ps 88:1; *title
his fame.
5:7; 10:1,6; 2Ch 9:23; Mt 4:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 4:30

    And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

  • 1 Kings 4:31

    For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

  • 1 Kings 4:32

    And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

Read all of 1 Kings 4

1 Kings 4:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aun fué más sabio que todos los hombres; más que Ethán Ezrahita, y que Emán y Calchôl y Darda, hijos de Mahol: y fué nombrado entre todas las naciones de alrededor.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er war weiser als alle Menschen, als Ethan, der Esrachiter, und Heman und Kalkol und Darda, die Söhne Machols. Und sein Name war unter allen Nationen ringsum.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et erat sapientior cunctis hominibus: sapientior Ethan Ezrahita, et Heman, et Chalcol, et Dorda filiis Mahol: et erat nominatus in universis gentibus per circuitum.