Text -- 1 Kings 4:29-34 (NET)

4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. 4:30 Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt. 4:31 He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations. 4:32 He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. 4:33 He produced manuals on botany, describing every kind of plant, from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on walls. He also produced manuals on biology, describing animals, birds, insects, and fish. 4:34 People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ki 4:29

¹ tn Heb “heart,” i.e., mind. (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

NET Notes: 1Ki 4:30

¹ tn Heb “the wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 4:31

¹ tn Heb “his name was in all the surrounding nations.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 4:32

¹ tn Heb “spoke.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 4:33

¹ tn Heb “he spoke about plants.”

² tn Heb “he spoke about.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 4:34

¹ tn Heb “the wisdom of Solomon.”