1 Kings 10:1

Solomon Entertains a Queen

10:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, ¹  she came to challenge ²  him with difficult questions. ³ 

Psalms 49:4

49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;

I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp. ⁴ 

Proverbs 1:6

1:6 To discern ⁵  the meaning of ⁶  a proverb and a parable, ⁷ 

the sayings of the wise ⁸  and their ⁹  riddles. ¹⁰ 

Ezekiel 17:2

17:2 “Son of man, offer a riddle, ¹¹  and tell a parable to the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 20:49

20:49 Then I said, “O sovereign Lord! They are saying of me, ‘Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’”

Matthew 13:13

13:13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.

Matthew 13:34

The Purpose of Parables

13:34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable.

Luke 14:7

On Seeking Seats of Honor

14:7 Then ¹²  when Jesus ¹³  noticed how the guests ¹⁴  chose the places of honor, ¹⁵  he told them a parable. He said to them,

John 16:29

16:29 His disciples said, “Look, now you are speaking plainly ¹⁶  and not in obscure figures of speech! ¹⁷ 

John 16:1

16:1 “I have told you all these things so that you will not fall away. ¹⁸ 

Colossians 1:12

1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share ¹⁹  in the saints’ ²⁰  inheritance in the light.

[10:1]  ¹ tn Heb “the report about Solomon.” The Hebrew text also has, “to the name of the Lord,” which fits very awkwardly in the sentence. If retained, perhaps it should be translated, “because of the reputation of the Lord.” The phrase, which is omitted in the parallel passage in 2 Chr 9:1, may be an addition based on the queen’s declaration of praise to the Lord in v. 9.

[10:1]  ² tn Or “test.”

[10:1]  ³ tn Or “riddles.”

[49:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “I will turn my ear to a wise saying, I will open [i.e., “reveal; explain”] my insightful saying with a harp.” In the first line the psalmist speaks as a pupil who learns a song of wisdom from a sage. This suggests that the resulting insightful song derives from another source, perhaps God himself. Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה/מָשָׁל (mashal/khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), lessons from history (Ps 78:2), and proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6). Here it appears to refer to the insightful song that follows, which reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent the inevitable – death. Another option is that the word pair refers more specifically to the closely related proverbial sayings of vv. 12, 20 (note the use of the verb מָשָׁל, mashal, “to be like” in both verses). In this case the psalmist first hears the sayings and then explains (Heb “opens”) their significance (see vv. 5-11, 13-19).

[1:6]  ⁵ tn The infinitive construct + ל (lamed) means “to discern” and introduces the fifth purpose of the book. It focuses on the benefits of proverbs from the perspective of the reader. By studying proverbs the reader will discern the hermeneutical key to understanding more and more proverbs.

[1:6]  ⁶ tn The phrase “the meaning of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[1:6]  ⁷ tn The noun מְלִיצָה (mÿlitsah) means “allusive expression; enigma” in general, and “proverb, parable” in particular (BDB 539 s.v.; HALOT 590 s.v.). The related noun מֵלִיץ means “interpreter” (Gen 42:23). The related Arabic root means “to turn aside,” so this Hebrew term might refer to a saying that has a “hidden meaning” to its words; see H. N. Richardson, “Some Notes on לִיץ and Its Derivatives,” VT 5 (1955): 163-79.

[1:6]  ⁸ tn This line functions in apposition to the preceding, further explaining the phrase “a proverb and a parable.”

[1:6]  ⁹ tn The term “their” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but seems to be implied; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[1:6]  ¹⁰ tn The noun חִידָה (khidah, “riddle”) designates enigmatic sayings whose meaning is obscure or hidden, such as a riddle (Num 12:8; Judg 14:12, 19), allegory (Ezek 17:2), perplexing moral problem (Pss 49:5; 78:2), perplexing question (1 Kgs 10:1 = 2 Chr 9:1) or ambiguous saying (Dan 8:23); see BDB 295 s.v. and HALOT 309 s.v. If this is related to Arabic hada (“to turn aside, avoid”), it refers to sayings whose meanings are obscure. The sayings of the wise often take the form of riddles that must be discerned.

[17:2]  ¹¹ sn The verb occurs elsewhere in the OT only in Judg 14:12-19, where Samson supplies a riddle.

[14:7]  ¹² tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:7]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:7]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “those who were invited.”

[14:7]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the best places.” The “places of honor” at the meal would be those closest to the host.

[16:29]  ¹⁶ tn Or “openly.”

[16:29]  ¹⁷ tn Or “not in parables.” or “not in metaphors.”

[16:1]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “so that you will not be caused to stumble.”

[1:12]  ¹⁹ tn BDAG 473 s.v. ἱκανόω states, “τινὰ εἴς τι someone for someth. Col 1:12.” The point of the text is that God has qualified the saints for a “share” or “portion” in the inheritance of the saints.

[1:12]  ²⁰ tn Grk “the inheritance of the saints.” The genitive noun τῶν ἁγίων (twn Jagiwn) is a possessive genitive: “the saints’ inheritance.”