1 Kings 4:29-34

4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding ¹  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. ²  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. ³  4:32 He composed ⁴  3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. 4:33 He produced manuals on botany, describing every kind of plant, ⁵  from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on walls. He also produced manuals on biology, describing ⁶  animals, birds, insects, and fish. 4:34 People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; ⁷  they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.

1 Kings 10:1-3

Solomon Entertains a Queen

10:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, ⁸  she came to challenge ⁹  him with difficult questions. ¹⁰  10:2 She arrived in Jerusalem ¹¹  with a great display of pomp, ¹²  bringing with her camels carrying spices, ¹³  a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 10:3 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. ¹⁴ 

1 Kings 10:23-24

10:23 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. ¹⁵  10:24 Everyone ¹⁶  in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. ¹⁷ 

Psalms 119:99

119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your rules.

[4:29]  ¹ tn Heb “heart,” i.e., mind. (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

[4:30]  ² tn Heb “the wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.”

[4:31]  ³ tn Heb “his name was in all the surrounding nations.”

[4:32]  ⁴ tn Heb “spoke.”

[4:33]  ⁵ tn Heb “he spoke about plants.”

[4:33]  ⁶ tn Heb “he spoke about.”

[4:34]  ⁷ tn Heb “the wisdom of Solomon.”

[10:1]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Or “test.”

[10:1]  ¹⁰ tn Or “riddles.”

[10:2]  ¹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:2]  ¹² tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew term חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or to the great wealth she brought with her.

[10:2]  ¹³ tn Or “balsam oil.”

[10:3]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “Solomon declared to her all her words; there was not a word hidden from the king which he did not declare to her.” If riddles are specifically in view (see v. 1), then one might translate, “Solomon explained to her all her riddles; there was no riddle too complex for the king.”

[10:23]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth with respect to wealth and with respect to wisdom.”

[10:24]  ¹⁶ tc The Old Greek translation and Syriac Peshitta have “all the kings of the earth.” See 2 Chr 9:23.

[10:24]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and all the earth was seeking the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had placed in his heart.”