1 Kings 4:31

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.

a. ASV: For 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.

b. YLT: And 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.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: For he was wiser [b]than all other men—than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. His fame was in all the nations round about.

d. Septuagint [1 Kings 5:11]:  And he was wiser than all [other] men: and he was wiser than Gaethan the Zarite, and [than] Aenan, and [than] Chalcad and Darala the son of Mal.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: He was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrathite and herman and Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; his fam spread to all the nations around him.

1. “For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman…”

a. [For he was] wiser [Strong: 2449 châkam, khaw-kam'; a primitive root, to be wise (in mind, word or act):—×exceeding, teach wisdom, be (make self, shew self) wise, deal (never so) wisely, make wiser.] [The KJV translates Strong's H2449 in the following manner: ..wise (19x), ..wiser (4x), ..wisely (2x), teach wisdom (1x), exceeding (1x).]

b. [than] all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

c. men [Strong: 120 ʼâdam, aw-dam'; from H119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.):—× another, hypocrite, common sort, × low, man (mean, of low degree), person.] [The KJV translates Strong's H120 in the following manner: man (408x), men (121x), Adam (13x), person(s) (8x), common sort (with H7230) (1x), hypocrite (1x).]

d. [than] Ethan [Strong: 387  ʼÊythân, ay-thawn'; the same as H386; permanent; Ethan, the name of four Israelites:—Ethan.] [The KJV translates Strong's H387 in the following manner: Ethan (8x).]

e. [the] Ezrahite [Strong: 250 ʼEzrâchîy, ez-raw-khee'; patronymic from H2226; an Ezrachite or descendant of Zerach:—Ezrahite.] [The KJV translates Strong's H250 in the following manner: Ezraite (3x).]

f. [and] Heman [Strong: 1968 Hêymân, hay-mawn'; probably from H539; faithful; Heman, the name of at least two Israelites:—Heman.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1968 in the following manner: Heman (17x).]

2. “...and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.”

a. [and] Chalco [Strong: 3633 Kalkôl, kal-kole'; from H3557; sustenance; Calcol, an Israelite:—Calcol, Chalcol.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3633 in the following manner: Chalcol (1x), Calcol (1x).]

b. [and] Darda [Strong: 1862 Dardaʻ, dar-dah'; apparently from H1858 and H1843; pearl of knowledge; Darda, an Israelite:—Darda.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1862 in the following manner: Darda (1x).]

c. [the] sons [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, +mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, +spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1121 in the following manner: son (2,978x), children (1,568x), old (135x), first (51x), man (20x), young (18x), young (with H1241) (17x), child (10x), stranger (10x), people (5x), miscellaneous (92x).]

d. [of] Mahol [Strong: 4235 Mâchôwl, maw-khole'; the same as H4234; dancing; Machol, an Israelite:—Mahol.] [The KJV translates Strong's H4235 in the following manner: Mahol (1x).]

e. [and his] fame [Strong: 8034 shêm, shame; a primitive word [perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:—+ base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.] [The KJV translates Strong's H8034 in the following manner: name (832x), renown (7x), fame (4x), famous (3x), named (3x), named (with H7121) (2x), famous (with H7121) (1x), infamous (with H2931) (1x), report (1x), miscellaneous (10x).]

f. was [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

g. [in] all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

h. nations [Strong: 1471 gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1471 in the following manner: nation (374x), heathen (143x), Gentiles (30x), people (11x).]

i. round about [Strong: 5439 çâbîyb, saw-beeb'; or (feminine) סְבִיבָה çᵉbîybâh; from H5437; (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around:—(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5439 in the following manner: round about (252x), on every side (26x), about 24 compass (2x), about us (2x), circuits (1x), about them (1x).]

1). The perfect example is found in the visit of the queen of Sheba.

a). 1 Kings 10:1-13 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.

10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

10:5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her.

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.

10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

10:8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

10:9 Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

10:10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

10:11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

10:12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

10:13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

2). Special attention must be given concerning the phrase “there was no more spirit in her” in 1 Kings 10:5. We know that because of this visit the Queen became a believer, Jesus said as much when he stated that this Queen would rise in judgment against those who rejected Christ (Matthew 12:42), and we know that only believers will judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2). The Hebrew words are used also in Joshua 2:11, “neither did there remain any more courage in any man”. Rahab became a believer when this happened to her just as it did to the Queen of Sheba. I believe that this is referring to the state when men come to the end of themselves and that God is their only help. Rahab embraced God as well as the Queen of Sheba, but the rest of Canaan did