1 Kings 4:32 kjv
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
1 Kings 4:32 nkjv
He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five.
1 Kings 4:32 niv
He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.
1 Kings 4:32 esv
He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.
1 Kings 4:32 nlt
He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs.
1 Kings 4 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 3:12 | "behold, I have given you a wise and discerning mind..." | God grants Solomon exceptional wisdom. |
| 1 Ki 4:29 | "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much..." | Divine source of Solomon's wisdom. |
| 1 Ki 4:30 | "Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east..." | Superiority of Solomon's wisdom. |
| 1 Ki 10:23 | "King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom." | Acknowledged preeminence in wisdom. |
| Mt 12:42 | "The queen of the South... came... to hear the wisdom of Solomon..." | New Testament affirmation of Solomon's wisdom. |
| Prov 1:1 | "The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:" | Confirms authorship of proverbs. |
| Prov 10:1 | "The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes a glad father..." | Example of Solomon's proverbial wisdom. |
| Prov 25:1 | "These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah copied." | More attributed proverbs. |
| Eccl 12:9 | "Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge..." | The Preacher (likely Solomon) imparting wisdom. |
| Song 1:1 | "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's." | Attributed authorship of his most famous song. |
| Ps 72:1 | "A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king your justice, O God..." | A Psalm attributed to Solomon. |
| Ps 127:1 | "A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house..." | Another Psalm attributed to Solomon. |
| Job 28:28 | "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom..." | The source of true wisdom is divine. |
| Prov 2:6 | "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge..." | God is the ultimate giver of wisdom. |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God..." | God still grants wisdom to those who ask. |
| Deut 4:6 | "Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom..." | Wisdom associated with obeying God's law. |
| Pr 3:13 | "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding." | Value of wisdom. |
| Eccl 1:12 | "I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem." | Solomon as the author/speaker in Ecclesiastes. |
| Ps 89:35 | "Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David." | God's faithfulness to David's line, Solomon's heritage. |
| Col 2:3 | "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." | All true wisdom found in Christ. |
| Pr 8:22 | "The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work..." | Wisdom personified as existing with God. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom... but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me..." | True boasting is in knowing God, the source of wisdom. |
1 Kings 4 verses
1 Kings 4 32 Meaning
First Kings 4:32 profoundly illustrates the unparalleled literary and intellectual prowess of King Solomon. This verse highlights his extraordinary wisdom, gifted by God, by quantifying his immense output in the forms of proverbs and songs. It asserts that he composed three thousand proverbs and one thousand and five songs, underscoring the vastness and depth of his divine insight and comprehensive knowledge. This prolific literary activity serves as a tangible testament to the fulfillment of God's promise to grant Solomon exceptional wisdom, making him superior to all kings before and after him.
1 Kings 4 32 Context
First Kings chapter 4 describes the extensive glory and administration of King Solomon's reign, immediately after he prayed for wisdom and received it from God. Verses 1-19 detail his well-organized administrative structure and officials. Verses 20-28 paint a picture of unprecedented peace, prosperity, and the vast extent of his dominion. Within this golden age, verses 29-34 specifically focus on Solomon's extraordinary, God-given wisdom, distinguishing him above all other rulers and sages. Verse 32, specifically, quantifies this wisdom by presenting his prolific literary output, setting the stage for the narrative of his grand project, the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. It serves as concrete evidence of the divine gift, preceding the details of its practical application in judgment and governance (as seen earlier in chapter 3) and temple construction (chapter 5 onwards). The emphasis is not just on the volume but on the source and quality of this wisdom, a direct fulfillment of God's promise.
1 Kings 4 32 Word analysis
- He spoke: (דָּבַר, dabar) Implies not mere utterance, but thoughtful composition, articulation, and perhaps even public pronouncement or teaching. It signifies active creation and declaration of truth. This aligns with the sage tradition where wisdom was "spoken" or imparted.
- three thousand: A significant and precise numerical figure, conveying vastness and immense prolificacy. This number, though large, further magnifies the extent of God's blessing and Solomon's unique capacity. It demonstrates a truly exceptional outpouring of divine wisdom through human expression.
- proverbs: (מָשָׁל, mashal) More than just simple sayings. It refers to a broad genre of wisdom literature that includes short, pithy maxims, parables, allegories, enigmas, oracles, and dark sayings. These "proverbs" would have contained moral instruction, practical advice, philosophical insights, and observations on life. They were often crafted with poetic elements like parallelism and metaphor. Solomon’s immense number of meshalim shows a mastery across various wisdom forms, applicable to diverse life situations.
- his songs: (שִׁיר, shir) Denotes a lyrical composition intended to be sung, expressing emotion, wisdom, or praise. It speaks to Solomon's poetic and artistic abilities. These likely included hymns, didactic poems, or even love songs (as seen in the Song of Songs).
- a thousand and five: Another specific and substantial number, though fewer than the proverbs. This high volume of musical compositions underlines his artistic giftedness and the breadth of his wisdom expression beyond mere spoken wisdom, encompassing the spiritual and emotional realms of human experience through song.
1 Kings 4 32 Bonus section
The numbers given in 1 Kings 4:32 for Solomon's proverbs and songs are often seen not necessarily as an exact literal count but as meristic figures symbolizing totality and immensity. They represent an incredibly vast, comprehensive body of wisdom literature that permeated all aspects of life, far beyond what is preserved in the canonical Scriptures attributed to him. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, specific large numbers were often used to emphasize grandeur and complete coverage, signifying an almost infinite or immeasurable collection. The contrast in the specific nature of these large numbers further illustrates the variety of Solomon's compositions. This unique compilation of wisdom made him a singular figure among all kings, cementing his reputation not only as a builder and a ruler but pre-eminently as "the wise king," divinely ordained.
1 Kings 4 32 Commentary
First Kings 4:32 acts as a powerful witness to the divine origin and incredible extent of King Solomon's wisdom. This isn't merely a historical record of literary output but a direct demonstration that God truly gifted Solomon with unparalleled understanding, far exceeding any human achievement. The sheer volume of 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs underscores his unique role as a conduit for God's truth and wisdom, influencing not just his contemporaries but also providing a rich spiritual and practical heritage through the books bearing his name (Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes). This verse validates his claim to universal wisdom, impacting governance, jurisprudence, and personal piety, presenting a living example of God’s capacity to endow His chosen with the skills necessary for His divine purposes.