1 Reis 4

1 Reis 4

Spurgeon - The dromedaries (See full sermon The Dromedaries) ‘Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.’ 1 Kings 4:28 You cannot better your circumstances as a servant of Christ by diminishing your charge. If you say, ‘I shall not attempt quite so much,’ you will not improve your circumstances by that course, for if you diminish work, the Lord will diminish the strength. Our great Solomon will stop some of the supplies if you have fewer dromedaries to feed, and so you will be no better off. If you have to keep six he will give you provision for six; if you take to keeping three he will only give you supplies for three, and you will be poorer rather than richer. Neither can you improve your circumstances by entirely and only increasing the supply, for, if you receive more straw and barley, certainly our Solomon will send you more dromedaries. When you have more strength you will have more trials. When God’s children do not discharge their service with the means which he entrusts to them, he frequently lets them take shares in a ‘limited liability company,’ which is the same thing as throwing your money into the river, or he leaves them to become shareholders in a breaking bank, with unlimited catastrophe as its capital, and this is more terrible still. It often happens to a man who has scraped and saved, and stinted the cause of Christ, that in his later years he is in straits, and he cries to himself, ‘It is all gone, and I wish I had used it better before it went. It would have been far better to give it to the Lord than to see the lawyers devour it.’ Ah, your sin has found you out. Your Master could not trust you, and so he has taken away his goods from you, and now you wish that you had behaved yourself. Let us take warning from such bad managers, and let us see that, as our charge is, so we cry for supplies, and that as the supplies come we use them wisely. 1 Kings 4:29 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. KJV 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. BGT 1 Kings 5:9 καὶ ἔδωκεν κύριος φρόνησιν τῷ Σαλωμων καὶ σοφίαν πολλὴν σφόδρα καὶ χύμα καρδίας ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν LXE 1 Kings 4:29 And the Lord gave understanding to Solomon, and very much wisdom, and enlargement of heart, as the sand on the seashore. NET 1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. CSB 1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. ESV 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, NIV 1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. NLT 1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. NRS 1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, YLT 1 Kings 4:29 And God giveth wisdom to Solomon, and understanding, very much, and breadth of heart, as the sand that is on the edge of the sea; GWN 1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom-keen insight and a mind as limitless as the sand on the seashore. BBE 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon a great store of wisdom and good sense, and a mind of wide range, as wide as the sand by the seaside. RSV 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and largeness of mind like the sand on the seashore, NKJ 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. ASV 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. DBY 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. NIRV 1 Kings 4:29 God made Solomon very wise. His understanding couldn't even be measured. It was like the sand on the seashore Now God gave Solomon wisdom: 1Ki 3:12,28 10:23,24 2Ch 1:10-12 Ps 119:34 Pr 2:6 Ec 1:16 2:26 Jas 1:5,17 3:17 breadth of mind: Isa 60:5 the sand: 1Ki 4:20 Ge 41:49 Judges 7:12 Jer 33:22 Hab 1:9 Related Passages: Job 28:28 “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord (see Fear of the Lord), that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’” A MENSA MAN ON "STEROIDS!" Mensa people score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test, but the writer implies that Solomon was in a class alone, a "super mensa" mind if you will. In this verse we see the writer return to the theme in 1 Kings 3:28, Solomon's great wisdom was from God -- "When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice." Now God gave (1Ki 3:5, 9, 12+) Solomon wisdom (chokmah) and very great discernment (tebunah) and breadth of mind (leb) (literally - enlargement of the heart, cf "listening heart" in 1Ki 3:9+, cf Ps 119:32+) - Note that Solomon's mental acumen was a gift from the most high God as he says in Pr 2:6. And in fairness to Solomon, he did utilize this gift for the glory of God, becoming one of the main Biblical writers of what we today know as the "Wisdom Literature," Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes. The books of Job and Psalms are also included in the Wisdom Literature. Solomon's contribution to the Wisdom Literature is interesting in view of the fact that his father David wrote at least 73 of the 150 Psalms (and probably more that do not have an ascription). Solomon himself testified of the source of his wisdom which He makes available to His children writing For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. (Proverbs 2:6-8+) Jesus alluded to the greatness of Solomon's wisdom “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:42+) R D Patterson - Interest in wisdom ḥoḵmāh was widespread in the ancient world. In the Gentile world wisdom was primarily associated with the ability to be successful. It was not a speculative discipline but intensely practical.....Wise men were those who had unusual insight into human nature and in the problems of life in general. Thus they were sought as advisers to kings and rulers. At the very heart, however, of the concept of wisdom in the OT lies the recognition that God is the Author and End of life and that a meaningful or successful life is one that has its focus in God. This finds typical expression in the statement “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). He who fears the Lord receives wisdom from him, the ability to see things from God’s perspective. Thus true wisdom gives discernment in spiritual and moral matters. It also enables man to discriminate between that which is helpful and that which is harmful. Every aspect of human endeavor is included: the spiritual, intellectual, secular, and practical. It covers man’s relationship to God as well as his relationship to other men. (Borrow Expositor's Bible Commentary page 54) Like the sand that is on the seashore - This is quite a term of comparison indicating Solomon's mental facilities were as we might say today "off the charts!" There is no human being described in the Bible in terms similar to this man Solomon. Of course the description of the God-Man Chriswt Jesus far surpasses Solomon for Paul writes in Him "are hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3+) Wisdom (02451) chokmah from the verb chakam - to be wise) is the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. Wisdom is the ability to see something from God’s viewpoint. Wisdom is “God’s character in the many practical affairs of life.” The essential idea of chakam represents a manner of thinking and attitude concerning life's experiences; including matters of general interest and basic morality. These concerns relate to prudence in secular affairs, skills in the arts, moral sensitivity, and experience in the ways of the Lord. The source of all wisdom is a personal God who is holy, righteous, and just. His wisdom is expressed against the background of his omnipotence and omniscience. By his wisdom God numbered the clouds (Job 38:37), founded the earth (Proverbs 3:19), and made the world (Jeremiah 10:12). Wisdom, being found in God, is regarded as a divine attribute (Job 12:13). He alone knows wisdom in its truest sense (Job 28:20, 23). The wisdom of God is not found in man's speculation. He alone must provide this wisdom for man's guidance so that man can live the best possible moral and ethical life (Proverbs 2:6; Job 11:6). In proverbial fashion, the Bible personifies divine wisdom so that it seems to be a hypostasis of God, but stops just short of giving it separate existence. This wisdom was brought forth before all things (Proverbs 8:22-31). She has built a house and prepared a banquet for those who will listen to her (Proverbs 9:1f.). She even teaches in public places (Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 8:1, 6, 11-12). By her instruction her students receive a divine spirit (Proverbs 1:2), the naive become wise, politicians become wise, and those who receive from her wealth are crowned with honor and riches (Proverbs 8:1-21). This personification of wisdom is unique. While there were gods and goddesses in the ancient near east who were thought to possess the gifts of wisdom it is unlikely that any existed by the name of wisdom. The figure of wisdom in the OT never came to be regarded as a deity independent of the Lord although some such expressions occur in Proverbs 8. These have often been taken as an adumbration of Christ. Wisdom did attain a degree of personification, with features which were by no means abstract. Wisdom should not be regarded as God but it does belong to God; it is one of his attributes. Wisdom has a personal existence in the living word of the NT, but wisdom is not the Logos herself (Delitzsch, Proverbs, p. 183). That Wisdom is personifIed as a woman in Proverbs 1-9 is partly explained by the fact that the noun is feminine. There the Lady Wisdom is contrasted with the woman Folly who is personified sin. Note the studied contrast of Proverbs 9:4-6 and Proverbs 9:16-18. This personification of wisdom is not found outside these chapters. CHOKMAH - 141 TIMES (NOTE CONCENTRATION IN PROVERBS AND ECCLESIASTES) - Exod. 28:3; Exod. 31:3; Exod. 31:6; Exod. 35:26; Exod. 35:31; Exod. 35:35; Exod. 36:1; Exod. 36:2; Deut. 4:6; Deut. 34:9; 2 Sam. 14:20; 2 Sam. 20:22; 1 Ki. 2:6; 1 Ki. 3:28; 1 Ki. 4:29; 1 Ki. 4:30; 1 Ki. 4:34; 1 Ki. 5:12; 1 Ki. 7:14; 1 Ki. 10:4; 1 Ki. 10:6; 1 Ki. 10:7; 1 Ki. 10:8; 1 Ki. 10:23; 1 Ki. 10:24; 1 Ki. 11:41; 1 Chr. 28:21; 2 Chr. 1:10; 2 Chr. 1:11; 2 Chr. 1:12; 2 Chr. 9:3; 2 Chr. 9:5; 2 Chr. 9:6; 2 Chr. 9:7; 2 Chr. 9:22; 2 Chr. 9:23; Job 4:21; Job 11:6; Job 12:2; Job 12:12; Job 12:13; Job 13:5; Job 15:8; Job 26:3; Job 28:12; Job 28:18; Job 28:20; Job 28:28; Job 32:7; Job 32:13; Job 33:33; Job 38:36; Job 38:37; Job 39:17; Ps. 37:30; Ps. 51:6; Ps. 90:12; Ps. 104:24; Ps. 107:27; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:2; Prov. 1:7; Prov. 2:2; Prov. 2:6; Prov. 2:10; Prov. 3:13; Prov. 3:19; Prov. 4:5; Prov. 4:7; Prov. 4:11; Prov. 5:1; Prov. 7:4; Prov. 8:1; Prov. 8:11; Prov. 8:12; Prov. 9:10; Prov. 10:13; Prov. 10:23; Prov. 10:31; Prov. 11:2; Prov. 13:10; Prov. 14:6; Prov. 14:8; Prov. 14:33; Prov. 15:33; Prov. 16:16; Prov. 17:16; Prov. 17:24; Prov. 18:4; Prov. 21:30; Prov. 23:23; Prov. 24:3; Prov. 24:14; Prov. 28:26; Prov. 29:3; Prov. 29:15; Prov. 30:3; Prov. 31:26; Eccl. 1:13; Eccl. 1:16; Eccl. 1:17; Eccl. 1:18; Eccl. 2:3; Eccl. 2:9; Eccl. 2:12; Eccl. 2:13; Eccl. 2:21; Eccl. 2:26; Eccl. 7:10; Eccl. 7:11; Eccl. 7:12; Eccl. 7:19; Eccl. 7:23; Eccl. 7:25; Eccl. 8:1; Eccl. 8:16; Eccl. 9:10; Eccl. 9:13; Eccl. 9:15; Eccl. 9:16; Eccl. 9:18; Eccl. 10:1; Eccl. 10:10; Isa. 10:13; Isa. 11:2; Isa. 29:14; Isa. 33:6; Isa. 47:10; Jer. 8:9; Jer. 9:23; Jer. 10:12; Jer. 49:7; Jer. 51:15; Ezek. 28:4; Ezek. 28:5; Ezek. 28:7; Ezek. 28:12; Ezek. 28:17; Dan. 1:4; Dan. 1:17; Dan. 1:20 Discernment (08394) tebunah (derived from bin/biyn) means understanding, insight and represents the act (Job 26:12), faculty (Ex 31:3), object (Pr 2:3), and personification of wisdom (Pr 8:1). Synonymous with bînâ, and it is used in the same variety of ways, although in different passages. By the act of understanding God shattered Rahab (Job 26:12). The faculty is such that a man of understanding walks in a path of uprightness (Proverbs 15:21). Then again, understanding can refer to the object of knowledge as when one gains understanding (Proverbs 3:13). tebûnâ is also personified as a woman lifting up her voice (Proverbs 8:1). Here understanding is parallel with wisdom and thus is seen as the teacher. In only one passage do bînâ and tebûnâ appear in synonymous parallelism: as one cries for discernment one must lift up his voice for understanding (Proverbs 2:3); the nouns refer to the object of knowledge. Tebunah is used both for God (Pr 2:6; cf. Pr 3:19; Isa. 40:14) and humans (Pr 21:30; cf. Dt. 32:28; Pro 11:12; 28:16). TEBUNAH - 42X - discernment(1), reasonings(1), skill(1), skillful(1), skillfully(1), understanding(37). Exod. 31:3; Exod. 35:31; Exod. 36:1; Deut. 32:28; 1 Ki. 4:29; 1 Ki. 7:14; Job 12:12; Job 12:13; Job 26:12; Job 32:11; Ps. 49:3; Ps. 78:72; Ps. 136:5; Ps. 147:5; Prov. 2:2; Prov. 2:3; Prov. 2:6; Prov. 2:11; Prov. 3:13; Prov. 3:19; Prov. 5:1; Prov. 8:1; Prov. 10:23; Prov. 11:12; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 17:27; Prov. 18:2; Prov. 19:8; Prov. 20:5; Prov. 21:30; Prov. 24:3; Prov. 28:16; Isa. 40:14; Isa. 40:28; Isa. 44:19; Jer. 10:12; Jer. 51:15; Ezek. 28:4; Hos. 13:2; Obad. 1:7; Obad. 1:8 QUESTION - What is wisdom literature? ANSWER - Wisdom literature was a category of literature in many cultures in the time of the Old Testament. Wisdom literature deals with the way the world “works.” It can deal with the big philosophical problems and the smaller things that may be addressed with common sense. Modern philosophical writings might be considered to be in the same vein as ancient wisdom literature. Modern philosophers write about such lofty issues as the problem of evil, while others address more mundane matters from a practical standpoint. A modern example of the more practical wisdom might be Benjamin Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” source of the wise saying “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” This is not lofty, academic philosophy, but it is philosophy of sorts. The wisdom literature of ancient Israel was unique in that God was recognized as the fountainhead of all wisdom. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). Through common grace, people can gain a certain amount of wisdom about how to live in the world. There are unbelievers who know how to manage their money well, respond positively to difficult situations, and even respond to tragedy with strength and dignity. However, it is the Lord who created the world, and only He can give true insight into the way the world works, because His wisdom is seen in the light of eternity. In the Old Testament, there are five books that are classified as wisdom literature: Job The book of Job deals with the problem of evil and the justice of God. Job is a faithful man who loses everything. He has friends who tell him that he must be guilty of some great sin and that he should confess it and perhaps God will restore him (Job 11:13–15). In their worldview, this kind of thing only happens to the wicked. Job, however, maintains his innocence but does come quite close to questioning God’s justice because in Job’s world, too, things like this should only happen to the wicked. In the end, God appears to Job and emphasizes the fact that what He is doing is bigger than any simple formula that people may concoct (chapters 38–41). In the end, the book does not answer the question of why the righteous suffer, but it does turn the focus to God who is in control. Psalms There are 150 psalms, all examples of wisdom literature and generally prayers and/or songs of worship. Many of them deal with the difficult problems of life such as “why do the wicked prosper?” and “if God loves me, why is this happening to me?” Psalm 73 is an example of a “philosophical” psalm. The writer looks around at how the wicked are prospering and is tempted to envy them because they seem to have it so good. “My feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:2–3). But then he remembers that their prosperity is only for a limited period of time. He considers what will happen to them in the end: “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (verses 27–28). Indeed, the whole book of Psalms may be seen as addressing the issue of why God has allowed Israel to suffer when it is the “chosen nation.” The answer is that, even as Israel suffers God’s chastisement, He will never abandon them. Proverbs Most of the book of Proverbs is made up of short, pithy sayings about how the world works. Some of these bits of wisdom literature address simple, common sense solutions to life’s problems. Proverbs 27:14 is almost comical but true: “If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.” In other words, let your neighbor sleep if he wants to! This proverb is also very practical: “Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome” (Proverbs 25:17). Another is sad but true: “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife” (Proverbs 17:1). The truth of many of the proverbs can be readily apprehended without any special spiritual insight, but others will make more sense when viewed from God’s perspective: “For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:3–4). And some will only make sense when viewed from the perspective of eternity: “The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Proverbs 16:4). Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes may be one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible. Some things in the book seem to be flatly at odds with everything else in the Bible. For example, Ecclesiastes 3:19–21 says, “Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” However, when one understands that the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is “Life without God,” the book begins to make sense. Ecclesiastes reveals the inner thinking of a person who has lost hope in the God of the Bible. If God is not a good, loving, faithful God, then the above passage is completely logical. The point of Ecclesiastes is that life “under the sun” (a phrase the author uses to describe life on a completely horizontal level) is meaningless. The only sensible conclusion is to stop looking for meaning “under the sun” and to “remember your Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) Song of Solomon is also an example of wisdom literature. The book is a poetic picture of marriage written by or about Solomon and a woman he loves. Scholars disagree on exactly how it should be understood and exactly who is saying what. But the bottom line seems to be that Solomon loves the woman and this book gives some practical ways that he can express his love. Wisdom literature deals with how to live well. Those who want to maintain harmonious relationships with friends, family, and God; who wish to avoid foolish mistakes in everyday life; or who desire to raise their children in the fear of the Lord will turn to the wisdom literature of the Bible for advice. F B