33<\/strong>. And he spake<\/em> ] i.e. He gave descriptions of the whole vegetable world, and discussed the virtues of the various plants. For it has been always of their medicinal properties that the earliest works on plants have treated. They were the remedies for all diseases, and a knowledge of ‘simples,’ as they were called in England in old times, was counted for the highest wisdom.<\/p>\n the cedar<\/em> ] The tree of greatest glory in Palestine is named as one extreme of the vegetable world, and the hyssop on the wall as the other.<\/p>\n of beasts<\/em> ] Similarly, under the names of beasts, fowls, creeping things and fishes, the whole animal world is specified after the division of those times. The same classes are mentioned in the account of the creation. Josephus ( Ant.<\/em> viii. 2, 5) enlarges on the simple narrative of the text, telling how the king’s knowledge of the peculiarities of these various creatures was of the most thorough character. He then goes on to tell that he was endowed with power against demons, and could cure men who were possessed with evil spirits. He is also said to have left forms of incantation and exorcism, of which, Josephus says, some knowledge had come down to his own time, and he gives a story of a Jew who wrought such a cure as he describes in the presence of the emperor Vespasian.<\/p>\n Trees … – <\/B>A keen appreciation of the beauties of nature, and a habit of minute observation, are apparent in the writings of Solomon that remain to us. The writer here means to say that Solomon composed special works on these subjects. The Lebanon cedars were the most magnificent of all the trees known to the Hebrews, and hence, represent in the Old Testament the grandest of vegetable productions. (Psa 104:16<\/span>; Son 5:15<\/span>; Eze 31:3<\/span>, etc.) For the hyssop, see Exo 12:22<\/span> note.<\/P> Of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes – <\/B>This is the usual Biblical division of the animal kingdom Gen 1:26<\/span>; Gen 9:2<\/span>; Psa 148:10<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n 1Ki 4:33<\/span><\/p>\n And he spake of trees <\/em> . . . he spake also of beasts.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Plant-life<\/strong><\/p>\n The wise man had a genuine delight in plants, herbs, flowers, and trees. Read the Book of Canticles, and from its pages is caught the very fragrance of spring. He speaks with enthusiasm of the rose of Sharon, of the lily among thorns, of the apple-trees and orchards of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, of the garden of nuts, and the smell of Lebanon. He rejoices when the winter is past, the rain over and gone, when the flowers appear on the earth, when the time of the singing of birds comes, when the voice of the turtle is heard in the land, when the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell! Such expressions indicate a fervent delight in Nature and an accurate observation of her phases. Jesus also, the greater than Solomon, directed His disciples to consider the lilies, and to notice the way in which God clothes the grass of the field.<\/p>\n A royal horticulturist<\/strong><\/p>\n When Lysander brought presents to Cyrus, the prince conducted his illustrious guest through his gardens. Lysander, struck with so fine a prospect, praised the manner in which the grounds were laid out, the neatness of the walks, the abundance of trees planted with an art which knew how to combine the useful with the agreeable; the beauty and the glowing variety of flowers exhaling odours throughout the delightful scene. Everything charms and transports me in this place, said Lysander to Cyrus; but what strikes me most is the exquisite taste of the person who drew the plan of these gardens. Cyrus replied, I drew the plan and entirely marked it out. Many of the trees which you see were planted by my own hands. What! exclaimed Lysander with astonishment, is it possible that those purple robes and splendid vestments, those strings of jewels and bracelets of gold, those buskins so richly embroidered–is it possible that you<\/em> could play the gardener, and employ your royal hands in planting trees? Does that surprise you? said Cyrus. I assure you that when my health permits I never sit down to my table without having fatigued myself either in military exercise, rural labour, or some other toilsome employment, to which I apply myself with pleasure.<\/p>\n The study of Nature<\/strong><\/p>\n It is said of Wordsworth that a stranger having on one occasion asked to see his study, the maid said, This is masters room, but he studies in the fields. In doing so the poet followed a venerable example. We read that Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide, where in the margin to pray is put for to meditate. Nor could there be a better place either for prayer or for study than the fields. The Word of God is written very clearly for His seers in the green book of Nature. Wordsworths study is one that we can all use, however small our house may be. (Quiver.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The world is worth seeing<\/strong><\/p>\n Men must not live under a bushel. A gentleman once met a French priest on board an Atlantic liner. They entered into conversation, and the priest said that months ago he had a dream. He dreamt that he was dead, and that God asked him how much of the world he had seem His answer was that he had seen only a very little of it, for he had been so long in preparing for death, and in helping other people to die, that he had no time to see the world. He saw that God was displeased, and on <\/strong>awakening he resolved to see as much of this beautiful world as he could. It was a wise resolve. The earth is the Lords and not the devils, and we have no right to ignore it. Nature is a temple of God, and we must ever walk through it in a sacramental mood. (Sunday Circle.<\/em>)<\/p>\n .<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Verse 33<\/span>. He spake of trees – beasts – fowl – creeping things, and of<\/B><\/I> <\/B>fishes.<\/B><\/I>] This is a complete system of natural history, as far as relates to the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and the first intimation we have of any thing of the kind: Solomon was probably the first natural historian<\/I> in the world.<\/P> <\/P> O, how must the heart of Tournefort, Ray, Linne, Buffon, Cuvier, Swammerdam, Blosch, and other naturalists, be wrung, to know that these works of Solomon are all and for ever lost! What light should we have thrown on the animal and vegetable kingdoms, had these works been preserved! But the providence of God has not thought fit to preserve them, and succeeding naturalists are left to invent the system which he probably left perfect. If there be any remains of his wisdom, they must be sought among the orientals, among whom his character is well known, and rates as high as it does with either Jews or Christians. I shall give some extracts from their works relative to Solomon when I come to consider his character at the end of 1Kg 11:43<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Of trees, <\/B>i.e. of all plants, of their nature and qualities; all which discourses are lost, without any impeachment of the perfection of the Holy Scriptures; which were not inspired and written to teach men philosophy or physic, but only to make men wise to salvation. See Joh 20:31<\/span>; 2Ti 3:16<\/span>,17<\/span>. <\/P> From the cedar tree unto the hyssop, <\/B>i.e. from the greatest to the least. <\/P> <\/p>\n 33. he spake of trees, from thecedar . . . to the hyssop<\/B>all plants, from the greatest to theleast. The Spirit of God has seen fit to preserve comparatively fewmemorials of the fruits of his gigantic mind. The greater part ofthose here ascribed to him have long since fallen a prey to theravages of time, or perished in the Babylonish captivity, probablybecause they were not inspired.<\/P><\/p>\n And he spake of trees<\/strong>,…. Of all trees, herbs, and plants, of the nature, virtues, and use them:<\/p>\n from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon<\/strong>: a mountain on the northern border of Judea, famous for cedars, the tallest and largest of trees:<\/p>\n even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall<\/strong>; which grew about Jerusalem, and in the mountains of it, as an Arabic writes testifies p, the lowest and least herb; so that what is between the cedar and hyssop include trees and plants of every kind and sort: whether the same herb we call hyssop is meant, is not certain; some take it to be mint; others marjoram; some houseleek; others the wallflower; Levinus Lemnius q supposes it to be Adiantum, or maiden hair: the Targum interprets it allegorically, that he prophesied of the kings of the house of David in this world, and in the world to come of the Messiah:<\/p>\n he spake also of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes<\/strong>; he understood the nature of all sorts of animals in the earth, air, and sea, and discoursed of their names, kinds, qualities, and use, with the greatest ease and perspicuity; the Jews fancy that Aristotle’s History of Animals is his, which that philosopher came upon, and published it in his own name. Suidas r says it was reported that Solomon wrote a book of medicines for all diseases, which was fixed to the entrance of the temple, which Hezekiah took away, because sick people applied to that for cure of their disorders, and neglected to pray to God.<\/p>\n p Isaac Ben Omram apud Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 50. col. 590. q Herb. Bibl. Explicat. c. 26. r In voce .<\/p>\n (33) He spake of trees.<\/strong>Of this verse there have been many interpretations. Josephus (Ant. viii. <\/em>c.2<\/em>, 5) supposes Solomons utterances on these natural products to have been allegorical and symbolic, although he declares that he described them and their properties like a philosopher. Rabbinical and Oriental legends, eagerly accepted in mediaeval times, ascribed to him mystic knowledge and magical use of their occult properties. Modern writers have seen in this utterance the first dawn of a scientific natural history and idyllic poetry. In all these suppositions there is some truth, though each in its literal meaning evidently interprets the work of Solomon by the ideas of its own time. An examination of the Song of Songs, and even of the Book of Proverbsto say nothing of Ecclesiastes and several of the Psalms, and of the Book of Job, which has been thought to belong to the age of Solomonshows in them repeated exemplifications of a deep sense of the wonder and the beauty of Nature, and also a keen observation of Natural history in detail But it also shows, as might have been expected, a constant contemplation of God in and over Nature (much as in Psalms 104<\/span>), a desire to know the secret of His dispensation therein, a conception of a unity in His law over all being, and as a necessary consequence of this, a tendency to mystic interpretation and parable. If in the works here referred to, and now lost to us, there were (as Ewald supposes) the rudiments of a complete natural history, it would be an anachronism to doubt that they were marked by these leading characteristics.<\/p>\n 33<\/strong>. <\/strong> He spake of trees beasts fowl creeping things fishes <\/strong> He enjoyed rare opportunities for becoming familiar with the various species of both the animal and vegetable creation. His extended commerce with all nations brought to him specimens of all rare trees, plants, and animals. Cedars he multiplied in his own land like sycamores; (1Ki 10:27<\/span>\ud83d\ude09 his navies and caravans supplied him apes and peacocks, horses and mules, and spices. 1Ki 10:22<\/span>; 1Ki 10:25<\/span>. Compare Son 4:13-14<\/span>. That he composed and wrote scientific treatises on botany and natural history, as many commentators have assumed, is not necessarily the meaning of this verse. In the concluding chapters of Job, and in many of the Psalms and Proverbs, we find many wise sayings and parabolic allusions based on the wisdom of God as displayed in the creation; and it seems more natural, on the whole, to suppose Solomon’s sayings about trees, etc., to have been of this character. And so Irenaeus observes that Solomon “expounded psychologically <\/em> the wisdom of God which is manifest in creation.” So also Josephus: “He spake a parable upon <\/em> every sort of tree, from the hyssop to the cedar; and in like manner, also, about beasts, and about all sorts of living creatures, whether upon the earth, or in the seas, or in the air; for he was not unacquainted with any of their natures, nor omitted inquiries about them, but described them all like a philosopher, <\/em> and demonstrated his exquisite knowledge of their several properties.” And so his sayings on these subjects were probably more of the character of natural theology than of natural science. No wonder that his fame went through all lands, and attracted, among others, the queen of Sheba to his court. Chapter 10.<\/p>\n 1Ki 4:33<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>He spake of trees, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> The several books which treated of the nature and virtue of animals as well as plants, are supposed to have been lost in the Babylonish captivity; but Eusebius, as he is quoted by Anastasius, informs us, that king Hezekiah, seeing the abuse which his subjects made of Solomon’s works, by placing too much confidence in the remedies which he prescribed, and the natural secrets which he discovered, thought proper to suppress them all. Notwithstanding this, since his time many wicked and pernicious books concerning the secrets of magic, medicines, and inchantment, have appeared under the name of this prince, in order to gain the more credit and sanction. <\/p>\n 1Ki 4:33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.<\/p>\n Ver. 33. For he spake of trees.<\/strong> ] This was a discourse, doubtless, of singular use; and of it we may say as one doth of Origen’s “Oetapla,” now lost, Huius operis iacturam deplorare possumus, compensure non possumus,<\/em> the lack of this book we may bewail, but cannot make good. When preferment was offered to Thomas Aquinas, he was wont to sigh and say, I had rather have Chrysostom’s comment upon Matthew. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n That springeth out of the wall.<\/strong> ] Herbs parietina,<\/em> wall-wort, as Trajan the emperor was called, for his desire of vain glory. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n He spake also of the beasts, &c.<\/strong> ] A worthy work doubtless, and such as whereof it might better be said, than was of Pliny’s Natural History, by Erasmus, that it hath as much variety as nature itself hath, and is not so much a treatise as a treasury, yea, a whole world full of things most worthy to be noted and noticed. Ulysses, Aldrovandus, Conradus, Gesner, Gulielmus Rondeletius, Julius Scaliger, and other writers, both ancient and modern, have written largely and learnedly on the same subject, but nothing comparable to this work of Solomon: which some say was burnt by the Chaldees, together with the temple. Eusebius thinketh it was abolished by Hezekiah, because the people idolised it, as they did the brazen serpent.<\/p>\n the cedar tree: The word airez, whence the Chaldee and Syriac arzo, and the Arabic and Ethiopic arz, and Spanish alerze, unquestionably denotes the cedar; it is thus rendered by the LXX and other versions, , and by the Vulgate cedrus; and the inhabitants of mount Lebanon still call it ars. The cedar is a large and nobel evergreen tree, and grows on the most elevated part of the mountain, is taller than the pine, and so thick that five men together could scarcely fathom one. It shoots out its branches at ten or twelve feet from the ground; they are large and distant from each other, and are perpetually green. The wood is of a brown colour, very solid and incorruptible, if preserved from wet. The tree bears a small cone, like that of the pine. Num 24:6, 2Ki 19:23, Psa 92:12 <\/p>\n the hyssop: Exo 12:22, Num 19:18, Psa 51:7, Heb 9:19 <\/p>\n of beasts: Gen 1:20-25 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: 2Ki 14:9 – The thistle 2Ch 25:18 – thistle Joh 19:29 – hyssop<\/p>\n 4:33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon even unto the {n} hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.<\/p>\n (n) From the highest to the lowest.<\/p>\n And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 33. And he spake ] i.e. He gave descriptions of the whole vegetable world, and discussed the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 4:33”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8889\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>Gods delight in varied beauty. From the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop, what a range! What an almost infinite number of species! What variety of colouring and form! All are the expression of Gods thought of beauty. What a God of glory we serve In Society and in the Church, many varieties of men and systems, God is working through all and delights in all. What a painful thing would be a uniform colour or shape for plants.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>How beauty may spring out of corruption. God has arranged this. It is His plan throughout. Plants flourish best on the mould full of decayed vegetable or animal life. Striking their roots deep down into this reign of decay and death they gather life therefrom. Death supports life. So if only we are enlightened we shall find that out of our natures so sinful, so imperfect, these passions so overmastering, we may, under the influence of the forgiving love of Christ and of Gods Spirit renewing our hearts and lives, bring that which shall be beautiful, good, noble, pure, and approved of God.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>Growth is a great mystery. True, the plants draw nourishment from the moist earth, but what power or principle is it that set all its ducts and roots at work? We may call it life, attraction, assimilation, or what we like, we are as far off as ever. God is the Author of their life. But the mystery remains. So in our spiritual life. How our receiving as true the fact that Christ died and rose again, should, be as new life to our souls, we cannot explain.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>The way growth should tend. Upwards. Higher, higher, is echoed by every flower and every tree. Heavenward should be the constant aim of the Christian, nearer to God. Stretching forth our hands in prayer we should grow. See how the palm-tree shoots upward, surmounted by a graceful tuft of foliage that seems like a symbol of the crown which shall hereafter grace the Christians brow when he has reached the heaven of his joy.<\/p>\n
V. <\/strong>Upward growth must be by the aid of that which comes from outside and above. The willow grows by the water of the dark and lazy stream, but the flowers of the field rejoice when the rain cometh down to water the earth. Notice how the one droops downward in reverence, while the others spread their leaves or lift their branches so as to welcome the bounty of God. So we point to Him who came from above, who revealed the Father, who died for sin, and who has been ready to give to every thirsty spirit the water of life, who has brought life and immortality to light; and whose Spirit alone can nourish us that we may grow.<\/p>\n
VI. <\/strong>Every plant in its place. Each clump of moss, bunch of ferns, hyssop, flower or tree has its habitat. In the myriad plants of a dense tropical forest, there is not one that is not fulfilling some purpose. The hyssop or fern may help to soften rugged edges of rock or wall. The tree may be for shade to man or shelter to birds, and the cedar may be for timber for the temple, The tall palm standing near a well intimates to the far-off and famishing traveller of the desert that there is relief at hand. The flowers may bloom or die, but they fulfil the end of existence. Let us learn to do so.<\/p>\n
VII.<\/strong> Plants teach us also to make the best of circumstances. Winter cuts down the flowers, withers the leaves, bares the trees. Its winds sweep through the branches, its keen frosts nip the buds and early blossoms. Yet they went through all, and in time are reclothed with beauty.<\/p>\n
VIII. <\/strong>Hints given of a glorious resurrection. Well, indeed, for us that we should so live that we can look forward to the spring-time of heaven as a further step in the stage of being, and revelation of the glory of God. We shall sleep in the dust of death and rise in the glory of springtide. (Homiletic Quarterly.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"