Solomon's Wise Rivals as Abraham Moses Joseph and the Wilderness Generation

(1 Kings 5:11:) “Than Ethan the Ezrahite”, this is Abraham, as it is said, “A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite” (Psalms 89:1). “And Heman” (1 Kings, ibid.), this is Moses, as it is said, “He is trusted in all My house” (Numbers 12:7). “And Calcol” (1 Kings, ibid.), this is Joseph, as it is said, “And Joseph sustained” (Genesis 47:12). The Egyptians said: Has this slave reigned over us for any reason but his wisdom? What did they do to him? They brought seventy tablets and wrote upon them seventy tongues, and they would cast them before him, and he read each and every one in its own tongue. And not only that, but he would speak in the Holy Tongue, which they had not the strength to comprehend, as it is said, “He appointed it as a testimony in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt; a language I knew not did I hear” (Psalms 81:6). “And Darda” (1 Kings, ibid.), this is the generation of the wilderness, who had knowledge (de’ah). “The children of Mahol” (ibid.), the children to whom the Shekhinah granted pardon (machal) for the deed of the calf.