Why Solomon's Three Thousand Proverbs Are Each Verse's Many Meanings

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Chukat 14:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(I Kings 5:12 [4:32]:) "MOREOVER HE SPOKE THREE THOUSAND PROVERBS." Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani said: We have gone over all the Scriptures, and we have not found that Solomon prophesied more than close to eight hundred verses. Then what is the meaning of THREE THOUSAND? This teaches that every single verse that he spoke contains two or three interpretations, as in what is said (in Proverbs 25:12): "A NECKLACE OF GOLD AND AN ORNAMENT OF FINE GOLD." And the Rabbis say: THREE THOUSAND PROVERBS upon every verse, and a thousand and five interpretations upon each and every proverb. (I Kings 5:12 [4:32], continued:) "AND HIS SHIRO NUMBERED A THOUSAND AND FIVE." "SHIRAH" ("song") is not written here, but rather "SHIRO," that is, "sheyaro" ("its remainder")—the remainder of a proverb.

Themes

WisdomBibleAdam EveSolomonMusic

Biblical References

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