Verse 2

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; but the honor of kings is to search out a thing.

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Deut 29:29 : 29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
  • 1 Kgs 3:9-9 : 9 Therefore give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil: for who is able to judge this your great people? 10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to your words: lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like you before you, nor shall any arise like unto you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto you all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days. 15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. 16 Then two women, who were harlots, came to the king and stood before him. 17 And one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I gave birth to a child with her in the house. 18 And it came to pass the third day after I had given birth, that this woman also gave birth: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, only we two in the house. 19 And this woman's child died in the night, because she lay on it. 20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I had borne. 22 And the other woman said, No; but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. And this said, No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king. 23 Then the king said, The one says, This is my son that lives, and your son is the dead; and the other says, No; but your son is the dead, and my son is the living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 26 Then the woman whose the living child was, spoke to the king, for her heart yearned for her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and do not kill it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor yours, but divide it. 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and do not kill it: she is the mother thereof. 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had made; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.
  • Job 29:16 : 16 I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case I did not know.
  • Rom 11:33-34 : 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?
  • Job 38:4-39:30 : 4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements, if you know? Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what are its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or who closed up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, 10 And fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors, 11 And said, This far you shall come, but no further; and here shall your proud waves be stopped? 12 Have you commanded the morning since your days began; and caused the dawn to know its place, 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? 14 It is changed like clay under the seal; and they stand out like a garment. 15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the upraised arm is broken. 16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep? 17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? 18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare, if you know it all. 19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is its place, 20 That you may take it to its boundary, and that you may discern the paths to its home? 21 Do you know it, because you were born then? Or because the number of your days is great? 22 Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow? Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? 24 By what way is the light distributed, which scatters the east wind upon the earth? 25 Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder, 26 To cause it to rain on the earth where no one is, on the wilderness, where there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the sprout of tender grass to spring forth? 28 Does the rain have a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? 29 From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth? 30 The waters are hidden like stone, and the surface of the deep is frozen. 31 Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion? 32 Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? 33 Do you know the statutes of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? 34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that an abundance of water may cover you? 35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, Here we are? 36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the heart? 37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, 38 When the dust hardens into clumps, and the clods cling together? 39 Will you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40 When they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thickets? 41 Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food? 1 Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth? Or can you mark when the deer give birth? 2 Can you count the months they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth? 3 They crouch down, they bring forth their young, they cast out their labor pains. 4 Their young ones grow strong, they grow up in the open; they go forth and do not return to them. 5 Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosed the bonds of the wild donkey? 6 Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwelling. 7 He mocks the city's throng, nor does he heed the driver's shout. 8 The range of mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing. 9 Will the wild ox be willing to serve you, or remain by your manger? 10 Can you bind the wild ox in the furrow with ropes? Or will he plow the valleys behind you? 11 Will you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you leave your labor to him? 12 Will you rely on him to bring home your grain and gather it into your barn? 13 Did you give the peacock its splendid wings, or the ostrich its feathers? 14 It leaves its eggs on the ground, and warms them in the dust, 15 And forgets that a foot may crush them, or that a wild beast may break them. 16 She is harsh toward her young, as if they were not hers; her labor is in vain, without fear; 17 Because God has deprived her of wisdom, nor has He imparted to her understanding. 18 When she lifts herself on high, she laughs at the horse and its rider. 19 Have you given the horse its strength? Have you clothed its neck with a mane? 20 Can you make it leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is terrifying. 21 It paws in the valley and rejoices in its strength; it charges into the throng of battle. 22 It laughs at fear and is not dismayed; it does not turn back from the sword. 23 The quiver rattles against it, the flashing spear and the javelin. 24 It devours the ground with fierceness and rage; it cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet. 25 At the blast of the trumpets, it says, 'Ha, ha!' It smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. 26 Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch its wings toward the south? 27 Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high? 28 It dwells on the rock and resides on the crag of the rock, in the stronghold. 29 From there it seeks its prey, and its eyes see afar off. 30 Its young ones also drink blood; and where the slain are, there it is.
  • Job 42:3 : 3 Who is he who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
  • 1 Kgs 4:29-34 : 29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart, like the sand on the seashore. 30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations around. 32 And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. 33 And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he also spoke of beasts, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. 34 And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.
  • Ezra 4:15 : 15 That search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause this city was destroyed.
  • Ezra 4:19 : 19 And I commanded, and search has been made, and it is found that this city from old times has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
  • Job 11:7-8 : 7 Can you by searching find out God? Can you find out the Almighty to perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven; what can you do? Deeper than the grave; what can you know?