1 Kings 4:30

30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than all the famous Easterners, greater even than all the wisdom of Egypt.

1 Kings 4:30 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 4:30

And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children
of the east
The Arabians, and Persians, famous for wisdom, and who lay to the east of the land of Judea; whose wisdom lay in the knowledge of the stars, in divination by birds, and soothsaying ^F13:

and all the wisdom of Egypt;
which it was eminent for in the times of Moses, and in which he was learned and well-skilled, ( Acts 7:22 ) ; and hence in later times the philosophers of the Gentiles travelled to get knowledge, as Pherecydes, Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Plato, and others to Egypt, said to be the mother of arts and sciences ^F14.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Midrash Kohelet. fol. 76. 3.
F14 Macrob. in Som. Scip. c. 19. 21. & Saturnal l. 1. c. 15.

1 Kings 4:30 In-Context

28 Each brought their share of barley and straw for the horses and for the chariot horses, bringing it to its proper place.

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding—insight as long as the seashore itself.

30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than all the famous Easterners, greater even than all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 He was wiser than anyone, more wise than Ethan the Ezrahite or Mahol's sons: Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His reputation was known throughout the region.

32 Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs and one thousand five songs.