1 Kings 4:30

30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East country and 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 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.

30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East country and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 For he was wiser than all men -- than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Chalcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all nations round about.

32 And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five.