1 Kings 4:30

30 and the wisdom of Solomon is greater than the wisdom of any of the sons of the east, and 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 And the barley and the straw, for horses and for dromedaries, they bring in unto the place where they are, each according to his ordinance.

29 And God giveth wisdom to Solomon, and understanding, very much, and breadth of heart, as the sand that [is] on the edge of the sea;

30 and the wisdom of Solomon is greater than the wisdom of any of the sons of the east, and than all the wisdom of Egypt;

31 and he is wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol, and his name is in all the nations round about.

32 And he speaketh three thousand similes, and his songs [are] five, and the chief one;