1 Kings 4:30

30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

1 Kings 4:30 in Other Translations

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

30 so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

30 In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt.

30 Solomon's wisdom outclassed the vaunted wisdom of wise men of the East, outshone the famous wisdom of Egypt.

30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than that of all the eastern people and all the wisdom of the Egyptians.

30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all of the people of the east. It was greater than all of 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.

---

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 They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.

29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.

30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.

32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 25:6; S Judges 6:3; Daniel 1:20; Matthew 2:1
• 2. Isaiah 19:11; Acts 7:22