1 Kings 4:30

30 Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all ¹the sons of the east and ²all 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 They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where it should be, each according to his charge.

29 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore .

30 Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations.

32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005 .

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 29:1; Judges 6:33
• 2. Isaiah 19:11; Acts 7:22