Bible Strands
1 Kings 4:30
Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records this claim about Solomon immediately following the statement that God granted him wisdom in 1 Kings 4:29.
The words — תֵּרֶבּ (te.rev) translates literally as “it was great” or “exceeded,” and קֶדֶם (qedem) refers to “the east” or eastern regions.
The thread — The verse functions as a summary statement that bridges the divine gift in 1 Kings 4:29 and the comparative list of sages in 1 Kings 4:31.
Why it lands — The text states Solomon’s wisdom surpassed known Eastern and Egyptian centers to establish the factual scope of his royal authority before moving to specific examples.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
Cross-references
- Daniel 5:11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
- Genesis 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
- Job 1:3 and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East.
- Daniel 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
- Acts 7:22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
- Isaiah 19:11 The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?
- Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
- Matthew 2:16 When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
- Daniel 4:7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.