1 Kings 4:30

Christian Standard Bible ®

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

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
And Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Solomons wysdome excelled the wysedome of all the children of the east countrey, and al the wisdome of Egypt.

Literal Translation
And Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and than all the wisdom of Egypt.

Easy-to-Read Version
He was wiser than anyone in the East or in Egypt.

Revised Standard Version
so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

World English Bible
Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

King James Version (1611)
And Solomons wisedome excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East countrey, and all the wisedome of Egypt.

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

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
so that the wy?dome of Salomon was greater then the wy?dome of all the children towarde the south and of all ye Egipcians.

American Standard Version
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Bible in Basic English
And Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Update Bible Version
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

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

New English Translation
Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt.

New King James Version
Thus Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Contemporary English Version
He was wiser than anyone else in the world, including the wisest people of the east and of Egypt. He was even wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Mahol's three sons, Heman, Calcol, and Darda. Solomon became famous in every country around Judah and Israel.

Complete Jewish Bible
King Shlomo was king over all Isra'el, and these were his high officials: ‘Azaryah the son of Tzadok, the cohen; Elichoref and Achiyah the sons of Shisha, secretaries; Y'hoshafat the son of Achilud, secretary of state; B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada, commander of the army; Tzadok and Evyatar, cohanim; ‘Azaryah the son of Natan, chief administrator; Zavud the son of Natan, the king's trusted counselor; Achishar, in charge of the palace; Adoniram the son of ‘Avda, in charge of forced labor. Shlomo had twelve officers over all Isra'el who were in charge of providing food and supplies for the king and his household; each one was in charge of provisions for one month out of the year. They were: the son of Hur, in the hills of Efrayim; the son of Deker, in Makatz, Sha‘albim, Beit-Shemesh and Eilon-Beit-Hanan; the son of Hesed, in Arubot; he also had charge of Sokhoh and all the territory of Hefer; the son of Avinadav, in all the area of Dor; he had Tafat the daughter of Shlomo as his wife; Ba‘ana the son of Achilud, in Ta‘anakh, Megiddo, and all Beit-Sh'an by Tzartan below Yizre‘el, from Beit-Sh'an to Avel-M'cholah, as far as beyond Yokme‘am; the son of Gever, in Ramot-Gil‘ad; he was in charge of the villages of Ya'ir the son of M'nasheh in Gil‘ad and in charge of the region of Argov in Bashan, sixty large cities with walls and bronze bars; Achinadav the son of ‘Iddo, in Machanayim; Achima‘atz, in Naftali; he also took Basmat the daughter of Shlomo as his wife; Ba‘ana the son of Hushai, in Asher and in Alot; Y'hoshafat the son of Paruach, in Yissakhar; Shim‘i the son of Ela, in Binyamin; and Gever the son of Uri, in the land of Gil‘ad, the country of Sichon king of the Emori and ‘Og king of Bashan. Over all these, there was one administrator in the land. Y'hudah and Isra'el were as numerous as sand grains on the seashore; they ate, drank and enjoyed themselves.

Darby Translation
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Salomons wisdome excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East and all the wisedome of Egypt.

George Lamsa Translation
So that Solomons wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of the Egyptians.

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

Hebrew Names Version
Shlomo's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Mitzrayim.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="1ki.4.1" class="versetxt"> And king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister and the king's friend; and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the levy. And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year. And these are their names: The son of Hur, in the hill-country of Ephraim; the son of Deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; the son of Hesed, in Arubboth; to him pertained Socoh, and all the land of Hepher; the son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife; Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; the son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars; Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz, in Naphtali; he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife; Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and one officer that was [over all the officers] in the land. Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

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

New Life Bible
Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

New Revised Standard
so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Solomon abounded greatly beyond the wisdom of all the ancients, and beyond all the wise men of Egypt.

English Revised Version
And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible
Solomon's wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
so that, the wisdom of Solomon, excelled, the wisdom of all the sons of the East, - and all the wisdom of the Egyptians,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals, and of the Egyptians;

Lexham English Bible
The wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the east and more than all the wisdom of Egypt.

English Standard Version
so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

New American Standard Bible
Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

New Century Version
His wisdom was greater than any wisdom of the East, or any wisdom in Egypt.

Good News Translation
Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the wisdom of Solomon passide the wisdom of alle eest men, and Egipcians;

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Contextual Overview

²⁹ God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. ³⁰ Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹ He was wiser than anyone—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol. His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations. ³² Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005. ³³ He described trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. ³⁴ People came from everywhere, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, to listen to Solomon's wisdom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the children: Genesis 25:6, Job 1:3, Daniel 1:20, Daniel 4:7, Daniel 5:11, Daniel 5:12, Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:16

the wisdom of Egypt: Isaiah 19:11, Isaiah 19:12, Acts 7:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:1 - came Judges 6:3 - children Judges 7:12 - the Midianites 2 Chronicles 9:22 - passed all the kings Job 1:8 - none Ecclesiastes 1:14 - General Ecclesiastes 1:16 - Lo Ezekiel 25:4 - men

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 m:

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 n.

m Midrash Kohelet. fol. 76. 3. n Macrob. in Som. Scip. c. 19. 21. & Saturnal l. 1. c. 15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Children of the east country - Rather, “of the East” - the Beni Kedem - a distinct tribe, who occupied both sides of the Euphrates along its middle course (marginal reference). They were mostly nomads, who dwelt in tents Jeremiah 49:28-29. Job belonged to them Job 1:3, as did probably his three friends; and, perhaps, Balsam Numbers 23:7. They must have been either Arabs or Aramaeans. We may see in the Book of Job the character of their “wisdom.” Like Solomon’s, it was chiefly gnomic but included some knowledge of natural history. The “wisdom of Egypt” was of a different kind. It included magic Genesis 41:8; Exodus 7:11, geometry, medicine, astronomy, architecture, and a dreamy mystic philosophy, of which metempsychosis was the main principle. It is not probable that Solomon was, like Moses (marginal reference), deeply versed in Egyptian science. The writer only means to say that his wisdom was truer and more real than all the much-praised wisdom of Egypt.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 4:30. The children of the east country — That is the Chaldeans, Persians, and Arabians, who, with the Egyptians, were famed for wisdom and knowledge through all the world.