Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 4:30
And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
30. the children of the east country ] i.e. The Chaldans and Arabians who from early times were noted for their astrological investigations and for their wisdom. Job is spoken of as among these children of the east (Job 1:3) and the character of their wisdom and scientific learning may be gathered in some degree from the speeches of his friends. Pythagoras is said to have visited Arabia and derived from thence some of the precepts of his philosophy. From the same quarter came ‘the wise men’ unto Bethlehem when Christ was born (Mat 2:1).
wisdom of Egypt ] We read of ‘the wise men and sorcerers’ of Pharaoh as early as Exo 7:11, and ‘the wise men of Egypt’ are mentioned (Gen 41:8) in the history of Joseph, and the tradition of Egyptian wisdom is noticed in Stephen’s speech (Act 7:22).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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 Jer 49:28-29. Job belonged to them Job 1:3, as did probably his three friends; and, perhaps, Balsam Num 23:7. They must have been either Arabs or Aramaeans. We may see in the Book of Job the character of their wisdom. Like Solomons, it was chiefly gnomic but included some knowledge of natural history. The wisdom of Egypt was of a different kind. It included magic Gen 41:8; Exo 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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Ki 4:30-34
Solomons wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country.
The aloneness of Jesus Christ
Christ towers up above the history of the world and the process of revelation, like Mount Everest among the Himalayas. To that great peak all the country on the one side runs upwards, and from it all the valleys on the other descend; and the springs are born there which carry verdure and life over the world. (Alex. Maclaren, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The children of the east country; the Chaldeans, Persians, and Arabians, who all lay eastward from Canaan, and who were famous in ancient times for their wisdom and learning, as appears both from sacred and profane writers.
The wisdom of Egypt, i.e. the Egyptians, whose fame was then great for their skill in the arts and sciences, which made them despise the Grecians as children in knowledge. See Act 7:22.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30. Solomon’s wisdom excelled thewisdom of all the children of the east countrythat is, theArabians, Chaldeans, and Persians (Ge25:6).
all the wisdom of EgyptEgyptwas renowned as the seat of learning and sciences, and the existingmonuments, which so clearly describe the ancient state of society andthe arts, show the high culture of the Egyptian people.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole 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, Ac 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(30) The wisdom of all the children of the east.The phrase children of the east is apparently used (see Gen. 29:1; Jdg. 6:3; Jdg. 6:33; Jdg. 7:12; Jdg. 8:10) for the tribes of the country lying between the country of Israel and Mesopotamia. Of these men of the east, Job is expressly said to be one, and among the chief (Job. 1:3), What their wisdom was, the utterances of Job and his friends may testify, showing as they do large knowledge of nature and of man, speculating on the deepest moral questions, and throughout resting, though with an awe greater than was felt within the circle of the Abrahamic covenant, upon the consciousness of the one God. The Book of Job also shows that this wisdom was not unconnected with the proverbial wisdom of Egypt, with which it is here joined. The Egyptian wisdom (as the monuments show) was a part of a more advanced and elaborate civilisation, enriched by learning and culture, and manifesting itself in art and science, but perhaps less free and vigorous than the simpler patriarchal wisdom of the children of the east.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(30-34) The whole passage implies a general growth of wisdom, a largeness of knowledge, and an outburst of literature, of which, as usual with great men, Solomon is at once the child and the leader.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. The east country A term used indiscriminately of all the vast region to the east, northeast, and southeast of Palestine, including Chaldea and Arabia. This East was noted for its wisdom, especially Chaldea for attainments in astronomy and astrology, and the farther East, with Arabia, for expressing thought and sage counsel in proverbs.
Wisdom of Egypt Another land still more distinguished for wisdom. Compare Isa 19:11; Act 7:22. The Egyptians were distinguished for their knowledge of plants and animals, and their skill in geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, and other sciences. Herodotus speaks of them as “the wisest of men.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 4:30. Solomon’s wisdom excelled, &c. There were three nations in the east of Canaan, which were very famous for their wisdom and erudition: the Chaldeans beyond the Euphrates, the Persians beyond the Tigris, and the Arabians on the nearer side of the Euphrates, a little towards the south: but whether the Persians and Chaldeans were remarkable for their learning in Solomon’s days, is much doubted among commentators. The book of Job sufficiently shews, that the Arabians (for of that nation was Job and his friends) were famous for their learning in ancient times: and as to the Chaldeans and other Oriental people, since the sons of Noah took up their habitation about Babylon and the neighbouring countries, it is reasonable to suppose, that where mankind first began to settle themselves into regular societies, there arts and sciences first began to appear. The Egyptians, however, pretend to precedency in this and several other accomplishments. They say, that the Chaldeans received the principles of philosophy at first from a colony which came from Egypt; and indeed Diodorus makes mention of such a colony, conducted by Belus. But the Chaldeans, on the other hand, maintain, that it was from them that the Egyptians received their first instructions, and, according to some, that Abraham was the person who first communicated to the Chaldeans the knowledge of astronomy and other sciences. However this be, Solomon received from God a perfect knowledge of all that useful and solid learning for which the eastern people and the Egyptians were justly famed; for, (as it follows,) he was a great moral philosopher, a great natural philosopher, and an excellent poet. It is uncertain who were the three persons mentioned in the next verse. It is generally supposed, that Ethan is the same with him who is mentioned at the head of some of the Psalms, particularly Psalms 89.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ki 4:30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
Ver. 30. The wisdom of all the children of the east. ] The Arabians and Chaldeans, Mat 2:1 Dan 2:2 philosophers and astronomers.
And all the wisdom of Egypt.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
children = sons.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the children: Gen 25:6, Job 1:3, Dan 1:20, Dan 4:7, Dan 5:11, Dan 5:12, Mat 2:1, Mat 2:16
the wisdom of Egypt: Isa 19:11, Isa 19:12, Act 7:22
Reciprocal: Gen 29:1 – came Jdg 6:3 – children Jdg 7:12 – the Midianites 2Ch 9:22 – passed all the kings Job 1:8 – none Ecc 1:14 – General Ecc 1:16 – Lo Eze 25:4 – men
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the {l} east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
(l) That is, the philosophers and astronomers who were judged most wise.