The Meaning of 1 Kings 4:30 Explained

1 Kings 4:30

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

YLT: 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;

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Kings 4:30 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 4:29-34 - The Wise King's Great Purpose
David, before his death, had made great preparations for building the Temple, but had not been permitted to proceed with its construction. "Thou didst well that it was in thy heart," 2 Chronicles 6:8. God credits us with what we would have done, had it been in our power. But now war on every side had been exchanged for peace, and the time for temple-building had come. A great principle is here involved which has many applications.
It is true of the Church at large. When the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee had peace, it was edified; and as it walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied, Acts 9:31. When the love of God reigns amid professing Christians, and they neither war against nor vex each other, then the world believes, and the very Hirams help to build.
It is also true of the inner life. The days of peace are those in which the heart thrives. See 1 Thessalonians 5:23, and Hebrews 13:20. God is not in the earthquake nor in the fire, but in the "still small voice." Cultivate a quiet heart, as did Mary, at the feet of Christ. It will result in deeds to be spoken of throughout the whole world, Luke 10:39 and Matthew 26:13.
1 Kings 4:1-34 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 4

1  Solomon's princes
7  His twelve officers for provision
20  The peace and largeness of his kingdom
22  His daily provision
26  His stable
29  His wisdom

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 4:30 mean?

Thus excelled wisdom of Solomon the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt
וַתֵּ֙רֶב֙ חָכְמַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵֽחָכְמַ֖ת כָּל־ בְּנֵי־ קֶ֑דֶם וּמִכֹּ֖ל חָכְמַ֥ת מִצְרָֽיִם

וַתֵּ֙רֶב֙  Thus  excelled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
חָכְמַ֣ת  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה  of  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
מֵֽחָכְמַ֖ת  the  wisdom 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּנֵי־  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֶ֑דֶם  of  the  East 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
וּמִכֹּ֖ל  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חָכְמַ֥ת  the  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
מִצְרָֽיִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.