1 Kings 4:29 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much Knowledge of a great variety of things, and prudence in the administration of the government. And largeness of heart Vastness of understanding, or a very comprehensive mind, capable of receiving the knowledge of all things, both divine and human. As the sand that is on the sea-shore As the sand there encloses a vast body of waters, so his mind contained an ocean of knowledge, as the Lord Bacon somewhere speaks. The wisdom of all the children of the east country The Chaldeans, Persians, and Arabians, who all lay eastward from Canaan, and were famous in ancient times for their wisdom and learning, the Arabians especially, as appears from the book of Job. And, in after ages, Porphyry reports that Pythagoras travelled into this country to improve himself in learning. And all the wisdom of Egypt Which country was celebrated for wisdom in Moses's time, as appears from Acts 7:22; and, in after times, Macrobius calls Egypt the mother of arts. Indeed, such was their skill in arts and sciences, that they despised the Greeks as children in knowledge.