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What the Bible Says About Wisdom

Overview

The Bible addresses wisdom across 71 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in 1 Kings, Genesis and Exodus. Closely related themes include Solomon, Wise Men, Prisoners and Egypt. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Solomon, Aholiab, Joseph and Bezaleel.

Key Bible verses about wisdom

Old Testament

Genesis

Genesis 41:16

And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Genesis 41:25

And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

Genesis 41:26

The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

Genesis 41:27

And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

Genesis 41:28

This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

Genesis 41:29

Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

Genesis 41:30

And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

Genesis 41:31

And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. grievous: Heb. heavy

Genesis 41:32

And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. established: or, prepared of God

Genesis 41:33

Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:34

Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. officers: or, overseers

Genesis 41:35

And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

Genesis 41:36

And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. perish: Heb. be not cut off

Genesis 41:37

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

Genesis 41:38

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

Genesis 41:39

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

Exodus

Exodus 31:3

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Exodus 31:4

To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

Exodus 31:5

And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

Exodus 31:6

And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

Exodus 35:26

And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.

Exodus 35:31

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

Exodus 35:32

And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

Exodus 35:33

And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

Exodus 35:34

And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

Exodus 35:35

Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Exodus 36:1

Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

Exodus 36:2

And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:

1 Kings

1 Kings 3:12

Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

1 Kings 3:16

Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

1 Kings 3:17

And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

1 Kings 3:18

And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

1 Kings 3:19

And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.

1 Kings 3:20

And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

1 Kings 3:21

And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

1 Kings 3:22

And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

1 Kings 3:23

Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.

1 Kings 3:24

And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.

1 Kings 3:25

And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

1 Kings 3:26

Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. yearned: Heb. were hot

1 Kings 3:27

Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

1 Kings 3:28

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. in him: Heb. in the midst of him

1 Kings 4:29

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

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.

1 Kings 4:31

For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

1 Kings 4:32

And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

1 Kings 4:33

And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

1 Kings 4:34

And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

1 Kings 5:12

And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

1 Kings 7:14

He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work. a widow's: Heb. the son of a widow woman

1 Kings 10:24

And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. sought to: Heb. sought the face of

New Testament

Matthew

Matthew 2:1

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Matthew 2:2

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Matthew 2:3

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Matthew 2:4

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

Matthew 2:5

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

Matthew 2:6

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. rule: or, feed

Matthew 2:7

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Matthew 2:8

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

Matthew 2:9

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Matthew 2:10

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Matthew 2:11

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. presented: or, offered

Matthew 2:12

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

People in the Bible and wisdom

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

In the Bible dictionary

Studying wisdom for yourself

  • Begin with Genesis 41:16, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how 1 Kings, Genesis and Exodus each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Solomon, Aholiab and Joseph and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Solomon, Wise Men, Prisoners and Egypt.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about wisdom?

The Bible addresses wisdom across 71 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in 1 Kings, Genesis and Exodus. Closely related themes include Solomon, Wise Men, Prisoners and Egypt. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Solomon, Aholiab, Joseph and Bezaleel.

How many Bible verses are about wisdom?

The Bible references wisdom in 71 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention wisdom?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 41:16: “And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Which people in the Bible are associated with wisdom?

Solomon, Aholiab, Joseph, Bezaleel and Moses.

Preach & teach

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