An
instance of the wisdom God granted to Solomon we had in the close of the
foregoing chapter. In this we have an account of his wealth and prosperity,
the other branch of the promise there made him. We have here, I. The
magnificence of his court, his ministers of state (ver. 1-6), and the
purveyors of his household (ver. 7-19), and their office, ver. 27, 28. II.
The provisions for his table, ver. 22, 23. III. The extent of his dominion,
ver. 21-24. IV. The numbers, case, and peace, of his subjects, ver. 20-25.
V. His stables, ver. 26. VI. His great reputation for wisdom and learning,
ver. 29-34. Thus great was Solomon, but our Lord Jesus was greater than he
(Matt. xii. 42), though he took upon him the form of a servant; for
divinity, in its lowest humiliation, infinitely transcends royalty in its
highest elevation.
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Solomon's
Officers.
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B.
C. 1014.
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1 So king Solomon was king over all
Israel. 2 And these were the princes which he had;
Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the
sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and
Abiathar were the priests: 5 And Azariah the son of
Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was
principal officer, and the king's friend: 6 And Ahishar was
over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the
tribute. 7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel,
which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month
in a year made provision. 8 And these are their names:
The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: 9 The son of Dekar, in Makaz,
and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan: 10 The
son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land
of Hepher: 11 The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor;
which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: 12 Baana the
son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean,
which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah,
even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam: 13 The
son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair
the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained
the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with
walls and brasen bars: 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had
Mahanaim: 15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took
Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife: 16 Baanah the son of
Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth: 17 Jehoshaphat the son
of Paruah, in Issachar: 18 Shimei the son of Elah, in
Benjamin: 19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of
Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king
of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.
Here we have,
I. Solomon upon his throne (v. 1): So king Solomon was king,
that is, he was confirmed and established king over all Israel, and
not, as his successors, only over two tribes. He was a king, that is, he did
the work and duty of a king, with the wisdom God had given him. Those
preserve the name and honour of their place that mind the business of it and
make conscience of it.
II. The great officers of his court, in the choice of whom, no doubt, his
wisdom much appeared. It is observable, 1. That several of them are the same
that were in his father's time. Zadok and Abiathar were then priests (2 Sam.
xx. 25), so they were now; only then Abiathar had the precedency, now Zadok.
Jehoshaphat was then recorder, or keeper of the great seal, so he was now.
Benaiah, in his father's time, was a principal man in military affairs, and
so he was now. Shisha was his father's scribe, and his sons were his, v.
3. Solomon, though a wise man, would not affect to be wiser than his father
in this matter. When sons come to inherit their father's wealth, honour, and
power, it is a piece of respect to their memory, cæteris paribus--where
it can properly be done, to employ those whom they employed, and trust
those whom they trusted. Many pride themselves in being the reverse of their
good parents. 2. The rest were priests' sons. His prime-minister of state
was Azariah the son of Zadok the priest. Two others of the first rank
were the sons of Nathan the prophet, v. 5. In preferring them he
testified the grateful respect he had for their good father, whom he loved in
the name of a prophet.
III. The purveyors for his household, whose business it was to send in
provisions from several parts of the country, for the king's tables and
cellars (v. 7) and for his stables (v. 27, 28), that thus, 1.
His house might always be well furnished at the best hand. Let great men
learn hence good house-keeping, to be generous in spending according to
their ability, but prudent in providing. It is the character of the virtuous
woman that she bringeth her food from afar (Prov. xxxi. 14), not
far-fetched and dear-bought, but the contrary, every thing bought where it
is cheapest. 2. That thus he himself, and those who immediately attended
him, might be eased of a great deal of care, and the more closely apply
themselves to the business of the state, not troubled about much serving,
provision for that being got ready to their hand. 3. That thus all the parts
of the kingdom might be equally benefited by the taking off of the
commodities that were the productions of their country and the circulating
of the coin. Industry would hereby be encouraged, and consequently wealth
increased, even in those tribes that lay most remote from the court. The
providence of God extends itself to all places of his dominions (Ps.
ciii. 22); so should the prudence and care of princes. 4. The dividing of
this trust into so many hands was prudent, that no man might be continually
burdened with the care of it nor grow exorbitantly rich with the profit of
it, but that Solomon might have those, in every district, who, having a
dependence upon the court, would be serviceable to him and his interest as
there was occasion. These commissioners of the victualling-office, not for
the army or navy (Solomon was engaged in no war), but for the household, are
here named, several of them only by their surnames, as great men commonly
call their servants: Ben-hur, Ben-dekar, &c., though several of
them have also their proper names prefixed. Two of them married Solomon's
daughters, Ben-Abinadab (v. 11) and Ahimaaz (v. 15), and no
disparagement to them to marry men of business. Better match with the
officers of their father's court that were Israelites than with the sons of
princes that were strangers to the covenant of promise. The son of
Geber was in Ramoth-Gilead (v. 19), and Geber himself was in the
country of Sihon and Og, which included that and Mahanaim, v. 14. He
is therefore said to be the only officer in that land, because the
other two, mentioned v. 13, 14, depended on him, and were subordinate
to him.
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The
Supply of Solomon's Household.
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B.
C. 1014.
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20 Judah and Israel were many, as the
sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and
making merry. 21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the
river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they
brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour,
and threescore measures of meal, 23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty
oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks,
and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. 24 For he had dominion over all
the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over
all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round
about him. 25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under
his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days
of Solomon. 26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses
for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27 And those
officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king
Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. 28
Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the
place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
Such a kingdom, and such a court, surely never any prince had, as Solomon's
are here described to be.
I. Such a kingdom. Never did the crown of Israel shine so brightly as it did
when Solomon wore it, never in his father's days, never in the days of any
of his successors; nor was that kingdom ever so glorious a type of the
kingdom of the Messiah as it was then. The account here given of it is such
as fully answers the prophecies which we have concerning it in Ps. lxxii.,
which is a psalm for Solomon, but with reference to Christ. 1. The
territories of his kingdom were large and its tributaries many; so it was
foretold that he should have dominion from sea to sea, Ps. lxxii.
8-11. Solomon reigned not only over all Israel, who were his subjects by
choice, but over all the neighbouring kingdoms, who were his subjects by
constraint. All the princes from the river Euphrates, north-east to the
border of Egypt south-west, not only added to his honour by doing him homage
and holding their crowns from him, but added to his wealth by serving him,
and bringing him presents, v. 21. David, by his successful wars,
compelled them to this subjection, and Solomon, by his admirable wisdom,
made it easy and reasonable; for it is fit that the fool should be servant
to the wise in heart. If they gave him presents, he gave them
instructions, and still taught the people knowledge, not only his own
people, but those of other nations: and wisdom is better than gold.
He had peace on all sides, v. 24. None of all the nations that
were subject to him offered to shake off his yoke, or to give him any
disturbance, but rather thought themselves happy in their dependence upon
him. Herein his kingdom typified the Messiah's; for to him it is promised
that he shall have the heathen for his inheritance and that princes
shall worship him, Isa. xlix. 6, 7; liii. 12. 2. The subjects of his
kingdom and its inhabitants, were many and cheerful. (1.) They were numerous
and country was exceedingly populous (v. 20): Judah and Israel
were many, and that good land was sufficient to maintain them all. They
were as the sand of the sea in multitude. Now was fulfilled the promise
made to Abraham concerning the increase of his seed (Gen. xxii. 17), as well
as that concerning the extent of their dominion, Gen. xv. 18. This was their
strength and beauty, the honour of their prince, the terror of their
enemies, and an advancement of the wealth of the nation. If they grew so
numerous that the place was any where too strait for them, they might remove
with advantage into the countries that were subject to them. God's spiritual
Israel are many, at least they will be so when they come all together, Rev.
vii. 9. (2.) They were easy, they dwelt safely, or with confidence and
assurance (v. 25), not jealous of their king or of his officers, not
disaffected either to him or one to another, nor under any apprehension or
danger from enemies foreign or domestic. They were happy and knew it, safe
and willing to think themselves so. They dwelt every man under his vine
and fig-tree. Solomon invaded no man's property, took not to himself
their vineyards and olive-yards, as sometimes was the manner of the king (1
Sam. viii. 14), but what they had they could call their own: he protected
every man in the possession and enjoyment of his property. Those that had
vines and fig-trees ate the fruit of them themselves; and so great was the
peace of the country that they might, if they pleased, dwell as safely under
the shadow of them as within the walls of a city. Or, because it was usual
to have vines by the sides of their houses (Ps. cxxviii. 3), they are
said to dwell under their vines. (3.) They were cheerful in the use
of their plenty, eating and drinking, and making merry, v. 20.
Solomon did not only keep a good table himself, but enabled all his
subjects, according to their rank, to do so too, and taught them that God
gave them their abundance that they might use it soberly and pleasantly, not
that they might hoard it up. There is nothing better than for a man
to eat the labour of his hands (Eccl. ii. 24), and that with a
merry heart, Eccl. ix. 7. His father, in the Psalms, had led his people
into the comforts of communion with God, and now he led them into the
comfortable use of the good things of this life. This pleasant posture of
Israel's affairs extended, in place, from Dan to Beer-sheba--no part of the
country was exposed nor upon any account uneasy; and it continued a long
time, all the days of Solomon, without any material interruption. Go
where you would, you might see all the marks of plenty, peace, and
satisfaction. The spiritual peace, and joy, and holy security, of all the
faithful subjects of the Lord Jesus were typified by this. The kingdom of
God is not, as Solomon's was, meat and drink, but, what is
infinitely better, righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
II. Such a court Solomon kept as can scarcely be paralleled. We may guess at
the vast number of his attendants, and the great resort there was to him, by
the provision that was made daily for his table. Of bread there were so many
measures of flour and meal as, it is computed, would richly serve 3000 men (Carellus
computes above 4800 men), and the provision of flesh (v. 23) was
rather more in proportion. What vast quantities were here of beef, mutton,
and venison, and the choicest of all fatted things, as some read that
which we translate fatted fowl! Ahasuerus, once in his reign, made a great
feast, to show the riches of his kingdom, Esth. i. 3, 4. But it
was much more the honour of Solomon that he kept a constant table and a very
noble one, not of dainties or deceitful meats (he himself witnessed against
them, Prov. xxiii. 3), but substantial food, for the entertainment of those
who came to hear his wisdom. Thus Christ fed those whom he taught, 5000 at a
time, more than ever Solomon's table would entertain at once: and all
believers have in him a continual feast. Herein he far outdoes Solomon, that
he feeds all his subjects, not with the bread that perishes, but with
that which endures to eternal life. It added much both to the strength
and glory of Solomon's kingdom that he had such abundance of horses, 40,000
for chariots and 12,000 for his troops, 1000 horse, perhaps, in every tribe,
for the preserving of the public peace, v. 26. God had commanded that
their king should not multiply horses (Deut. xvii. 16), nor, according to
the account here given, considering the extent and wealth of Solomon's
kingdom, did he multiply horses in proportion to his neighbours; for we find
even the Philistines bringing into the field 30,000 chariots (1 Sam. xiii.
5) and the Syrians at least 40,000 horse, 2 Sam. x. 18. The same officers
that provided for his house provided also for his stable, v. 27, 28.
Every one knew his place, and work, and time; and so this great court was
kept without confusion. Solomon, that had vast incomes, lived at a vast
expense, and perhaps wrote that with application to himself, Eccl. v. 11. When
goods increase those are increased that eat them; and what good is there to
the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes, unless
withal they have the satisfaction of doing good with them?
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Solomon's
Distinguished Reputation.
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B.
C. 1014.
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29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and
understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is
on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of
all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
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. 32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs
were a thousand and five. 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. 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.
Solomon's wisdom was more his glory than his wealth, and here we have a
general account of it.
I. The fountain of his wisdom: God gave it him, v. 29. He owns
it himself. Prov. ii. 6, The Lord giveth wisdom. He gives the powers
of reason (Job xxxviii. 36), preserves and improves them. The ordinary
advances of them are owing to his providence, the sanctification of them to
his grace, and this extraordinary pitch at which they arrived in Solomon to
a special grant of his favour to him in answer to prayer.
II. The fulness of it: He had wisdom and understanding, exceeding much,
great knowledge of distant countries and the histories of former times, a
quickness of thought, strength of memory, and clearness of judgment, such as
never any man had. It is called largeness of heart; for the heart is
often put for the intellectual powers. He had a vast compass of knowledge,
could take things entire, and had an admirable faculty of laying things
together. Some, by his largeness of heart, understand his courage and
boldness, and that great assurance with which he delivered his dictates and
determinations. Or it may be meant of his disposition to do good with his
knowledge. He was very free and communicative, had the gift of utterance as
well as wisdom, was as free of his learning as he was of his meat, and
grudged neither to any that were about him. Note, It is very desirable that
those who have large gifts of any kind should have large hearts to use them
for the good of others; and this is from the hand of God, Eccl. ii.
24. He shall enlarge the heart, Ps. cxix. 32. The greatness of
Solomon's wisdom is illustrated by comparison. Chaldea and Egypt were
nations famous for learning; thence the Greeks borrowed theirs; but the
greatest scholars of these nations came short of Solomon, v. 30. If
nature excels art, much more does grace. The knowledge which God gives by
special favour goes beyond that which man gets by his own labour. Some wise
men there were in Solomon's time, who were in great repute, particularly
Heman, and others who were Levites, and employed by David in the
temple-music, 1 Chron. xv. 19. Heman was his seer in the word of God,
1 Chron. xxv. 5. Chalcol and Darda were own brothers, and they also were
noted for learning and wisdom. But Solomon excelled them all (v.
30), he out-did them and confounded them; his counsel was much more
valuable.
III. The fame of it. It was talked of in all nations round about. His
great wealth and glory made his wisdom much more illustrious, and have him
those opportunities of showing it which those cannot have that live in
poverty and obscurity. The jewel of wisdom may receive great advantage by
the setting of it.
IV. The fruits of it; by these the tree is known: he did not bury his
talent, but showed his wisdom,
1. In his compositions. Those in divinity, written by divine inspiration,
are not mentioned here, for they are extant, and will remain to the world's
end monuments of his wisdom, and are, as other parts of scripture, of use to
make us wise unto salvation. But, besides these, it appears by what
he spoke, or dictated to be written from him, (1.) That he was a moralist,
and a man of great prudence, for he spoke 3000 proverbs, wise
sayings, apophthegms, of admirable use for the conduct of human life. The
world is much governed by proverbs, and was never better furnished with
useful ones than by Solomon. Whether those proverbs of Solomon that we have
were any part of the 3000 is uncertain. (2.) That he was a poet and a man of
great wit: His songs were 1005, of which one only is extant, because
that only was divinely inspired, which is therefore called his Song of
songs. His wise instructions were communicated by proverbs, that they
might be familiar to those whom he designed to teach and ready on all
occasions, and by songs, that they might be pleasant and move the
affections. (3.) That he was a natural philosopher, and a man of great
learning and insight into the mysteries of nature. From his own and others'
observations and experience, he wrote both of plants and animals (v.
33), descriptions of their natures and qualities, and (some think) of the
medicinal use of them.
2. In his conversation. There came persons from all parts, who were more
inquisitive after knowledge than their neighbours, to hear the wisdom of
Solomon, v. 34. Kings that had heard of it sent their ambassadors
to hear it and to bring them instructions from it. Solomon's court was the
staple of learning, and the rendezvous of philosophers, that is, the lovers
of wisdom, who all came to light their candle at his lamp and to borrow from
him. Let those who magnify the modern learning above that of the ancients
produce such a treasure of knowledge any where in these latter ages as that
was which Solomon was master of; yet this puts an honour upon human
learning, that Solomon was praised for it, and recommends it to the great
men of the earth, as well worthy their diligent search. But,
Lastly, Solomon was, herein, a type of Christ, in whom are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and hidden for use; for he is
made of God to us wisdom.
