1 Kings 3

1 Kings 3:14-20

14. ¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year, was six hundred therefore and six talents of gold. 15. Besides that he had of the merchant-men, and of the traffic of the spice-merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 16. ¶ And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred fhetels of gold went to one target. 17. And he made three hundred fhetels of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the houle of the foref of Lebanon. 18. ¶ Moreover, the king made a great throne of 3 ivory, and overlaid it with the beft of gold. 19. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were 2 stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 20. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 21. ¶ And all king Solomon’s drinking-veffels were of gold, and all the vessels of the houle of the foref of Lebanon, were of pure gold, 3 none were of silver; it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 22. For the king had at sea a navy of Tharthith, with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharthith, bringing gold and silver, ivory, and apes, and 4 peacocks. 23. So king Solomon ’exceeded all the kings of the earth, for riches and for wisdom. 24. ¶ And all the earth fought to Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25. And they brought every man his pretext, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rare year by year. 26. And ‘Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27. And ’the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore-trees, that are in the vale, for abundance. 28. ¶ And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 29. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred fhetels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Solomon went on, increasing his wealth and magnificence.

1. The great sources from whence he drew his immense revenues, were the tribute of the conquered countries, the customs paid by the merchants, the pretexts which were continually made to him by the neighbouring potentates, who consulted him; but especially his vast traffic by land and sea. Every three years his ships, in comfort with Hiram, returned from Tharthith, supposed to be some part of the East Indies, from the commodities they imported, gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks or parrots. His trade to Egypt also was most advantageous: probably by his alliance with Pharaoh, he obtained the sole purchase of the staple commodities of the country, horses, chariots, and linen cloths, at a fixed price, which he again sold at a vast profit to the nations around him, v. 29. The clear produce of all which in one year amounted to six hundred and sixty-six talents, near three million of money, an immense sum in those days. Nate, Traffic is the great source of wealth: the empire of the sea enriches a nation more than the mines of Peru or Golconda.

2. He spent liberally what he received so abundantly. For he made two hundred large shields of gold, and three hundred

of a lesser size, for state, to be carried before him: he received a most magnificent throne of ivory, overlaid, or rather indial, with gold, supported by golden lions, and ascended by his steps, on each of which a lion was placed, of pure gold; here he received ambassadors, and fat in judgment. All his service for his table was place of gold, and his forces were increased proportionately to his grandeur: he maintained a standing army of fourteen hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and far from oppressing his subjects to maintain such state and dignity, by the trade he introduced among them, silver is figuratively laid to be as plenty as linens, and cedars as sycamore-trees. Thus did Solomon exceed all kings in riches and wisdom, and his people shared his glory, happy and prosperous under his fate and gentle government. Nate, (1.) Whatever God giveth, it is designed that we should richly enjoy it. (2.) Solomon, on this throne of ivory, was typical of his greater Son, seated on the great white throne of Judgment, and pronouncing sentence on the eternal state of men and angels: See Rev. xx. ii. (3.) That king is truly glorious, who makes his subjects affluent and happy under his wise administration. (4.) If we shall be found citizens of the new Jerusalem, and our lot he can among the subjects of Jesus, then the very streets of our city shall be pure gold, and the walls the richest jewels; so much will our eternal consolations and blessedness exceed all earthly joy and felicity.

1 Kings 3:16-28

The Child of his wives. Now, The Lord, Jesus hath thus espoused his church, once an Aunt, but shewn by the cross of his love, and condemned unto him, a glenbach church, more beautifully arrayed in divine grace, than the daughter of Phaedah in cloth of gold, and garments of needle-work.

2. The manner of sacrificing in those days was in the high places. Gibbon, where the old tabernacle stood, was most unquetthed, thicker Solomon trampled, and at one time offered a thousand sacrifices. He counted no expense too great, which was designed for the honour of God. Some have confused this practice as evil in Solomon; but the intimation given, that as yet God’s house was not built, seems to plead its lawfulness, and the appearance of God cut him in Gibbon, proves the acceptance of his offerings.

3. A blessed testimony is borne to the uprightness of his heart and ways before God. He loved the Lord, delighted in his worship, and observed his statutes, walking as his father had done before him, in holy obedience to the revealed will of God. Now, (1.) It is a blessed thing to see children walking in the steps of their pious parents. (2.) The greatest character man can possess, is to have God hear testimony to the unfeigned faith and love that is in him.

4. ¶ 1 In Gibbon the LORD appeared unto Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, “Ask what I shall give thee. 6. And Solomon said, Thou hast thereof unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to fit on his throne, as it is this day. 7. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am in a little child: I know not how to go out, or come in. 8. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people: which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9. ‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 10. And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11. And God said unto him, because thou hast asked this thing, and hath not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. 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. 13. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. 14. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David will walk, then I will lengthen thy days. 15. And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream: and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

p. 5—15. Solomon having waited upon God, he mercifully visits him in return.

1. The same night after he had spent his day with him, in a vision, by a supernatural dream, God reveals himself to him, and makes him a grievous offer of whatever he should request. Now, (1.) They who wait upon God in prayer and praise, will find him speedy in his returns of benediction. (2.) When the outward senses are locked up in sleep, the souls of God’s people are still capable of divine manifestations, and may, and sometimes do, receive graciouseistations from him. (3.) God still says to every praying believer, What is thy request, and it shall be given thee.

2. Solomon’s pious choice is recorded. Though asleep to the eyes of man, yet awake to God, he pours out his grateful acknowledgments, and puts up his servant prayer. Now, That which engages us most when we are awake, even in sleep will still be our employment. Many a servant prayer the spirit hath be united, when the body hath been wrapped in+qishers. He mentions with deep gratitude God’s mercy to his father David while alive, and now after his death, in bringing hambled his son to the throne. His father’s piety he speaks of honourably, as what he wished to imitate: his own insufficiency for the high religion in which God had placed him, he humbly confesses, being but a child in his own eyes in wisdom and understanding, and his sad kingdom requiring the deepest judgment to govern

is a right; therefore he requests an understanding heart, that he might be enabled to administer impartial justice, and to resign an understanding in God’s glory, and for his people’s good. Now, (1.) A good child will remember his father’s excellency in leakage death, and draw a well over his fine. (2.) The widest man are most sensible of their own ignorance. (3.) They who feel most the weight and difficulty of their office, will be best enabled to assist in, because they will be looking for strength and wisdom from above. (4.) An understanding heart is the gift of God.

3. God favorably accepted his request. He was pleased with the wisdom of his choice, by conferring spiritual blessings beyond mankind, the glory of God before the own offerings; therefore he not only believes the wisdom he asked, but super-sides riches and honour; and promises farther, long life to enjoy them, on condition he approved himself faithful. Now, (1.) When we feel God’s kingdom in the first place, he hath promised to add all other things unto us. (2.) Before and for hours are then truly blessings, when God believes the wisdom and grace to improve them might. (3.) If any man lack spiritual wisdom, let him ask of God, who giants liberally, beyond all we can ask or think.

4. Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream: yet not as there usually are, empty and vain, but followed with the real communication of the wisdom then promised him. On his return therefore to Jerusalem, he offers a great and grateful teacher, and rejoices before the ark of the covenant, with all his servants, who partook in his joy, and shared in his entertainment.

5. ¶ Then came there two women that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. 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. 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. 19. And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while those handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21. And when I rose in the morning to give my child such, behold it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son which I did bear. 22. And the other woman said, May; but the living is my son, and the dead is my son: and this said, No; but the dead is my son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king. 23. Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that lureth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, May: but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. 24. And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25. And the king said, Divide the living, and the child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 26. Then spake the woman who is the living child was, unto the king (for her bowels) perched upon her son) and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise say it: but the other said, Let it be neither mine nor those, nor service it. 27. Then the king answered, and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise say it: she is the mother thereof. 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, so the judgment.

Soon the forpassing wisdom of Solomon begins to appear; a singular influence of which is here recorded, of happening, some thing, on the very day of his return to Jerusalem.

7. A very difficult case comes before him for his decision. Two women, supposed to be harlots, living in one house together, were each of them alone delivered of a son, within three days of each other. One of them having overlaid her child in the night, whilst the other slept, laid her dead son in the place of the living one. This occasioned, she now morning, a home dispute about the living child, each claiming it as their own; and it seems the matter had been carried to some surprise court, and is referred to the king’s decision, before whom the plaintiff opens her case, and the defendant as solemnly denies the allegation. The question then was, how to discover the truth, where there could be no evidence but the parties, and these facts directly contrary to each other. Now, (1.) The public of helpless infancy are so many, that it is wondrous how we escape them. (2.) The tenderest nurse may sometimes, by accident, be unhappy, where the in without blame. (3.) Many a nurse, it is to be feared now, would rather, contend for the dead child, than the living; so not are profits usually to natural affections.

The following table is a simple formula:

2. A very wide determination is made on the trial. Solomon calls for a sword, and, since the disputants seemed to be a great of their claims, but the living child be divided between them: a verdict that appeared strongly inhuman, and a sport of their military; but the event showed how judicious. The real mother, whose bowels yearned for her son, cannot bear to the glittering sword, flays the executioner’s arms, and eagerly quits her claim, rather than her son should bleed; whilst the pretended mother, by acquiescing in the judgment, evidenced her fraud by her inhumanity. The case now was plain, and Solomon wisely decrees the living child to the tender and affectionate parent. Note, An inhuman mother is a moniker! and if but to conduct to divide a disputed child was shocking, how much more dreadful is many a harlot’s abandoned practice, that by abortion feels to defray the fruit of her womb, or murder the baby, when born, to conceal her shame.

3. The wisdom of the decision struck the hearers with reverence and awe, and the fame of it spread abroad; so that none dared do an unjust thing, however difficult to detect; for they see the God of wisdom had given their king such persecution, that nothing could be concealed from his piercing eye. Note, (1.) They who have the greatest natural talents, must remember to whom they are indebted for them. (2.) Fear of detection and punishment from man, is a greater restraint upon evil doers, than all the terrors of God’s threatened wrath.