Day 172—We are in the 6th month of Bible reading and continue in the History of Israel.

 Day 172 – 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9. (The Queen of Sheba pays a visit to Solomon, his great wealth, and his gradual turning from the LORD.)

News of Solomon’s wisdom and wealth had spread to Sheba (probably Ethiopia) and the Queen wanted to see for herself. She traveled about 1,200 miles to visit Solomon.  She came to hear about “the name of the LORD” and to test his wisdom with hard riddles.

The queen brought Solomon a ton-load of gifts (a hard task, for he had EVERYTHING!)  A very great quantity of mid-eastern spices (“never again came such an abundance of spices”) seemed to top the list, plus “very much” gold (about 4.5 tons) and precious stones. 

The queen told Israel’s king everything on her mind (nice that he let her speak first), and he answered all her questions.  These were riddles, trick questions, to “test” his advertised wisdom.  “There was nothing hidden to Solomon that he could not explain to her.” And she exclaims, 

Besides what he got from the Queen of Sheba, King Hiram of Tyre brought Solomon gold from Ophir. The weight of the gold in one year was 666 talents (about 25 tons). He made and covered everything with gold, from his 600+ ceremonial shields to his own drinking cups. None were made of silver because silver was considered “nothing” in those days, “as common as stone in Jerusalem.”

Solomon also gathered 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen he stationed in his “chariot cities.”  “Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt… A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, so, through the king’s traders,, they were exported.” 1 Kings 10:28-29

And Solomon built for himself a magnificent throne. It was made of ivory and overlaid with pure gold. It had six wide steps and a footstool of gold. On each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, while twelve more lions stood there, one on each end of the steps. “Nothing like it was ever made for any kingdom.”  “Thus, King Solomon excelled over all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.”

This reminds me of God’s promise to Solomon the night he asked God for wisdom to rule His people. (1 Kings 3:10-13) “Behold, I give you a discerning mind so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.”

Unfortunately Solomon was not wise for himself.  i Kings 11:1  says that King Solomon loved many foreign women (Egyptian, Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, Hittite) from the nations which the LORD had said Israel was NOT to intermarry with BECAUSE THEY WOULD SURELY TURN AWAY THEIR HEARTS AFTER THEIR PAGAN GODS. 

“Solomon clung to these in love (700 wives and 300 concubines), and they TURNED AWAY HIS HEART. For in his old age, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God…..

……as was the heart of David, his father.

(Read Deuteronomy 17:14-17 for God’s rule for Israel’s kings, about riches, horses, and wives.)

Solomon built high places for the gods of Moab and Ammon on the mountain east of Jerusalem.  And the LORD was angry with him and said to him, (1 Kings 11:10b-11) “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I WILL SURELY TEAR THE KINGDOM FROM YOU AND GIVE IT TO ANOTHER.

And the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon. Hadad the Edomite, and then Jeroboam from Ephraim.  One of God’s prophets told Jeroboam that he would tear 10 tribes from Solomon’s son, and reign in the North.