Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:24; 1 Chron. 3:5), reigned from ca. 971 to ca. 931 B.C.E. Solomon was only the third king of the united kingdom of Israel, but he turned out to be the final king. Known in the Old Testament (1 Kings 3) and New Testament for his wisdom (Matt .12:42) and his glory (Luke 12:27), Solomon actually sowed the seeds of discontent and eventual dismemberment of Israel as a united nation. So, what kind of wisdom was it that could also turn to foolishness!

This commentary will first look at the character of Solomon’s brilliance, as well as his frailties. Then, we will turn to the role of wisdom among God’s people.

The Wisest Man

God appeared to Solomon at Gibeon and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" (1 Kings 3:5).1 In reply, Solomon reveals his real depth of character: "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.…So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong" (vss. 7–9). And God grants his wish.

What is the nature of the gift of discernment provided to Solomon? The story of the two prostitutes in the latter part of chapter 3 gives the answer. Solomon is able, lack of witnesses notwithstanding, to determine which claimant was the mother of the living child (1 Kings 3:16–28). The result of the king’s verdict meant that all Israel held Solomon in "awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice" (vs. 28). The interesting thing about this kind of wisdom is its basis in common sense. The genius of Solomon’s verdict is that it is so obvious. It’s wisdom of the "That’s right; why didn’t I think of that first!" variety. It was this kind of wise administrative ability that enabled Solomon to organize his kingdom effectively (1 Kings 4:1–28).

However, there were also creative and academic aspects to Solomon’s discernment. He spoke 3,000 proverbs and composed 1,005 songs, while describing plant and animal life (vss. 29–34). The two strands—administrative ability and the gift of answering hard questions—are brought together in the account of the queen of Sheba’s visit in 10:1–10, 13, 23–24.2

Some questions for reflection or discussion:

• Why is the story of the two harlots used as the "proof" of Solomon’s discernment? Surely there were instances of Solomon dispensing justice to more acceptable citizens of Israel!
• Most cultures have people who are distinguished for their wisdom, proverbs, parables, or plain commonsense. Does the story of Solomon illustrate something more? What is it?

Strange Traveling Companions

Solomon is an example of great wisdom "traveling" side-by-side with extreme folly. Perhaps his harsh dealings with Adonijah, Abiathar, Joab, and Shimei may be excused as having occurred before the divine bestowal of wisdom (see 1 Kings 2:13–46), but they illustrate that Solomon was quite capable of political opportunism. Certainly these incidents meant that "The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomon’s hands" (vs. 46).

Still, part of Solomon’s administrative ability involved the provision—via heavy taxes, of course—of vast quantities of livestock and supplies for the daily use of his court. This was to result in requests for alleviation in Rehoboam’s time (1 Kings 12). Note, however that this was not just a problem from Solomon’s later life. Rather, it had its roots in some of Solomon’s earliest decisions. This, along with insights gleaned from Ecclesiastes, indicates that it was Solomon’s marrying of wisdom and pleasure that brought him to the conclusion that wisdom and folly are both meaningless: "For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered;/ in days to come both will be forgotten./ Like the fool, the wise man too must die!" (Eccles. 2:16). How could one so discerning in some aspects of life be so unwise in others?

Some questions for reflection and discussion:

• What is the basis of ethical "blind spots" in the lives of Christians? Is there a remedy for such blind spots?
• Does a system of ethics help Christians in determining right and wrong? Or, is it more important to be the right sort of person?

The Gift of Discernment

The Old Testament contains a number of examples of people of wisdom. Job, Joseph, Deborah, Solomon, and Daniel come readily to mind. Then, in the New Testament, Paul lists wisdom as one of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:8). It is clear from his discussion of the "body" (vss. 12–31) that wisdom (along with the other spiritual gifts) was to be used for the upbuilding of the whole community, not merely for gratification of the individual Christian possessing the gift.

This raises questions in regard to the role that people of wisdom might play in the local and corporate church. How are such people recognized? What function might they play in the congregation? Obviously, the ideal would be for one with the gift for pastoral ministry also to possess the gift of ministry. However, I have "pastored" lay church leaders who have exhibited the gift of wisdom and discernment to a superior degree. Paul’s body model is instructive here. Not all will possess the same gifts, and the "ear" will not desire to be an "eye" (vs. 16).

Some questions for reflection or discussion:

• Do some people possess wisdom as a natural gift or talent? What is the relationship between that gift and the spiritual gift of wisdom?
• Why does Paul refer to Jesus as "the wisdom of God?"

Notes and References

1. All Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version.
2. G. H. Jones, New Century Bible Commentary: 1 and 2 Kings, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1984), 130.

For Further Study

Simon J. DeVries. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 12: 1 Kings. Waco, Tex.: Word, 1985.

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