Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Solomon’s Kingdom

I Kings 4:1-34

“So king Solomon was king over all Israel.” (I Kings 4:1) 

Only three Israelite kings reigned over all Israel, and Solomon would be the last.  David left Solomon a strong and united kingdom, and under his leadership Israel would reach it’s greatest extent, with other countries allying themselves with Israel.  

“And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend: And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.” (I Kings 4:2-6)

Wise as he was, Solomon made it a point to find the best men possible for the various positions that needed to be filled, rather than trying to do it all himself.  Each was given credit for the job they did, encouraging them for doing it, and demonstrating Solomon’s wisdom again.

"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. 

And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan: The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam: The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; 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 brazen bars: Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim: Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife: Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin: 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.” (I Kings 4:7-19)

The land was divided into tax districts with each district responsible for providing one month’s operating expenses for the government.   It was a convenient way of doing things, but it also made Solomon and his government aware of any areas that were struggling.  A system such as we use in the United States results in a government that is less aware of what is going on with individual states because not every area is affected at the same time.  Individual states may be suffering major losses while the federal government experiences almost no decline in income.  Solomon’s government would thus be more responsive to the people than the American government is,

“Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.  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.” (I Kings 4:20-21)

Solomon’s kingdom extended from the Euphrates river south and west to the border of Egypt.  It included most of present day Syria, part of Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and part of present day Egypt, as well a present day Israel.  Even countries which had not been conquered formed alliances with Solomon.

“And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.” (I Kings 4:22-23)  

Supporting the government took a hundred eighty bushels of fine flour and three hundred sisty bushels of coarse flour everyday as well as ten grain fed cattle and twenty gras fed ones.  It also took a hundred sheep and what ever game was taken.  This included supporting

“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.  And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” (I Kings 4:22-25) 

Throughout Solomon’s reign Israel dwelt at peace with the surrounding countries,  As a result they experienced an era of economic prosperity, despite the expense of supporting the government.

“And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 

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.  Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.” (I Kings 4:26-28)

Solomon maintained a powerful standing military force with forty thousand stalls for chariot horses and twelve thousand cavalrymen.  It was a force few would wish to confront.  They were also supported through the taxation program.

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.  And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.  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. 

And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.  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.  And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” (I Kings 4:29-34)

As a result of the wisdom God provided, Solomon became an advisor to many other world leaders.  He used common everyday things to help others understand what he was teaching them, and studied various things to learn as much as possible.  As Ecclesiastes 1:13 describes it, “And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven:”  

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