I Kings 10:14-29
“Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.” (I Kings 10:14-15)
Solomon had many subject states, who who supported his government. They were providing 666 talents of gold, or about eleven billion in annual income at today’s gold prices. This did not include the fees the traders and business men paid or the kings of Arabia for permission to ship through the area. It also didn’t include the provisions each area was required to provide. At this point, the economy was booming, and the taxes and fees were not a problem. With so much money, Solomon adopted a very lavish lifestyle.
“And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.” (I Kings 10:16-17)
Solomon had two hundred large shields made of pure gold, weighing twenty three pounds apiece, as well as three hundred small shields weighing around seven pounds each. The word translated pound was the mina, or sixty shekels. These were strictly for show as they were too soft to effectively block arrows or swords, although they would look quite impressive.
“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 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.” (I Kings 10:18-20)
Solomon’s throne was made of ivory, with six steps leading up to a platform with a seat and arms or railings on the sides. A trained lion sat on each side of the seat, and one on each end of each step. The entire throne was overlaid with gold. It must have been quite impressive and some what intimidating to come before the king.
“And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” (I Kings 10:21-22)
Israel was so rich at this point in Solomon’s reign that silver was considered worthless. In Solomon’s palace, only gold dishes and utensils were allowed, even when silver would have made better ones, simply because it was more expensive. Joint trading ventures with the Phoenicians brought in huge quantities of gold, silver, ivory, and exotic animals., enabling Solomon to live opulently.
“So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.” (I Kings 10:23-25)
Solomon’s wealth and success as a ruler made his advice widely sought. People paid high consulting fees for a little bit of Solomon’s time, much as they do consultants today.
“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.” (I Kings 10:26)
Solomon built the most powerful standing army of his day, with fourteen hundred chariots, the equivalent of tanks in that day, and a cavalry of twelve thousand for quick response situations. They were divided up and spread at strategic points throughout the kingdom, including a force in Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, in doing so, he was violating Deuteronomy 17:16, a part of the directions God gave for when they chose a king. “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.” Rather than depending on God, Solomon was beginning to depend on his own wisdom and power.
“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.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels 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.” (I Kings 10:27-29)
Halfway through Solomon’s reign, Israel was flourishing. Silver was almost as easy to find as a piece of gravel, and cedar from Lebanon was as common as the native sycamores along the banks of the streams. Linen yarn for weaving and horses and chariots were imported from Egypt for sale to other countries, including the Hittites and Syria, as well as for their own use. It must have seemed like it would never end.
“Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.” (I Kings 10:14-15)
Solomon had many subject states, who who supported his government. They were providing 666 talents of gold, or about eleven billion in annual income at today’s gold prices. This did not include the fees the traders and business men paid or the kings of Arabia for permission to ship through the area. It also didn’t include the provisions each area was required to provide. At this point, the economy was booming, and the taxes and fees were not a problem. With so much money, Solomon adopted a very lavish lifestyle.
“And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.” (I Kings 10:16-17)
Solomon had two hundred large shields made of pure gold, weighing twenty three pounds apiece, as well as three hundred small shields weighing around seven pounds each. The word translated pound was the mina, or sixty shekels. These were strictly for show as they were too soft to effectively block arrows or swords, although they would look quite impressive.
“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 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.” (I Kings 10:18-20)
Solomon’s throne was made of ivory, with six steps leading up to a platform with a seat and arms or railings on the sides. A trained lion sat on each side of the seat, and one on each end of each step. The entire throne was overlaid with gold. It must have been quite impressive and some what intimidating to come before the king.
“And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” (I Kings 10:21-22)
Israel was so rich at this point in Solomon’s reign that silver was considered worthless. In Solomon’s palace, only gold dishes and utensils were allowed, even when silver would have made better ones, simply because it was more expensive. Joint trading ventures with the Phoenicians brought in huge quantities of gold, silver, ivory, and exotic animals., enabling Solomon to live opulently.
“So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.” (I Kings 10:23-25)
Solomon’s wealth and success as a ruler made his advice widely sought. People paid high consulting fees for a little bit of Solomon’s time, much as they do consultants today.
“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.” (I Kings 10:26)
Solomon built the most powerful standing army of his day, with fourteen hundred chariots, the equivalent of tanks in that day, and a cavalry of twelve thousand for quick response situations. They were divided up and spread at strategic points throughout the kingdom, including a force in Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, in doing so, he was violating Deuteronomy 17:16, a part of the directions God gave for when they chose a king. “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.” Rather than depending on God, Solomon was beginning to depend on his own wisdom and power.
“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.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels 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.” (I Kings 10:27-29)
Halfway through Solomon’s reign, Israel was flourishing. Silver was almost as easy to find as a piece of gravel, and cedar from Lebanon was as common as the native sycamores along the banks of the streams. Linen yarn for weaving and horses and chariots were imported from Egypt for sale to other countries, including the Hittites and Syria, as well as for their own use. It must have seemed like it would never end.
I always thought it was interesting that Solomon's annual revenue of gold was 666 talents, suggesting perhaps that Satan was using Solomon's wealth as a way to seduce him from following God more closely (of course, the pagan wives were probably an even better way. Great post!
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
Laurie
Without the money, he probably wouldn't have been able to get all the wives.
ReplyDeleteThanks.