Old Testament · United Kingdom
Solomon
“So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”1 Kings 3:9
Biography
Solomon was David's son, granted extraordinary wisdom by God when he asked not for riches or long life but for a wise and discerning heart. Under his reign, Israel reached its golden age — he built the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, accumulated great wealth, and composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. Yet in his later years, his 700 wives and 300 concubines led his heart away to other gods. His kingdom was divided after his death.
Spiritual Lesson
Solomon's beginning is a model of humility — asking for wisdom rather than personal advantage. But his end is a warning that wisdom acquired can be wisdom abandoned when the heart is divided. Ecclesiastes, his reflection in old age, concludes: 'Fear God and keep his commandments — this is the whole duty of man.'
Walking Together