Context No. 3472 of 4322 · 1 Kings

1 Kings 10:11-22: in context

11The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug trees and precious stones. 12The king made of the almug trees pillars for the LORD’s house and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen to this day. 13King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, in addition to that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants. 14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 15in addition to that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. 16King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. 17He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 20Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. Nothing like it was made in any kingdom. 21All 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, because it was considered of little value in the days of Solomon. 22For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

This passage piles up the sheer scale of Solomon's wealth: gold pouring in year after year, shields of beaten gold, a great throne of ivory overlaid with gold, all his drinking vessels of pure gold, and silver reckoned as worth nothing in his day. It is a dazzling picture of prosperity, presented, in one sense, as God's blessing on the king he had made wise.

And yet, read in the light of the whole story, there is a shadow over it. This same accumulation, the gold, the horses, and elsewhere the many wives, would be the very thing that turned Solomon's heart away, for the law had warned kings not to multiply for themselves gold and horses and wives. What looks like unmixed blessing carried within it the seeds of his downfall. Great wealth is not evil in itself, but it is spiritually dangerous; it can quietly become the thing that draws the heart away from God, as it did even for the wisest of kings. Prosperity asks to be handled with watchfulness, not simply enjoyed.

Do I hold prosperity and wealth with caution, aware that even good gifts can quietly draw the heart away from God if I am not watchful?

Sources

1 Kings 10:21: "All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold... None were of silver, because it was considered of little value in the days of Solomon."
1 Kings 10:14: "Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold."
Deuteronomy 17:17: "Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold... that his heart not turn away."