A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 4
1 Kings CHAP. IV.
THIS Chapter is a Narrative of the Magnificency and Majeſty of King Solomon.
Firſt, The Matter of it, both as to his Court, and as to his Kingdom: and
Secondly, The Effects of it, both as to his own Subjects, and as to Neighbouring Nations, yea, and as to thoſe that were afar off.
Remarks firſt, upon the matter of Solomon's Majeſty and Magnificency, as to his Court.
Firſt, This is moſt manifeſtly demonſtrated in the excellent order of it, both as to Eccleſiaſticks, to Politicks, to Polemicks, and to Domeſticks, he had a moſt orderly diſtribution of Offices, v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and
Secondly, How his Court was moſt ſumptuouſly provided for with all good things neceſſary both Animate and Inanimate for food every day to foreign Embaſſadors (which were not a few, v. 34.) as well as to his own numerous Courtiers, ver. 7, 22, 23, 27, 28.
The Second Remark is, As to his Kingdom, he appointed Twelve Governours over all the Twelve Tribes of Iſrael, who are all named from v. 8, to 19. as all Men of Renown, which is a confirmation of what is ſaid, that [Solomon Reigned over all Iſrael] v. 1. which was more than what his Father David did in the firſt ſeven years of his Reign; and more than any of his Succeſſors did, ſave his Son Rehoboam only for a ſhort ſpace, Chap 12.16.
And tho' Iſrael and Judah enjoyed a ſublime Peace under his Government, v. 25. both without fear of any foreign Invaſions, and without Danger of Domeſtick Diviſions, yet maketh he all Warlike proviſions, providing forty thouſand ſtalls of Horſes, v. 26. for furniſhing his four thouſand ſttables, 2 Chron. 9.25. each of which had ten ſtalls or partitions, containing ten Horſes at leaſt a piece; and tho' this great number ſeems forbidden, Deut. 17.16. and both Joſhua and David houghed the Horſes, they won from their Enemies; yet Peter Martyr ſays Solomon ſin'd not against that Law, ſeeing he trusted not in his Horſes, Prov. 21.31. and he might have ſome peculiar diſpenſation from God, tho' not Recorded, becauſe God promis'd him the greateſt Grandeur and the higheſt Splendor of all the Kings of the Earth, as a Type of the Meſſiah's Glorious Kingdom. And this Reign of Solomon was the Golden Age of Iſrael, therefore had they little cauſe to complain of his yoke after, Chap. 12.4.
Others are of Opinion, That Solomon ſinned in multiplying Horſes as well as in multiplying Wives, &c. So Lavater and others affirm, Chap. 11.1, 2.
The Second Part is the effects of Solomon's Magnificency, and firſt, upon his own Subjects.
Remarks upon it are,
Firſt, The Plenty both of Perſons and things that Solomon's peaceable Kingdom produced, v. 20, 22; 23. his Subjects did eat and drink plentifully and peaceably (as well as himſelf) without fear of foes.
The Second Remark is, Their making merry was not only in one part, but in all the parts of the Kingdom, v. 24, 25. having peace on all ſides round about him, whoſe name was peaceabe, as Solomon in Hebrew ſignifies, wherein he was a lively Type of Christ that Prince of Peace, Iſa. 9.6. who as he was brought from Heaven with that Song of peace, Luke 2.14. ſo he returned back again to Heaven with that farewell of peace, Joh. 14.27. leaving to the World (as one well obſerveth) the Goſpel of Peace, Eph. 2.17. which worketh that peace that ſurpaſſeth all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7.
N. B. How may Chriſt's ſubjects eat their bread with joy, and drink their wine with a merry heart, when they know God accepts their perſons and performances! Eccleſ. 9.7. All are accepted in that beloved one, Eph. 1.6. and why are they ſo lean from day to day, ſeeing they are Sons and Daughters to ſuch a King of peace, 2 Sam. 13.4. who gives them the white ſtone, and the new Name, Revel. 2.17. enough and enough to make them everlaſtingly merry, and that in the midſt of a thouſand Croſſes and Caſualties.
The Third Remark is, Solomon's Subjects made thus merry not only for a few years, but for forty years, this mirth continued all the Reign of Solomon, v. 21, 25. notwithſtanding his Apoſtaſy; for as God's truth appeared in performing that promiſe, Chap. 3.13. giving him all this peace and plenty: So God's love and long ſufferance was mightily magnified in this, that tho' he ſo foully fell afterward, yet God continued this his goodneſs to him all his days: Indeed God ſtirred up ſome Adverſaries, Chap. 11.14.23.26. but they were ſuch as did more miſchief to his poſterity than to himſelf.
Secondly, The Effects upon his Neighbours as well as his Subjects, v. 21, 24. wherein,
Mark Firſt, All Neighbouring Nations became ſubjected to Solomon's Dominion, as far as to the River Euphrates, which was their Coaſt Northward as God had promiſed, Gen. 15.18. Exod. 23.31. Deut. 11.24. Joſh. 1.4. as the Land of the Philiſtines was their Coaſt on the West, and Egypt on the South, Numb. 34.3, 4, 5. all the Kings that bordered upon Iſrael became ſubject to King Solomon.
Mark Secondly, All the adjacent Kings of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria, &c. which David ſubdued) came under Solomon's protection (ſaith Grotius) and not only paid him Tribute, but alſo brought him preſents to procure his favour.
The Third Effect was, v. 34. when Solomon's Wiſdom ſounded afar off to remote Kingdoms, as well as to thoſe nigh at hand.
Mark (1.) Even all Kings of the Earth, that had heard of his Wiſdom (the report of which Fame had now filled all the World) came alſo to hear it; and becauſe Kings do not commonly go out of their Kingdoms in Perſon, but upon ſome great Emergency, they ſent their Embaſſadors at the leaſt (ſaith Peter Martyr) to Jeruſalem to correſpond with him, and to communicate his profound Wiſdom to their Maſters.
Mark (2.) The Excellency of this Wiſdom of Solomon that thus ſounded abroad in all the parts of the World, it was of as great extent as the ſand upon the Sea ſhore, v. 29. which can never be numbered or meaſured, even ſo was the largneſs of Solomon's Wiſdom, and innumerable notions, even a Sea of Knowledge he had within himſelf, ſo that he was wiſer than Arabians, Chaldeans, Philoſophers, Aſtronomers, v. 30. yea, Wiſer than all Men, v. 31. far beyond Pythagoras, Plato, Ariſtotle, or Socrates himſelf, whom Apollo in his Oracle at Delphos pronounced to be the Wiſeſt of all Mortal Men: All their Learning was only acquired, but Solomon's was infuſed.
Mark (3.) The Wiſdom of Solomon did manifeſt it ſelf in his Learned Works, he wrote Books of Ethicks and of Phyſicks, v. 32, 33. the greateſt part whereof were loſt in the Captivity, and whereunto Ariſtotle was not a little beholden, when they fell into his hands at Alexander's taking of Babylon, with whom he was as his Tutor. However, the Choiceſt part of his Natural, Moral, and Divine Wiſdom God preſerved for the Church, and left them Recorded in thoſe Three Books, Proverbs, Eccleſiaſtes, and Canticles.
Mark (4.) Thoſe Works of Solomon had as much variety in them, as the World hath in it ſelf, treating upon all therein: Euſebius thinks Hezekiah deſtroyed them, becauſe the People did Idolize them as they did the Brazen Serpent, but Peter Martyr ſays better, ſeeing ſo many of his Books are loſt, let us be more thankful to God for the Three Books of his we have, and make the better improvement of them: This made Solomon ſo Famous far and near, that tho other Kings came not in perſon to partake of his Wiſdom themſelves, yet the Queen of Sheba did, Chap. 10.
N. B. How doth this aggravate the perverſeneſs of their diſpoſitions, that regard not the Wiſdom of him who was Wiſer than Solomon, Mat. 12.42. In all which, Solomon was a Type of our Bleſſed Saviour, who draws in all Nations to the Goſpel, and who reads better Divinity Lectures to Men than ever Solomon could do, &c.