29 And God gave Solomon a great store of wisdom and good sense, and a mind of wide range, as wide as the sand by the seaside.
I have done as you said: I have given you a wise and far-seeing heart, so that there has never been your equal in the past, and never will there be any like you in the future.
Judah and Israel were as great in number as the sand by the seaside, and they took their food and drink with joy in their hearts.
To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is.
Every good and true thing is given to us from heaven, coming from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or any shade made by turning.
They are coming all of them with force; the direction of their faces is forward, the number of their prisoners is like the sands of the sea.
As it is not possible for the army of heaven to be numbered, or the sand of the sea measured, so will I make the seed of my servant David, and the Levites my servants.
So he got together a store of grain like the sand of the sea; so great a store that after a time he gave up measuring it, for it might not be measured.
I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
Give me wisdom, so that I may keep your law; going after it with all my heart.
Give me now wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people: for who is able to be the judge of this great people of yours? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you did not make request for money, property, or honour, or for the destruction of your haters, or for long life; but you have made request for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you may be the judge of my people over whom I have made you king: Wisdom and knowledge are given to you; and I will give you wealth and honour, such as no king has had before you or ever will have after you.
And news of this decision which the king had made went through all Israel; and they had fear of the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to give decisions.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 4
Commentary on 1 Kings 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
An instance of the wisdom God granted to Solomon we had in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this we have an account of his wealth and prosperity, the other branch of the promise there made him. We have here,
1Ki 4:1-19
Here we have,
1Ki 4:20-28
Such a kingdom, and such a court, surely never any prince had, as Solomon's are here described to be.
1Ki 4:29-34
Solomon's wisdom was more his glory than his wealth, and here we have a general account of it.
Lastly, Solomon was, herein, a type of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and hidden for use; for he is made of God to us wisdom.