Solomon’s Wealth, Part 5

Posted on April 30, 2012 by admin

Remember Solomon’s Wealth? In and of itself I said so what? what does it mean? Now that wealth, which is at least possible to measure, has been coupled in a promise with a wise and discerning mind¹ which is difficult to measure. Solomon’s wealth is hard to deny (whether I argue with the superlative degree of it or not). I am reminded of a story about Jesus (Matthew 9:2-8 NET):

…some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your² sins are forgiven.”³ Then some of the experts in the law said⁴ to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you⁵ respond with evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your⁶ sins are forgiven’⁷ or to say, ‘Stand up⁸ and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority (ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) on earth to forgive sins” – then he said to the paralytic – “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” And he stood up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were afraid⁹ and honored God who had given such authority (ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) to men.

The Greek word ἐξουσίαν (a form of ἐξουσία) makes it fairly clear that the crowd honored God for the authority to forgive sins that was given to men. The authority to say, Stand up and walk, was merely the kicker, so to speak, to persuade the crowd that the authority to forgive sins was truly given to men.

Is it possible that a wise and discerning mind given by God, would not be wise or discerning enough to prevent Solomon’s disobedience to God’s laws? That’s what the Bible seems to be saying here. And Solomon’s wealth is sort of the kicker to make that point. At the moment, however, a more pressing issue gnaws at my certainty and peace of mind; namely, is it possible that one thing—Solomon’s wealth—can be both at one and the same time the fulfillment of God’s promise and Solomon’s direct disobedience to God’s laws for kings?

There is an easy and obvious negative answer to this question, obvious if you have read the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. A Nietzschean reading of Solomon’s wealth would go something like this: The laundry list (1 Kings 10:14-28) could stand pretty much as is. The people of Israel were proud of their richest, wisest king, like any prosperous people would be. The next chapter was just more bragging originally (verses 1, 3, and 8). Solomon conquered the hearts of many hot foreign women and built places for them to worship their gods. The other stuff was added in the time of Josiah (2 Kings 22:1-2), a much later eight-year-old king of Judah.

The priests of Judah had eighteen long years (2 Kings 22:3,
8, 10, 12, 13) to falsify the whole history of Israel and present the newly discovered scroll to the twenty-five-year-old king raised under their tutelage. Even as it stands, however, the discerning reader can see through the Scripture to the historical truth hidden inside. Solomon worshiped Yahweh just as he paid every other god his due, much like the people of Josiah’s day (2 Kings 23:4). But the priests of Yahweh wanted more than their due. They knew that the kingdom was divided in the days of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. The simple truth that Solomon’s conscription and taxation were onerous on the people and that Rehoboam threatened to be worse than his father was not the cause of the people’s rebellion. No, it was because Solomon had sinned against Yahweh, broken every commandment they cleverly placed in the writings of Moses to get some control over this new naïve and gullible King Josiah (1 Kings 11:11-13). Though it was well known that no evil worthy of Yahweh’s wrath came upon Solomon or Israel during Solomon’s reign, the priests had an answer for this as well. The evil would come on Rehoboam because Yahweh longed to show mercy to Solomon’s father David, the poet king of Yahweh, and man after Yahweh’s own heart. On the other hand Solomon was too well known for his wisdom and wealth to discard that fact (1 Kings 3:28). So, Solomon’s wisdom was not an accident of birth, nor the result of privilege and education. No, it was Yahweh’s answer to an overwhelmed young man’s request for aid in fulfilling his role as king (1 Kings 3:11-12). Yahweh just threw in the wealth for good measure, since every priest hopes the path of wisdom leads to riches. (Never mind that they made Solomon’s wealth an act of disobedience to Yahweh’s laws. Maybe that’s evidence of a theological rift in the priestly caste. Yeah, that’s what happened.)

On and on this entirely fanciful reading of the Bible goes. The key is that every word or act, promise or prophecy of God is a lie concocted by priests, because the truth is, there is no God. Later, after the Babylonian exile, the prophets must have pulled the same nasty trick on the priests that the priests pulled on the kings of Israel. I’m not really sure who lambasted the prophets, or when. All this to maintain a faith that should have long ago been abandoned in a failed god named Yahweh.

I’m not saying I subscribe to a theory of Bible interpretation that posits that the Scripture was rewritten at least twice by fanatical people hell-bent on making Yahweh look better than he ought to for their own selfish gain. I brought it up precisely because I have reasons of my own to believe differently, and I’m ready to plunge headlong into the very thickets this kind of analysis purports to untangle. I intend to forge ahead with the confidence that God has reasons of his own for the apparent tangle and complexity of these thickets, and He does not require lying priests and prophets to account for them.

So, I’ll expand the context again. When the elders of Israel first asked for a king, God took it personally (1 Samuel 8:7, 8a NET).

The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king [Table]. Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods [Table].

Addendum: September 28, 2018
Tables of Matthew 9:2-5 and 9:8 comparing the NET and KJV follow.

Matthew 9:2-5 (NET)	Matthew 9:2-5 (KJV)
Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”	And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν τῷ παραλυτικῷ· θάρσει, τέκνον, ἀφίενται σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι	και ιδου προσεφερον αυτω παραλυτικον επι κλινης βεβλημενον και ιδων ο ιησους την πιστιν αυτων ειπεν τω παραλυτικω θαρσει τεκνον αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι σου	και ιδου προσεφερον αυτω παραλυτικον επι κλινης βεβλημενον και ιδων ο ιησους την πιστιν αυτων ειπεν τω παραλυτικω θαρσει τεκνον αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι σου

Then some of the experts in the law said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς οὗτος βλασφημεῖ	και ιδου τινες των γραμματεων ειπον εν εαυτοις ουτος βλασφημει	και ιδου τινες των γραμματεων ειπον εν εαυτοις ουτος βλασφημει

When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts?

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ \|ἰδὼν\| ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν· ἱνατί ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν	και ιδων ο ιησους τας ενθυμησεις αυτων ειπεν ινα τι υμεις ενθυμεισθε πονηρα εν ταις καρδιαις υμων	και ιδων ο ιησους τας ενθυμησεις αυτων ειπεν ινα τι υμεις ενθυμεισθε πονηρα εν ταις καρδιαις υμων

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· ἀφίενται σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει	τι γαρ εστιν ευκοπωτερον ειπειν αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι η ειπειν εγειραι και περιπατει	τι γαρ εστιν ευκοπωτερον ειπειν αφεωνται σου αι αμαρτιαι η ειπειν εγειραι και περιπατει

Matthew 9:8 (NET)	Matthew 9:8 (KJV)
When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men.	But when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐφοβήθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις	ιδοντες δε οι οχλοι εθαυμασαν και εδοξασαν τον θεον τον δοντα εξουσιαν τοιαυτην τοις ανθρωποις	ιδοντες δε οι οχλοι εθαυμασαν και εδοξασαν τον θεον τον δοντα εξουσιαν τοιαυτην τοις ανθρωποις

A Monotonous Cycle, Part 1

Back to Religious and Righteous Prayer

Back to Adultery in the Prophets, Part 2

Back to What Kind of Carpenter is Jesus? – Introduction

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 2

Back to You Must Be Gentle, Part 3

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 4

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 6

Back to Romans, Part 79

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

¹ 1 Kings 3:12 (NET) Table

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σου here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σου (KJV: thee) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμεις here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had σου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had σοι.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀφίενται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αφεωνται.

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔγειρε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγειραι.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐφοβήθησαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εθαυμασαν (KJV: marvelled).

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 4

Posted on April 29, 2012 by admin

In his dream Solomon asked for a discerning mind, to distinguish right from wrong (1 Kings 3:6-9 NET).

You demonstrated great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served you faithfully, properly, and sincerely. You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne. Now, O Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) my God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי), you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced. Your servant stands among your chosen people; they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours [Table].

In response God promised Solomon a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you¹—in the dream. But Solomon broke every law God gave the kings of Israel while wide-awake. Surely Solomon’s alleged wisdom was grossly overstated!

Okay, enough of this self-righteous snit. You notice what just happened. I’m all up in arms because the wise and discerning mind God allegedly gave Solomon was neither wise enough nor discerning enough to protect Solomon from falling afoul of the laws God gave the kings of Israel. I reasoned that God-given discernment at a minimum should have made the king wise enough to follow God’s rules for kings, or God-given discernment can’t be discernment given by God. It must have been only a dream.

Now faith becomes an act of self-denial, denying my reasoning to accept the difficult proposition that God-given discernment to know right from wrong was not sufficient to keep Solomon, the one given a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed him, from falling afoul of God’s law. (And reasoning may be over or under stating the case a bit. The premise that God-given discernment at a minimum should have made the king wise enough to follow God’s rules for kings seemed obvious, intuitive, even axiomatic to me.)

I want to review what has happened to me here. First when I focused only on the passage titled Solomon’s Wealth, I understood that Solomon was rich, powerful and wise. Faith was fairly easy, requiring little of me. When I expanded the context to include Solomon’s dream, faith became more demanding. I needed to confront and either ignore or deny the wisdom of scholarly historians. When I expanded the context to include God’s law faith, holding all three of these passages simultaneously in a state of equilibrium I call true, requires me to deny my intuition, my reason and my wisdom. This is the most difficult demand of all. Is this what God meant by the passage titled Solomon’s Wealth?

I said I don’t believe in God because Solomon was richer than all his contemporaries. Why do I believe?

I would like to elevate the tip of my nose a few degrees above the horizon and say that years of Bible study have persuaded me that the Bible is true and therefore the God revealed in its pages is also true and my God. But that’s not true. The Bible has been a source of inspiration, irritation and frustration ever since I was old enough to read it. It’s not the reason I believe God. It may be what I believe about God, but my reasons for believing are more personal.

I remember what my life was like when I believed God was evil, at least devious and misleading. I told him I understood his silly little game and I would beat him at it. I remember what I meant by “silly little game.” I don’t have a clue how I intended to beat him at it. That might have been youthful bravado rather than a seriously considered point of view.

Believing in an evil God was more than I could do for the long haul. Eventually, I didn’t believe in Him at all, or didn’t believe that He existed at all. I remember what my life was like as an atheist.

I’ll use the term atheist from time to time, but don’t think I was a happy, relieved or content atheist. I was pissed off that I’d wasted so much of my life believing in “dog spelled backwards.” Though I didn’t go quite so far in my own thinking I can certainly appreciate Nietzsche’s dilemma revealed in his later writings (Ecce Homo especially), the atheist who absolutely needed God to exist just so he could justify hating him so much.

I remember what my life was like as a naïve and religious child. I remember what my life was like as a philosophical and legalistic young man fighting his way back from atheism. And I certainly know my life as an older man with a, by and large, open-ended confidence in the goodness of God. And I’m not going to throw that away because I’m having some difficulty wrapping my mind around a couple of passages in the Bible.

I’ve already acknowledged that I am rarely, if ever, working with something so concrete as “God said it.” I’m always working with my understanding, my interpretation of what God said. I might even put words in God’s mouth sometimes. So when I’m having a rational problem with passages in the Bible, the first place to look for something squeegee is in my understanding, my interpretation and the words I’ve put in God’s mouth. I’ve learned to give God and the Bible the benefit of the doubt. It comes at the sacrifice of some certainty and peace of mind, changing my mind periodically, what I think I know. But it keeps an old man nimble and light on his feet.

Addendum: April 15, 2020
Tables comparing 1 Kings 3:6; 3:7 and 3:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 3:6; 3:7 and 3:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

1 Kings 3:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:6 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:6 (NET)
And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.	And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.	Solomon replied, “You demonstrated great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served you faithfully, properly, and sincerely. You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne.

1 Kings 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Σαλωμων σὺ ἐποίησας μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρός μου ἔλεος μέγα καθὼς διῆλθεν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐφύλαξας αὐτῷ τὸ ἔλεος τὸ μέγα τοῦτο δοῦναι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη	καὶ εἶπεν Σαλωμών· σὺ ἐποίησας μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρός μου ἔλεος μέγα, καθὼς διῆλθεν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ ἐφύλαξας αὐτῷ τὸ ἔλεος τὸ μέγα τοῦτο δοῦναι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη
3 Reigns 3:6 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:6 (English Elpenor)
And Salomon said, “You did great mercy with your slave, my father Dauid, as he passed through before you in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with you, and you have kept for him this great mercy to give his son on his throne, as this day.	And Solomon said, Thou hast dealt very mercifully with thy servant David my father according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great mercy, to set his son upon his throne, as [it is] this day.

1 Kings 3:7 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:7 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:7 (NET)
And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.	And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.	Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced.

1 Kings 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν κύριε ὁ θεός μου σὺ ἔδωκας τὸν δοῦλόν σου ἀντὶ Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι παιδάριον μικρὸν καὶ οὐκ οἶδα τὴν ἔξοδόν μου καὶ τὴν εἴσοδόν μου	καὶ νῦν, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, σὺ ἔδωκας τὸν δοῦλόν σου ἀντὶ Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι παιδάριον μικρὸν καὶ οὐκ οἶδα τὴν ἔξοδόν μου καὶ τὴν εἴσοδόν μου
3 Reigns 3:7 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:7 (English Elpenor)
And now, O Lord my God, you gave your slave in place of my father Dauid, and I am a little lad, and I do not know my going out and my coming in,	And now, O Lord my God, thou hast appointed thy servant in the room of David my father; and I am a little child, and know not my going out an my coming in.

1 Kings 3:8 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:8 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:8 (NET)
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.	And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.	Your servant stands among your chosen people; they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number.

1 Kings 3:8 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ δοῦλός σου ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ σου ὃν ἐξελέξω λαὸν πολύν ὃς οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται	ὁ δὲ δοῦλός σου ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ σου, ὃν ἐξελέξω λαὸν πολύν, ὃς οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται
3 Reigns 3:8 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:8 (English Elpenor)
but your slave is in the midst of your people whom you chose, a large people, who shall not be counted,	And now, O Lord my God, thou hast appointed thy servant in the room of David my father; and I am a little child, and know not my going out an my coming in.

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 5

Back to Who am I? Part 1

Back to Who am I? Part 3

Back to Fear – Numbers, Part 1

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Atonement, Part 3

Back to Atonement, Part 8

Back to A Door of Hope, Part 1

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 14

Back to Who Am I? Part 12

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

¹ 1 Kings 3:12 (NET) Table

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 3

Posted on April 29, 2012 by admin

Since I opened this context can of worms, and found that expanding the context gave me a different perspective on the meaning of a particular passage, I’ll expand the context again. Even before there were kings in Israel, God gave laws for the then future kings (Deuteronomy 17:14-20).

When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests. It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out.¹

The passage titled Solomon’s Wealth goes on and on about Solomon’s gold. The law he was supposed to read everyday said he must not accumulate much silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:17 NET). Solomon’s wealth included a massive throne exalted six steps above everyone else in the room. The law Solomon was commanded to follow carefully said he should not exalt himself above his fellow citizens (Deuteronomy 17:19-20 NET). Solomon’s twelve thousand Egyptian horses were also explicitly forbidden by the law intended to ensure that he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel (Deuteronomy 17:16, 20 NET).

Here is a contrast of the two passages:

Solomon’s Wealth (1 Kings 10:14-28 NET)

Provision for Kingship (Deuteronomy 17:16-20 NET)

Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year [Table], besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land [Table]. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield [Table]. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest [Table].

1 Kings 10:14-17 (NET)

All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time [Table]. Along with Hiram’s fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks [Table]. King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth [Table]. Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom [Table]. Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules [Table].

1 Kings 10:21-25 (NET)

…he must not accumulate much silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 17:17b (NET)

The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold [Table]. There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side [Table]. There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom [Table].

1 Kings 10:18-20 (NET)

When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests. It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out. Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left…

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (NET)

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem [Table]. The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands [Table]. Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que [Table].

1 Kings 10:26-28 NET

Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way.

Deuteronomy 17: 16 (NET)

If I ignore the topical headings and chapter markings in 1 Kings, both of which are later additions to the text, and simply continue reading after the section called Solomon’s Wealth, I find that Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Solomon followed his wives in the worship of other gods (1 Kings 11:1-5). The law for the kings of Israel stated explicitly that the king should not take many wives lest his affections turn aside (Deuteronomy 17:17 NET).

The Lord Punishes Solomon for Idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-8 NET)

Provision for Kingship (Deuteronomy 17:16-20 NET)

King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him. When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

1 Kings 11:1-5 (NET)

Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.

1 Kings 11:7, 8 (NET)

Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside (e.g, from the commandments to the right or left)…

Deuteronomy 17:17a (NET)

There is a summation statement: Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight…² With a topical heading, Solomon’s Wealth, and another topical heading, The Lord Punishes Solomon for Idolatry, and a chapter change from ten to chapter eleven, this summation appears only to apply to Solomon’s many wives and idolatry. But if I consider that Solomon defied every law God gave the kings of Israel—Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant³—I need to question the reliability of the topical headings and chapter break here.

So I have one passage in the Bible that seemed at first glance (with my view limited only to that particular passage) to be a laundry list of Solomon’s wealth and power. When I expanded the context to include an incident from Solomon’s life, the same passage became the fulfillment of God’s promise to Solomon. When I expanded the context again to include God’s law (an incident in the life of the nation of Israel) the same passage became an indictment of Solomon’s reign as king. Now I’m ready to recant and say that Solomon’s dream was just a dream, that it had nothing to do with how rich he was or wasn’t.

Addendum: April 7, 2020
Near the climax of the movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” combat veteran Major Lennox (Josh Duhamel) shouts to two unarmed civilians caught in combat: “You guys stick with me, you understand? You stay on my ass.” He takes one of them, Mikaela (Megan Fox), by the hand. The other, Sam (Shia LaBeouf), heads off his own way. Mikaela lives; Sam dies.

Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee…saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). He said to them, “Follow me.”⁴ The Greek words translated Follow me were δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online ὀπίσω means “toward the back, after, back, backward, (get) behind; follow, close behind (in time); backside, buttocks.” Though it may offend the religious mind, Jesus said essentially, “You stay on my ass,” and I will turn you into fishers of people!⁵ Solomon did not stay on the Lord’s (y^ehôvâh, יְהֹוָ֖ה) ass, as his father David had done.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 11:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:6 (NET)	3 Reigns 11:8 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:6 (Elpenor English)
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after (אַחֲרֵ֥י) the LORD, as did David his father.	Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; he did not remain loyal to (ʼachar, אַחֲרֵ֥י) the Lord, as his father David had.	and Salomon did evil before the Lord; he did not go after (ὀπίσω) the Lord as Dauid his father.	And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he went not after (ὀπίσω) the Lord, as David his father.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 17:18; 17:19; 17:17; 17:20; 17:16; 1 Kings 11:1; 11:2; 11:3; 11:4; 11:5; 11:7; 11:8 and 11:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Deuteronomy 17:18; 17:19; 17:17; 17:20; 17:16; 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 11:1; 11:2; 11:3; 11:4; 11:5 (11:6); 11:7 (11:5); 11:8 (11:7) and 11:6 (11:8) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following these is a table comparing Matthew 4:18 in the NET and KJV.

Deuteronomy 17:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (NET)
And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.	And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:	When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests.

Deuteronomy 17:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ὅταν καθίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ γράψει ἑαυτῷ τὸ δευτερονόμιον τοῦτο εἰς βιβλίον παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν Λευιτῶν	καὶ ὅταν καθίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ γράψει αὐτῷ τὸ δευτερονόμιον τοῦτο εἰς βιβλίον παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν Λευιτῶν
Deuteronomy 17:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be, when he has set upon the seat of his rule, that he shall write for himself this second law in a book from the priests, the Leuites.	And when he shall be established in his government, then shall he write for himself this repetition of the law into a book by the hands of the priests the Levites;

Deuteronomy 17:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (NET)
And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear HaShem his G-d, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;	And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:	It must be with him constantly, and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out.

Deuteronomy 17:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναγνώσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ ἵνα μάθῃ φοβεῗσθαι κύριον τὸν θεὸν αὐτοῦ φυλάσσεσθαι πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα ποιεῗν	καὶ ἔσται μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναγνώσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μάθῃ φοβεῖσθαι Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα ποιεῖν
Deuteronomy 17:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all these commandments and these statutes to do them	and it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord thy God, and to keep all these commandments, and to observe these ordinances:

Deuteronomy 17:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (NET)
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.	Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.	Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 17:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐ πληθυνεῗ ἑαυτῷ γυναῗκας οὐδὲ μεταστήσεται αὐτοῦ ἡ καρδία καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐ πληθυνεῗ ἑαυτῷ σφόδρα	καὶ οὐ πληθυνεῖ ἑαυτῷ γυναῖκας, ἵνα μὴ μεταστῇ αὐτοῦ ἡ καρδία· καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐ πληθυνεῖ ἑαυτῷ σφόδρα
Deuteronomy 17:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (English Elpenor)
And he shall not multiply wives for himself, neither shall he turn his heart away; also silver and gold he shall not multiply exceedingly for himself.	And he shall not multiply to himself wives, lest his heart turn away; and he shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 17:20 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (NET)
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.	That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.	Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα μὴ ὑψωθῇ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ ἵνα μὴ παραβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν δεξιὰ ἢ ἀριστερά ὅπως ἂν μακροχρονίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῗς υἱοῗς Ισραηλ	ἵνα μὴ ὑψωθῇ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ παραβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν δεξιὰ ἢ ἀριστερά, ὅπως ἂν μακροχρονίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ, αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ
Deuteronomy 17:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (English Elpenor)
so that his heart may not be exalted above his brothers so that he turn not aside from the commandments, right or left, in order that he be long-lived in his rule, he and his sons among the sons of Israel.	that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, that he depart not from the commandments on the right hand or on the left; that he and his sons may reign long in his dominion among the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (NET)
Only 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 HaShem hath said unto you: ‘Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.’	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.	Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way.

Deuteronomy 17:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διότι οὐ πληθυνεῗ ἑαυτῷ ἵππον οὐδὲ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ τὸν λαὸν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὅπως πληθύνῃ ἑαυτῷ ἵππον ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν οὐ προσθήσετε ἀποστρέψαι τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ἔτι	διότι οὐ πληθυνεῖ ἑαυτῷ ἵππον οὐδὲ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ τὸν λαὸν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ὅπως μὴ πληθύνῃ αὐτῷ ἵππον, ὁ δὲ Κύριος εἶπεν· οὐ προσθήσεσθε ἀποστρέψαι τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ἔτι
Deuteronomy 17:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (English Elpenor)
For he shall not multiply cavalry for himself or return the people to Egypt in order to multiply cavalry for himself, but the Lord has said to you, “You shall never add to return that way.”	For he shall not multiply to himself horses, and he shall by no means turn the people back to Egypt, lest he should multiply to himself horses; for the Lord said, Ye shall not any more turn back by that way.

1 Kings 11:1 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:1 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:1 (NET)
But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:	But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;	King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites.

1 Kings 11:1 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμων ἦν φιλογύναιος καὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ ἄρχουσαι ἑπτακόσιαι καὶ παλλακαὶ τριακόσιαι καὶ ἔλαβεν γυναῗκας ἀλλοτρίας καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα Φαραω Μωαβίτιδας Αμμανίτιδας Σύρας καὶ Ιδουμαίας Χετταίας καὶ Αμορραίας	ΚΑΙ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμὼν ἦν φιλογύνης. καὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ γυναῖκες ἄρχουσαι ἑπτακόσιαι καὶ παλλακαὶ τριακόσιαι. καὶ ἔλαβε γυναῖκας ἀλλοτρίας καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα Φαραώ, Μωαβίτιδας, ᾿Αμμανίτιδας, Σύρας καὶ ᾿Ιδουμαίας, Χετταίας καὶ ᾿Αμορραίας,
3 Reigns 11:1 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:1 (English Elpenor)
And King Salomon was a philogynist. And he had seven hundred ruling women and three hundred concubines. And he took foreign women, both the daughter of Pharao, Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians and Idumeans, Chettites and Amorrites,	And king Solomon was a lover of women. [Table16 below] And he took strange women, as well as the daughter of Pharao, Moabitish, Ammanitish women, Syrians and Idumeans, Chettites, and Amorites;

1 Kings 11:2 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:2 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:2 (NET)
Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.	Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.	They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them.

1 Kings 11:2 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν ὧν ἀπεῗπεν κύριος τοῗς υἱοῗς Ισραηλ οὐκ εἰσελεύσεσθε εἰς αὐτούς καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ ἐκκλίνωσιν τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὀπίσω εἰδώλων αὐτῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐκολλήθη Σαλωμων τοῦ ἀγαπῆσαι	ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὧν ἀπεῖπε Κύριος τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· οὐκ εἰσελεύσεσθε εἰς αὐτούς, καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ ἐκκλίνωσι τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὀπίσω εἰδώλων αὐτῶν· εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐκολλήθη Σαλωμὼν τοῦ ἀγαπῆσαι
3 Reigns 11:2 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:2 (English Elpenor)
from the nations that the Lord forbade to the sons of Israel: “You shall not go into them, and they shall not go in to you, lest they turn away your hearts after their idols”; Salomon clung to them for love.	of the nations concerning whom the Lord forbade the children of Israel, [saying], Ye shall not go in to them, and they shall not come in to you, lest they turn away your hearts after their idols: Solomon clave to these in love.

1 Kings 11:3 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:3 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:3 (NET)
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.	And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.	He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him.

1 Kings 11:3 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA (See verse 1 Table12 above)	NA (See verse 1 Table12 above)
3 Reigns 11:3 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:3 (English Elpenor)
NA (See verse 1 Table12 above)	NA (Verse 1: καὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ γυναῖκες ἄρχουσαι ἑπτακόσιαι καὶ παλλακαὶ τριακόσιαι was not translated into English)

1 Kings 11:4 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:4 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:4 (NET)
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.	For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.	When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been.

1 Kings 11:4 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν καιρῷ γήρους Σαλωμων καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ τελεία μετὰ κυρίου θεοῦ αὐτοῦ καθὼς ἡ καρδία Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξέκλιναν αἱ γυναῗκες αἱ ἀλλότριαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω θεῶν αὐτῶν	καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν καιρῷ γήρους Σαλωμὼν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ τελεία μετὰ Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ, καθὼς ἡ καρδία Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξέκλιναν γυναῖκες αἱ ἀλλότριαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω θεῶν αὐτῶν
3 Reigns 11:4 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:4 (English Elpenor)
And it happened at the time of Salomon’s old age that his heart was not perfect with the Lord, his God, as was the heart of his father Dauid, and his foreign wives turned away his heart after their gods.	And it came to pass in the time of the old age of Solomon, that his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. (not translated: καὶ ἐξέκλιναν γυναῖκες αἱ ἀλλότριαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω θεῶν αὐτῶν)

1 Kings 11:5 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:5 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:5 (NET)
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.	For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.	Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

1 Kings 11:5 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τῇ Ἀστάρτῃ βδελύγματι Σιδωνίων	καὶ τῇ ᾿Αστάρτῃ βδελύγματι Σιδωνίων
3 Reigns 11:6 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:5 (English Elpenor)
and to Astarte, abomination of the Sidonians.	and to Astarte the abomination of the Sidonians.

1 Kings 11:7 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:7 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:7 (NET)
Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.	Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.	Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

1 Kings 11:7 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε ᾠκοδόμησεν Σαλωμων ὑψηλὸν τῷ Χαμως εἰδώλῳ Μωαβ καὶ τῷ βασιλεῗ αὐτῶν εἰδώλῳ υἱῶν Αμμων	τότε ᾠκοδόμησε Σαλωμὼν ὑψηλὸν τῷ Χαμώς, εἰδώλῳ Μωὰβ καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν εἰδώλῳ υἱῶν ᾿Αμμὼν
3 Reigns 11:5 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:7 (English Elpenor)
Then Salomon built a high place to Chamos, idol of Moab, and to their king, idol of the sons of Ammon,	Then Solomon built a high place to Chamos the idol of Moab, and to their king the idol of the children of Ammon,

1 Kings 11:8 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:8 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:8 (NET)
And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.	And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.	He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.

1 Kings 11:8 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησεν πάσαις ταῗς γυναιξὶν αὐτοῦ ταῗς ἀλλοτρίαις ἐθυμίων καὶ ἔθυον τοῗς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν	καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησε πάσαις ταῖς γυναιξὶν αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις, αἳ ἐθυμίων καὶ ἔθυον τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν
3 Reigns 11:7 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:8 (English Elpenor)
And thus he did for all his foreign wives; they were offering incense and sacrificing to their idols,	And thus he acted towards all his strange wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their idols.

1 Kings 11:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:6 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:6 (NET)
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.	And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.	Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; he did not remain loyal to the Lord, as his father David had.

1 Kings 11:6 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Σαλωμων τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον κυρίου οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ὀπίσω κυρίου ὡς Δαυιδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐποίησε Σαλωμὼν τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου· οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ὀπίσω Κυρίου ὡς Δαυὶδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ
3 Reigns 11:8 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:6 (English Elpenor)
and Salomon did evil before the Lord; he did not go after the Lord as Dauid his father.	And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he went not after the Lord, as David his father.

Matthew 4:18 (NET)	Matthew 4:18 (KJV)
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).	And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἶδεν δύο ἀδελφούς, Σίμωνα (τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον) καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν (ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς)	περιπατων δε ο ιησους παρα την θαλασσαν της γαλιλαιας ειδεν δυο αδελφους σιμωνα τον λεγομενον πετρον και ανδρεαν τον αδελφον αυτου βαλλοντας αμφιβληστρον εις την θαλασσαν ησαν γαρ αλιεις	περιπατων δε παρα την θαλασσαν της γαλιλαιας ειδεν δυο αδελφους σιμωνα τον λεγομενον πετρον και ανδρεαν τον αδελφον αυτου βαλλοντας αμφιβληστρον εις την θαλασσαν ησαν γαρ αλιεις

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 4

Back to Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 4

Back to Prayer

Back to Apostles and Prophets, Part 1

Back to Atonement, Part 8

Back to The Children of Promise, Part 1

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

Back to Matthew 8:23-34

¹ Deuteronomy 17:18, 19 (NET)

² 1 Kings 11:6 (NET)

³ 1 Kings 11:11 Table

⁴ Matthew 4:18, 19a NET

⁵ Matthew 4:19b NET

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 2

Posted on April 29, 2012 by admin

Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof,¹ for correction, and for training in righteousness, Paul told a young preacher named Timothy.² Solomon was rich, powerful and wise. What’s useful about this information? I’ll expand the context a bit.

Earlier, God had appeared to Solomon in a dream (1 Kings 3:4-15 NET). God asked Solomon, Tell me what I should give you.³ Solomon recounted God’s faithfulness to his father David and confessed that he was young and inexperienced. He asked for a discerning mind to distinguish right from wrong. God promised to grant Solomon’s request along with riches and honor so that Solomon would be the greatest king of his generation.

Now I have something. The laundry list titled Solomon’s Wealth isn’t really about Solomon. It’s about God’s faithfulness and the reliability of his word. He does what he says and makes it so. This is right on target, then: God said it. I believe it. That settles it. God said it. Solomon believed it. That’s what happened.

Of course, now that trouble I wasn’t looking for is unavoidable. The scholars who argued that the Pharaoh in Egypt was richer than Solomon are a force to be reckoned with. When I thought the message of Solomon’s Wealth was that he was rich, powerful and wise, I didn’t need him to be absolutely the richest of his contemporaries. His critics were easy to dismiss. But now if I accept that Solomon’s wealth is the fulfillment of God’s promise to make him the richest of his contemporaries, detractors must be 1) proved false or 2) consciously disregarded.

Faith now is something more and something less than the rational response to, and direct deduction from, the premise—God said it. Faith is my decision now to believe the Bible in the face of contradictory statements from historians. And it prompts an honest question: Do I believe because it is true, or do I believe that my faith makes it true?

If I could send accountants back to Solomon’s time, and they appraised the wealth of every contemporary king on earth, and then returned to me with their spreadsheets, do I believe the total at the bottom of each financial statement would be less than the list in 1 Kings? Let me turn that around. If the total at the bottom of the spreadsheets of several kings, or even one king, was greater than the list in 1 Kings would I conclude that God is a liar, let’s be done with this god business once and for all?

The answer is clearly, “No.”

If I had irrefutable proof that one of Solomon’s contemporaries was richer than he, I’d reinterpret the meaning of the passage. After all, God promised riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.⁴ I assumed that riches were greater than every other king and honor was greater than every other king. I don’t know how to measure honor so I measured riches. Maybe it is the sum of riches and honor that is greater than every other king. In other words, what Solomon lacked in riches he made up for in honor. Or, maybe it wasn’t God speaking to Solomon in a dream at all. Maybe it was just a dream.

My point [See Addendum: March 30, 2020 below.] is I don’t believe God because Solomon was richer than all of his contemporaries.

Addendum: September 28, 2018
A table comparing 2 Timothy 3:16 in the NET and KJV follows.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NET)	2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,	All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἐλεγμόν, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ	πασα γραφη θεοπνευστος και ωφελιμος προς διδασκαλιαν προς ελεγχον προς επανορθωσιν προς παιδειαν την εν δικαιοσυνη	πασα γραφη θεοπνευστος και ωφελιμος προς διδασκαλιαν προς ελεγχον προς επανορθωσιν προς παιδειαν την εν δικαιοσυνη

Addendum: March 30, 2020
A table comparing English translations of 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 3:13 from the Masoretic text and Septuagint follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 3:13 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:13 (NET)	3 Reigns 3:13 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:13 (Elpenor English)
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.	Furthermore, I am giving you what you did not request—riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.	And I have given you what you did not request, both riches and honor; there has not been a man like you among kings,	And I have given thee what thou hast not asked, wealth and glory, so that there has not been any one like thee among kings.

It seems that the translators of the Elpenor Septuagint added so that to conform better to the Masoretic text. I don’t see it in the Greek. The NETS looks like the more accurate translation, which would lead me to believe that God had surveyed the men who reigned over the other kingdoms of the world and found none who had asked for an understanding heart (1 Kings 3:9-12 Tanakh):

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.

And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

It would have been better if I had made my point from 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 10:23 where the Masoretic text and Septuagint are in better agreement:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 10:23 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:23 (NET)	3 Reigns 10:23 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:23 (Elpenor English)
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.	King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth.	And Salomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in discernment.	And Solomon increased beyond all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom.

Tables comparing 1 Kings 3:5; 3:13; 3:9; 3:10; 3:11 and 3:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 3:5; 3:13; 3:9; 3:10; 3:11 and 3:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

1 Kings 3:5 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:5 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:5 (NET)
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.	In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.	One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said, “Tell me what I should give you.”

1 Kings 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὤφθη κύριος τῷ Σαλωμων ἐν ὕπνῳ τὴν νύκτα καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμων αἴτησαί τι αἴτημα σαυτῷ	καὶ ὤφθη Κύριος τῷ Σαλωμὼν ἐν ὕπνῳ τὴν νύκτα, καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμών· αἴτησαί τι αἴτημα σεαυτῷ
3 Reigns 3:5 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:5 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord appeared to Salomon in a dream by night, and the Lord said to Salomon, “Request some request for yourself.”	And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and the Lord said to Solomon, Ask some petition for thyself.

1 Kings 3:13 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:13 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:13 (NET)
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.	And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.	Furthermore, I am giving you what you did not request—riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.

1 Kings 3:13 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἃ οὐκ ᾐτήσω δέδωκά σοι καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν ὡς οὐ γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ὅμοιός σοι ἐν βασιλεῦσιν	καὶ ἃ οὐκ ᾐτήσω, δέδωκά σοι, καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν, ὡς οὐ γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ὅμοιός σοι ἐν βασιλεῦσι
3 Reigns 3:13 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:13 (English Elpenor)
And I have given you what you did not request, both riches and honor; there has not been a man like you among kings,	And I have given thee what thou hast not asked, wealth and glory, so that there has not been any one like thee among kings.

1 Kings 3:9 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:9 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:9 (NET)
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?	Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?	So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”

1 Kings 3:9 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δώσεις τῷ δούλῳ σου καρδίαν ἀκούειν καὶ διακρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ συνίειν ἀνὰ μέσον ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ ὅτι τίς δυνήσεται κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου τὸν βαρὺν τοῦτον	καὶ δώσεις τῷ δούλῳ σου καρδίαν ἀκούειν καὶ διακρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ τοῦ συνιεῖν ἀνὰ μέσον ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ· ὅτι τίς δυνηθήσεται κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου τὸν βαρὺν τοῦτον
3 Reigns 3:9 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:9 (English Elpenor)
and you shall give your slave a heart to hear and to judge your people in righteousness to discern between good and evil; for who will be able to judge this your weighty people?”	Thou shalt give therefore to thy servant a heart to hear and to judge thy people justly, and to discern between good and evil: for who will be able to judge this thy great people?

1 Kings 3:10 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:10 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:10 (NET)
And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.	And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.	The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request.

1 Kings 3:10 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον κυρίου ὅτι ᾐτήσατο Σαλωμων τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο	καὶ ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ὅτι ᾐτήσατο Σαλωμὼν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο
3 Reigns 3:10 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:10 (English Elpenor)
And it was pleasing before the Lord that Salomon requested this thing.	And it was pleasing before the Lord, that Solomon asked this thing.

1 Kings 3:11 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:11 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:11 (NET)
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;	And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;	God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies,

1 Kings 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ᾐτήσω παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ ᾐτήσω σαυτῷ ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ οὐκ ᾐτήσω πλοῦτον οὐδὲ ᾐτήσω ψυχὰς ἐχθρῶν σου ἀλλ᾽ ᾐτήσω σαυτῷ σύνεσιν τοῦ εἰσακούειν κρίμα	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ᾐτήσω παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ ᾐτήσω σεαυτῷ ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ οὐκ ᾐτήσω πλοῦτον, οὐδὲ ᾐτήσω ψυχὰς ἐχθρῶν σου, ἀλλ᾿ ᾐτήσω σεαυτῷ τοῦ συνιεῖν τοῦ εἰσακούειν κρίμα,
3 Reigns 3:11 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:11 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to him, “Because you requested this thing from me and did not request for yourself many days and did not request riches and did not request lives of your enemies but requested for yourself understanding to listen to judgment,	And the Lord said to him, Because thou hast asked this thing of me, and hast not asked for thyself long life, and hast not asked wealth, nor hast asked the lives of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to hear judgment;

1 Kings 3:12 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 3:12 (KJV)	1 Kings 3:12 (NET)
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.	Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.	I grant your request and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.

1 Kings 3:12 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 3:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ πεποίηκα κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σοι καρδίαν φρονίμην καὶ σοφήν ὡς σὺ οὐ γέγονεν ἔμπροσθέν σου καὶ μετὰ σὲ οὐκ ἀναστήσεται ὅμοιός σοι	ἰδοὺ πεποίηκα κατὰ τὸ ρῆμά σου· ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σοι καρδίαν φρονίμην καὶ σοφήν, ὡς σὺ οὐ γέγονεν ἔμπροσθέν σου καὶ μετὰ σὲ οὐκ ἀναστήσεται ὅμοιός σοι
3 Reigns 3:12 (NETS)	3 Kings 3:12 (English Elpenor)
behold, I have done according to your word; behold, I have given you a prudent and wise heart; like you there has not been before you, and after you there shall not arise similar to you.	behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee an understanding and wise heart: there has not been [any one] like thee before thee, and after thee there shall not arise one like thee.

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 3

Back to Solomon’s Wealth, Part 4

Back to Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 1

Back to Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 4

Back to Jedidiah, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 13

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? Part 7

Back to Solomon’s Wealth, Part 5

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 3

Back to Westworld, Part 2

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 2

¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐλεγμόν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελεγχον.

² 2 Timothy 3:16 (NET)

³ 1 Kings 3:5 (NET)

⁴ 1 Kings 3:13b (NET)

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 1

Posted on April 29, 2012 by admin

I want to begin to develop some Bible study skills, get the feel for the lay of the land, so to speak, before attacking my main objective. Solomon’s Wealth is a simple place to start. That’s the title of a section of 1 Kings (1 Kings 10:14-28 NET) in the Old Testament that lists the accumulated wealth and power of the third king of Israel.

Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year,¹ besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.

The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.

All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time. Along with Hiram’s fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.²

King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.³
The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que.

So Solomon was rich, powerful and wise. Okay, I can buy that. I’ve heard scholars argue against his wealth relative to Egypt. I realize the text says wealthier than any other king. But I’m not looking for trouble. Wiser than any other king is not even something I know how to quantify. So, in a general way I can apply the simple syllogism: God said it. I believe it. That settles it. Solomon was rich, powerful and wise.

Eventually, a pernicious little question starts to gnaw at my certainty and peace of mind: “So what?” If God said it, why did He say it? What did He mean by it?

Addendum: March 21, 2020
The Elpenor version of the Septuagint and NETS have 1 Kings 9:15, 17-22 between 1 Kings 10:22 and 10:23.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 9:15, 17-22 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:15, 17-22 (NET)	3 Reigns 10:22a-c (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22α-γ (Elpenor English)
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.	Here are the details concerning the work crews King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his palace, the terrace, the wall of Jerusalem, and the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.	This was the business of the foraging that King Salomon brought to build the house of the Lord and the house of the king and the wall of Ierousalem and the citadel, to fortify all round the fence of the city of Dauid and Assour and Magdan and Gazer and Upper Baithoron and Iethermath and all the cities for the chariots and all the cities for the horsemen and the business of Salomon which he was engaged in, to build in Ierousalem and in all the land,	This was the arrangement of the provision which king Solomon fetched to build the house of the Lord, and the house of the king, and the wall of Jerusalem, and the citadel; to fortify the city of David, and Assur, and Magdal, and Gazer, and Baethoron the upper, and Jethermath, and all the cities of the chariots, and all the cities of the horsemen, and the fortification of Solomon which he purposed to build in Jerusalem and in all the land, so that none of the people should rule over him.
And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,	Solomon built up Gezer, lower Beth Horon,
And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,	Baalath, Tadmor in the wilderness,
And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.	all the storage cities that belonged to him, and the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.
And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,	Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.	so that all the people who remained of the Chettite and of the Amorrite and of the Pherezite and of the Chananite and of the Heuite and of the Iebousite and of the Gergesite, those who were not of the sons of Israel— their children who remained after them in the land, those whom the sons of Israel were not able to destroy—would not rule over him. And Salomom brought them under tribute until this day.	All the people that was left of the Chettite and the Amorite, and the Pherezite, and the Chananite, and the Evite, and the Jebusite, and the Gergesite, who were not of the children of Israel, their descendants who had been left with him in the land, whom the children of Israel could not utterly destroy; and Solomon made them tributaries until this day.
Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.	Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out completely). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews, and they continue in that role to this very day.
But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.	Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews; the Israelites served as his soldiers, attendants, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces.	And from the sons of Israel Salomon exacted nothing, for they were men who fought, and his servants and captains of his chariots and his horsemen.	But of the children of Israel Solomon made nothing; for they were the warriors, and his servants and rulers, and captains of the third order, and the captains of his chariots, and his horsemen.

The Elpenor version of the Septuagint and NETS have 1 Kings 4:21 between 1 Kings 10:26 and 10:27.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 4:21 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 4:21 (NET)	3 Reigns 10:26a (NETS)	3 Kings 10:26β (Elpenor English)
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.	Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon’s subjects throughout his lifetime.	And he was ruling all the kings from the river and as far as the land of allophyles and to the borders of Egypt.	and he ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt.

Tables comparing 1 Kings 10:14; 10:15; 10:16; 10:17; 10:18; 10:19; 10:20; 10:21; 10:22; 9:15; 9:17; 9:18; 9:19; 9:20; 9:21; 9:22; 10:23; 10:24; 10:25; 10:26; 4:21; 10:27 and 10:28 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 10:14; 10:15; 10:16; 10:17; 10:18; 10:19; 10:20; 10:21; 10:22; 9:15 (10:22α-1); 9:17 (10:22α-2); 9:18 (10:22α-3); 9:19 (10:22α-4); 9:20 (10:22β-1); 9:21 (10:22β-2); 9:22 (10:22γ); 10:23; 10:24; 10:25; 10:26; 4:21 (10:26a, 10:26β); 10:27 and 10:28 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

1 Kings 10:14 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:14 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:14 (NET)
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,	Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,	Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year,

1 Kings 10:14 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν ὁ σταθμὸς τοῦ χρυσίου τοῦ ἐληλυθότος τῷ Σαλωμων ἐν ἐνιαυτῷ ἑνὶ ἑξακόσια καὶ ἑξήκοντα ἓξ τάλαντα χρυσίου	Καὶ ἦν ὁ σταθμὸς τοῦ χρυσίου τοῦ ἐληλυθότος τῷ Σαλωμὼν ἐν ἐνιαυτῷ ἑνὶ ἑξακόσια καὶ ἐξηκοντα ὲξ τάλαντα χρυσίου,
3 Reigns 10:14 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:14 (English Elpenor)
And the weight of gold that had come to Salomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,	And the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold.

1 Kings 10:15 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:15 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:15 (NET)
Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.	Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.	besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land.

1 Kings 10:15 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
χωρὶς τῶν φόρων τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων καὶ τῶν ἐμπόρων καὶ πάντων τῶν βασιλέων τοῦ πέραν καὶ τῶν σατραπῶν τῆς γῆς	χωρὶς τῶν φόρων τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων καὶ τῶν ἐμπόρων καὶ πάντων τῶν βασιλέων τοῦ πέραν καὶ τῶν σατραπῶν τῆς γῆς
3 Reigns 10:15 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:15 (English Elpenor)
besides the tributes from those subjected and from the merchants and from all the kings who are from beyond the satraps of the land.	Besides the tributes of them that were subjects, both merchants and all the kings of the [country] beyond [the river], and of the princes of the land.

1 Kings 10:16 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:16 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:16 (NET)
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.	And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.	King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield.

1 Kings 10:16 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Σαλωμων τριακόσια δόρατα χρυσᾶ ἐλατά τριακόσιοι χρυσοῗ ἐπῆσαν ἐπὶ τὸ δόρυ τὸ ἕν	καὶ ἐποίησε Σαλωμὼν τριακόσια δόρατα χρυσᾶ ἐλατά. —τριακόσιοι χρυσοῖ ἐπῆσαν ἐπὶ τὸ δόρυ τὸ ἓν—
3 Reigns 10:16 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:16 (English Elpenor)
And Salomon made three hundred beaten gold spears; three hundred gold pieces went into one spear.	And Solomon made three hundred spears of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold were upon one spear.

1 Kings 10:17 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:17 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:17 (NET)
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.	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.	He also made 300 small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.

1 Kings 10:17 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τριακόσια ὅπλα χρυσᾶ ἐλατά τρεῗς μναῗ χρυσίου ἐνῆσαν εἰς τὸ ὅπλον τὸ ἕν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰ εἰς οἶκον δρυμοῦ τοῦ Λιβάνου	καὶ τριακόσια ὅπλα χρυσᾶ ἐλατὰ —καὶ τρεῖς μναῖ ἐνῆσαν χρυσοῦ εἰς τὸ ὅπλον τὸ ἓν— καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς οἶκον δρυμοῦ τοῦ Λιβάνου
3 Reigns 10:17 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:17 (English Elpenor)
And he made three hundred beaten gold weapons; three minas of gold went into the one weapon, and he put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.	And three hundred shields of beaten gold: and three pounds of gold were in one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

1 Kings 10:18 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:18 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:18 (NET)
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.	Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.	The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.

1 Kings 10:18 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς θρόνον ἐλεφάντινον μέγαν καὶ περιεχρύσωσεν αὐτὸν χρυσίῳ δοκίμῳ	καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς θρόνον ἐλεφάντινον μέγαν καὶ περιεχρύσωσεν αὐτὸν χρυσίῳ δοκίμῳ
3 Reigns 10:18 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:18 (English Elpenor)
And the king made a great ivory throne and gilded it with pure gold;	And the king made a great ivory throne, and gilded it with pure gold.

1 Kings 10:19 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:19 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:19 (NET)
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.	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.	There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.

1 Kings 10:19 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἓξ ἀναβαθμοὶ τῷ θρόνῳ καὶ προτομαὶ μόσχων τῷ θρόνῳ ἐκ τῶν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ χεῗρες ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου τῆς καθέδρας καὶ δύο λέοντες ἑστηκότες παρὰ τὰς χεῗρας	ἓξ ἀναβαθμοὶ ἐν θρόνῳ καὶ προτομαὶ μόσχων τῷ θρόνῳ ἐκ τῶν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ χεῖρες ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου τῆς καθέδρας, καὶ δύο λέοντες ἑστηκότες παρὰ τὰς χεῖρας
3 Reigns 10:19 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:19 (English Elpenor)
the throne had six steps, and the throne had heads of calves in relief behind it and on this side and on that, on the place of the seat, were arms and two lions standing beside the arms	The throne [had] six steps, and calves in bold relief to the throne behind it, and side-pieces on either hand of the place of the seat, and two lions standing by the side-pieces,

1 Kings 10:20 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:20 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:20 (NET)
and twelve lions standing on this side and on that, on the six steps; it was not done so in any kingdom.	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.	There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.

1 Kings 10:20 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δώδεκα λέοντες ἑστῶτες ἐπὶ τῶν ἓξ ἀναβαθμῶν ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν οὐ γέγονεν οὕτως πάσῃ βασιλείᾳ	καὶ δώδεκα λέοντες ἑστῶτες ἐκεῖ ἐπὶ τῶν ἓξ ἀναβαθμῶν ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν· οὐ γέγονεν οὕτως πάσῃ βασιλείᾳ
3 Reigns 10:20 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:20 (English Elpenor)
and twelve lions standing on this side and on that, on the six steps; it was not done so in any kingdom.	and twelve lions standing there on the six steps on either side: it was not so done in any [other] kingdom.

1 Kings 10:21 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:21 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:21 (NET)
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.	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.	All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time.

1 Kings 10:21 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τοῦ πότου Σαλωμων χρυσᾶ καὶ λουτῆρες χρυσοῗ πάντα τὰ σκεύη οἴκου δρυμοῦ τοῦ Λιβάνου χρυσίῳ συγκεκλεισμένα οὐκ ἦν ἀργύριον ὅτι οὐκ ἦν λογιζόμενον ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις Σαλωμων	καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαλωμὼν γεγονότα χρυσᾶ καὶ λουτῆρες χρυσοῖ, καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη οἴκου δρυμοῦ τοῦ Λιβάνου χρυσίῳ συγκεκλεισμένα, οὐκ ἦν ἀργύριον, ὅτι οὐκ ἦν λογιζόμενον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Σαλωμών
3 Reigns 10:21 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:21 (English Elpenor)
And all Salomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and gold washbasins, all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon, were of overlaid with gold; there was no silver, for it was not reckoned in the days of Salomon.	And all the vessels made by Solomon [were] of gold, and the lavers [were] golden, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; there was no silver, for it was not accounted of in the days of Solomon.

1 Kings 10:22 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:22 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:22 (NET)
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.	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.	Along with Hiram’s fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

1 Kings 10:22 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ναῦς Θαρσις τῷ βασιλεῗ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ μετὰ τῶν νηῶν Χιραμ μία διὰ τριῶν ἐτῶν ἤρχετο τῷ βασιλεῗ ναῦς ἐκ Θαρσις χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου καὶ λίθων τορευτῶν καὶ πελεκητῶν	ὅτι ναῦς Θαρσὶς τῷ βασιλεῖ Σαλωμὼν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ μετὰ τῶν νηῶν Χιράμ, μία διὰ τριῶν ἐτῶν ἤρχετο τῷ βασιλεῖ ναῦς ἐκ θαρσὶς χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου καὶ λίθων τορευτῶν καὶ πελεκητῶν.
3 Reigns 10:22 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22 (English Elpenor)
For the king had a ship of Tharsis at sea with the ships of Chiram, one ship used to come to the king from Tharsis every three years with gold and silver and carved and hewn stones.	For Solomon had a ship of Tharsis in the sea with the ships of Chiram: one ship came to the king every three years out of Tharsis, [laden with] gold and silver, and wrought stones, and hewn stones.

1 Kings 9:15 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:15 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:15 (NET)
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.	And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.	Here are the details concerning the work crews King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his palace, the terrace, the wall of Jerusalem, and the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.

1 Kings 9:15 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22α-1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	Αὕτη ἦν ἡ πραγματεία τῆς προνομῆς, ἧς ἀνήνεγκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμὼν οἰκοδομῆσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τὸ τεῖχος ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὴν ἄκραν, τοῦ περιφράξαι τὸν φραγμὸν τῆς πόλεως Δαυὶδ καὶ τὴν ᾿Ασσοὺρ καὶ τὴν Μαγδὰλ καὶ τὴν Γαζὲρ
3 Reigns 10:22a-1 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22α-1 (English Elpenor)
This was the business of the foraging that King Salomon brought to build the house of the Lord and the house of the king and the wall of Ierousalem and the citadel, to fortify all round the fence of the city of Dauid and Assour and Magdan and Gazer	This was the arrangement of the provision which king Solomon fetched to build the house of the Lord, and the house of the king, and the wall of Jerusalem, and the citadel; to fortify the city of David, and Assur, and Magdal, and Gazer,

1 Kings 9:17 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:17 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:17 (NET)
And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,	And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,	Solomon built up Gezer, lower Beth Horon,

1 Kings 9:17 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22α-2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	καὶ τὴν Βαιθωρὼν τὴν ἀνωτέρω
3 Reigns 10:22a-2 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22α-2 (English Elpenor)
and Upper Baithoron	and Baethoron the upper,

1 Kings 9:18 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:18 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:18 (NET)
And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,	And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,	Baalath, Tadmor in the wilderness,

1 Kings 9:18 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22α-3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	καὶ τὴν ᾿Ιεθαρμὰθ
3 Reigns 10:22a-3 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22α-3 (English Elpenor)
and Iethermath	and Jethermath,

1 Kings 9:19 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:19 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:19 (NET)
And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.	And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.	all the storage cities that belonged to him, and the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.

1 Kings 9:19 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22α-4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	καὶ πάσας τὰς πόλεις τῶν ἁρμάτων καὶ πάσας τὰς πόλεις τῶν ἱππέων καὶ τὴν πραγματείαν Σαλωμών, ἣν ἐπραγματεύσατο οἰκοδομῆσαι ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ, τοῦ μὴ κατάρξαι αὐτοῦ
3 Reigns 10:22a-4 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22α-4 (English Elpenor)
and all the cities for the chariots and all the cities for the horsemen and the business of Salomon which he was engaged in, to build in Ierousalem and in all the land,	and all the cities of the chariots, and all the cities of the horsemen, and the fortification of Solomon which he purposed to build in Jerusalem and in all the land, so that none of the people should rule over him.

1 Kings 9:20 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:20 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:20 (NET)
And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,	And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,	Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

1 Kings 9:20 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22β-1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	πάντα τὸν λαὸν τὸν ὑπολελειμμένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Χετταίου καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αμορραίου καὶ τοῦ Φερεζαίου καὶ τοῦ Χαναναίου καὶ τοῦ Εὐαίου καὶ τοῦ ᾿Ιεβουσαίου καὶ τοῦ Γεργεσαίου, τῶν μὴ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὄντων
3 Reigns 10:22b-1 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22β-1 (English Elpenor)
so that all the people who remained of the Chettite and of the Amorrite and of the Pherezite and of the Chananite and of the Heuite and of the Iebousite and of the Gergesite, those who were not of the sons of Israel—	All the people that was left of the Chettite and the Amorite, and the Pherezite, and the Chananite, and the Evite, and the Jebusite, and the Gergesite, who were not of the children of Israel,

1 Kings 9:21 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:21 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:21 (NET)
Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.	Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.	Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out completely). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews, and they continue in that role to this very day.

1 Kings 9:21 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22β-2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν τὰ ὑπολελειμμένα μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ γῇ, οὓς οὐκ ἐδύναντο οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτούς, καὶ ἀνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς Σαλωμὼν εἰς φόρον ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης
3 Reigns 10:22b-2 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22β-2 (English Elpenor)
their children who remained after them in the land, those whom the sons of Israel were not able to destroy—would not rule over him. And Salomom brought them under tribute until this day.	their descendants who had been left with him in the land, whom the children of Israel could not utterly destroy; and Solomon made them tributaries until this day.

1 Kings 9:22 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 9:22 (KJV)	1 Kings 9:22 (NET)
But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.	But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.	Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews; the Israelites served as his soldiers, attendants, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces.

1 Kings 9:22 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:22γ (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ οὐκ ἔδωκε Σαλωμὼν πρᾶγμα, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἦσαν ἄνδρες οἱ πολεμισταὶ καὶ παῖδες αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄρχοντες καὶ τρισσοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἱππεῖς αὐτοῦ
3 Reigns 10:22c (NETS)	3 Kings 10:22γ (English Elpenor)
And from the sons of Israel Salomon exacted nothing, for they were men who fought, and his servants and captains of his chariots and his horsemen.	But of the children of Israel Solomon made nothing; for they were the warriors, and his servants and rulers, and captains of the third order, and the captains of his chariots, and his horsemen.

1 Kings 10:23 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:23 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:23 (NET)
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.	So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.	King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth.

1 Kings 10:23 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη Σαλωμων ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς βασιλεῗς τῆς γῆς πλούτῳ καὶ φρονήσει	Καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη Σαλωμὼν ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς πλούτῳ καὶ φρονήσει
3 Reigns 10:23 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:23 (English Elpenor)
And Salomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in discernment.	And Solomon increased beyond all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom.

1 Kings 10:24 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:24 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:24 (NET)
And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.	And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.	Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.

1 Kings 10:24 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πάντες βασιλεῗς τῆς γῆς ἐζήτουν τὸ πρόσωπον Σαλωμων τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φρονήσεως αὐτοῦ ἧς ἔδωκεν κύριος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ	καὶ πάντες βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς ἐζήτουν τὸ πρόσωπον Σαλωμὼν τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φρονήσεως αὐτοῦ, ἧς ἔδωκε Κύριος τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ
3 Reigns 10:24 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:24 (English Elpenor)
And all the kings of the earth were seeking the face of Salomon to hear his discernment, which the Lord gave into his heart.	And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which the Lord [had] put into his heart.

1 Kings 10:25 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:25 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:25 (NET)
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.	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.	Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.

1 Kings 10:25 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔφερον ἕκαστος τὰ δῶρα αὐτοῦ σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἱματισμόν στακτὴν καὶ ἡδύσματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ ἡμιόνους τὸ κατ᾽ ἐνιαυτὸν ἐνιαυτόν	καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔφερον ἕκαστος τὰ δῶρα, σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἱματισμόν, στακτὴν καὶ ἡδύσματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ ἡμιόνους τὸ κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἐνιαυτῷ
3 Reigns 10:25 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:25 (English Elpenor)
And they each would bring their gifts, gold utensils and raiment, oil of myrrh and spices and horses and mules, this every year by year.	And they brought every one their gifts, vessels of gold, and raiment, and stacte, and spices, and horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

1 Kings 10:26 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:26 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:26 (NET)
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.	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.	Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 10:26 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦσαν τῷ Σαλωμων τέσσαρες χιλιάδες θήλειαι ἵπποι εἰς ἅρματα καὶ δώδεκα χιλιάδες ἱππέων καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὰς ἐν ταῗς πόλεσι τῶν ἁρμάτων καὶ μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν Ιερουσαλημ	καὶ ἦσαν τῷ Σαλωμὼν τέσσαρες χιλιάδες θήλειαι ἵπποι εἰς ἅρματα καὶ δώδεκα χιλιάδες ἱππέων, καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὰς ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι τῶν ἁρμάτων καὶ μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
3 Reigns 10:26 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:26 (English Elpenor)
And Salomon had four thousand mares for chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he put them in the cities for the chariots and with the king in Ierousalem.	And Solomon had four thousand mares for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen: and he put them in the cities of his chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem:

1 Kings 4:21 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 4:21 (KJV)	1 Kings 4:21 (NET)
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.	And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.	Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon’s subjects throughout his lifetime.

1 Kings 4:21 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:26α (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	καὶ ἦν ἡγούμενος πάντων τῶν βασιλέων ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ ἕως γῆς ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἕως ὁρίων Αἰγύπτου
3 Reigns 10:26a (NETS)	3 Kings 10:26β (English Elpenor)
And he was ruling all the kings from the river and as far as the land of allophyles and to the borders of Egypt.	and he ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt.

1 Kings 10:27 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:27 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:27 (NET)
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.	And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.	The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the foothills.

1 Kings 10:27 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔδωκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ὡς λίθους καὶ τὰς κέδρους ἔδωκεν ὡς συκαμίνους τὰς ἐν τῇ πεδινῇ εἰς πλῆθος	καὶ ἔδωκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ὡς λίθους, καὶ τὰς κέδρους ἔδωκεν ὡς συκαμίνους τὰς ἐν τῇ πεδινῇ εἰς πλῆθος
3 Reigns 10:27 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:27 (English Elpenor)
And the king gave gold and silver in Ierousalem like stones, and he gave the cedars like sycamores that are in a plain in abundance.	And the king made gold and silver in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as the sycamores in the plain for multitude.

1 Kings 10:28 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 10:28 (KJV)	1 Kings 10:28 (NET)
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.	And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.	Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que.

1 Kings 10:28 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 10:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἡ ἔξοδος τῶν ἵππων Σαλωμων ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐκ Θεκουε ἔμποροι τοῦ βασιλέως ἐλάμβανον ἐκ Θεκουε ἐν ἀλλάγματι	καὶ ἡ ἔξοδος Σαλωμὼν τῶν ἱππέων καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐκ Θεκουέ, ἔμποροι τοῦ βασιλέως ἐλάμβανον ἐκ Θεκουὲ ἐν ἀλλάγματι
3 Reigns 10:28 (NETS)	3 Kings 10:28 (English Elpenor)
And Salomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Thekoue, and the king’s traders would receive them from Thekoue by barter,	And the goings forth of Solomon’s horsemen [was] also out of Egypt, and the king’s merchants [were] of Thecue; and they received them out of Thecue at a price.

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 2

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¹ From NET note 26:The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 50,000 pounds of gold (cf. NCV); CEV, NLT “twenty-five tons”; TEV “almost 23,000 kilogrammes.”

² The Septuagint had the following additional text here: This was the arrangement of the provision which king Solomon fetched to build the house of the Lord, and the house of the king, and the wall of Jerusalem, and the citadel; to fortify the city of David, and Assur, and Magdal, and Gazer, and Baethoron the upper, and Jethermath, and all the cities of the chariots, and all the cities of the horsemen, and the fortification of Solomon which he purposed to build in Jerusalem and in all the land, so that none of the people should rule over him. All the people that was left of the Chettite and the Amorite, and the Pherezite, and the Chananite, and the Evite, and the Jebusite, and the Gergesite, who were not of the children of Israel, their descendants who had been left with him in the land, whom the children of Israel could not utterly destroy; and Solomon made them tributaries until this day. But of the children of Israel Solomon made nothing; for they were the warriors, and his servants and rulers, and captains of the third order, and the captains of his chariots, and his horsemen (3 Kings 10:22α-22γ Elpenor).

³ The Septuagint had the following additional text here: and he ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt (3 Kings 10:26β Elpenor).

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Category Archives: Solomon’s Wealth

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 5

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 4

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 3

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 2

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 1