SERIES L --- THE NATION DIVIDES --- LESSON 04

SOLOMON’S REQUEST

SOLOMON ASKS FOR WISDOM

From 1 Kings 3:1-28; 2 Chronicles 1:1-13

Solomon was now the supreme and unquestioned ruler over all Israel, for Adonai had placed him in firm control of the throne. In time he married one of the daughters of Pharaoh, king of Egypt and made an alliance with the king, Solomon brought the new queen to Jerusalem. She lived in the City of David until Solomon could build his own palace, as well as the temple and the wall around the city. Until the temple was built, the people sacrificed their offerings in high places, where altars had been built on hilltops. Solomon had done all that his father David had commanded, except that he had not yet built the temple. So, he too made his sacrifices in the high places. The most famous high place was at Gibeon, where the tabernacle made by Moses still stood. Another tabernacle had been made by King David in Jerusalem for the Ark when he had brought it from Kirjath-jearim. One day Solomon summoned his judges and army commanders to the tabernacle at Gibeon. He had gone to this high place before, as well as other high places in Israel, making his offerings and burning incense on the incense altars. On this day however, Solomon made a thousand sacrifices on the bronze altar which stood in front of the tabernacle. It was the same bronze altar which Bezaleel the son of Un and grandson of Hur had made while the Israelites were camped by Mount Sinai in the wilderness. That night Adonai appeared to Solomon in a dream. [What gift would you like more than anything?] Adonai inquired. [Ask Me and I will give it to you.] [Adonai, You have been good and kind to my father David and to me,] Solomon answered. [You have made me king, fulfilling Your promise to my father David, letting me rule over a nation with people too numerous to count. My request is for wisdom and knowledge to rule my people well, for who can rule so many people as he should?] Solomon’s request pleased Adonai. [Since you have asked for wisdom instead of riches or honour or a curse upon your enemies or long life, I will not only give you wisdom and knowledge, but I will give you those other things as well. You shall have more honour, riches and fame than anyone else in the world. If you obey Me, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. I will make you wiser than anyone has ever been or will ever be. You will be the greatest king to ever live.] When Solomon awoke, he realized that he had been dreaming. He returned to Jerusalem and went to the tabernacle. Standing before the Ark, he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Solomon also gave a great banquet and invited all of his officials. Not long after this, two young women came to ask the king to settle a quarrel. [We live together in the same house,] one of the women said. [Not long ago I had a baby. Three days later this woman had a baby also. Then in the middle of the night, she rolled over and smothered her baby and it died. She got up, took my baby while I was sleeping and laid her dead baby in my arms. When I awoke in the morning, I found her dead baby there. I looked closely at the baby and was sure that it was hers. But she and I are the only ones in the house, so there is no one else to settle this matter.] [No, the dead baby is hers,] said the other woman. [The living baby is mine.] [That isn’t true!] the first woman shouted. [Yours is the dead baby. Mine is the living one.] They argued while King Solomon listened. [One woman says the living baby is hers and the dead baby belongs to the other,] said Solomon. [But the other woman says the opposite is true.] Solomon thought for a moment. Then he gave a command. [Bring me a sword!] he said. When the sword was brought, King Solomon gave another command. [Cut the live baby in two and give half to each woman,] he said. But the real mother cried out, [No! Don’t do that! Give the baby to her but don’t kill it.] The other woman said, [Kill the child. Then it will not belong to either of us.] [Give the baby to the woman who wants us to spare its life,] said Solomon. [She is the real mother.] The whole nation soon heard of the king’s wise decision. Then the people had great respect for Solomon, for they realized that he had YHVH’s great wisdom in him and would be a fair judge.

COMMENTARY

INCENSE ALTARS

Many Canaanite families kept small incense stands in their homes for private worship, light pottery stands would be carried to the roof where they might gather for evening prayer. One popular style was shaped like a column with a removable bowl on the top. A few hot coals were placed in the bowl and the incense powder sprinkled on them. The thick sweet smoke would rise heavenward, believed to carry prayers on its way. Small stone altars were also commonly found in homes, most were simple blocks with a sunken spot on the top for the incense. Others were designed like miniature houses. Carved birds in the windows and snakes on the sides were symbols of the gods. Scarcely a village in Palestine was without a sacred worship area, called [the high place.] The sacrificial altar formed the centre of these hilltop sanctuaries and many also held large stone incense altars. Before the temple was built, the Israelites also used hilltop worship areas to offer their prayers. Many of their stone altars were cut from limestone, distinguished from all others by triangular stone [horns,] one at each corner. These horns may have been symbols of divine power, but their real meaning is unknown. The altar was the symbol of YHVH’s presence to the Israelites and a place to remember His Covenant. Inside the tabernacle at Gibeon an incense altar stood directly in front of the veil concealing the Holy of Holies, the most sacred area in the sanctuary. Every morning and evening, the priest made incense offering there, called [the altar before Adonai,] it was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Only holy incense was used; a special mixture of rich spices and perfumes. These daily offerings brought the [sweet smell] of the people’s prayers continually rising before YHVH.