2 Chronicles 9:22

e. Solomon's riches and his alleged wisdom,

"So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, armor, and spices, horses and mules, a rate year by year. And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. And he ruled over all the kings from the River even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. And they brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands."

"Solomon exceeded all the kings ... in riches and wisdom" (2 Chronicles 8:22). Solomon's wisdom was unrelated to what we know as true wisdom, that kind of wisdom is defined in God's Word: "The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments" (Psalms 111:10). The meaning of the word wisdom, as it was used by the Chronicler, was evidently something else. As the term was used by his self-seeking flatterers, it meant little or nothing; and it could be that the Chronicler here was using it in exactly the same way. One thing is certain; namely, that Solomon neither feared God nor honored his commandments.

The passage that we have so often cited in Deuteronomy 17:16-17 specifically forbade Israel's kings to multiply unto themselves (1) wives, (2) silver and gold and (3) horses. Solomon wantonly violated all these commandments in the most extravagant manner.

"A rate year by year" (2 Chronicles 9:24). These words identify all those `gifts' that came to Solomon by those rulers throughout the world of that era, as `taxes,' or `tribute,' imposed, not occasionally, but continually year by year. This also explains why they, "sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom." Their @@fulsome compliments paid to Solomon were nothing but the flattery of vassal underlings seeking to make a good impression on the conceited Solomon, whom they unwillingly served as his vassals.