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