Solomon’s wisdom, wealth, and women

KING Solomon was really loved by God because of King David, his father, who was after God’s own heart. When David was already very old and sick and he had already appointed Solomon as his successor, God asked Solomon what he wanted.

“Give me wisdom to govern my people,” he answered.

God was so pleased that Solomon did not ask for the death of his enemy nor a lot of wealth. “Because you asked for wisdom to govern your people, I will give it to you together with enormous wealth.”

God poured on him the greatest wisdom any man could ever have. In addition to that, a tremendous amount of wealth in gold that could make a small piggy bank out of all the gold in the United State’s Fort Knox. All the shields of his soldiers were gold plated.

But God warmed him not to take women from other nations that will lead him away from the Lord. But his eyes got the better of him. He accumulated pagan women from foreign nations subject to him. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

Many decades ago, I thought Solomon was the luckiest guy around. God did not limit his women; the limit only precluded pagan women.

But sometimes God punishes with a sense of humor. His punishment was not physical. Neither did it entail the defeat of his armies, nor the loss of wisdom. “Gin patella gid siya parte babae.”

He wrote most of the proverbs and he showed his disdain for women. To quote a few: “Among thousands of men, you can find one good man but among thousands of women, you cannot find one good woman.”

“It is better to live in a corner of a house than with a quarrelsome wife.”

“Death is better than birth but better than both is one who has never been.”

To be nagged by one, you feel like climbing a santol tree without fruit. To be nagged by a thousand women every day, you might draw your sword against the windmill.

But in the end Solomon said, “Nothing is better than to serve God and obey His precepts. It is the only way to have a successful life.