I Kings 11, Proverbs 8:1-11
From the Scrolls of A Servant of Solomon
My king, the one the Almighty God put on the throne to govern our great nation, Israel, has gone against God's commands.
His choice to marry Pharaoh's daughter was not a good one. And worse yet, in the following years he loved other foreign women, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonian, and Hittites. The Lord strictly told us not to marry anyone from those nations because they would turn out hearts to their gods.
Still, he went against what he knew to be right and loved seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred other women. Just as the Lord said, those women led him away from God's commands.
Gradually Solomon grew old. His heart no longer was devoted to the Lord his God as his father, David's heart had been. He, I hate to say this . . . but he worshipped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites.
Surely the Lord was deeply displeased and angered.
On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech, the detestable god of the ammonites. He did the same for all his wives so they could burn incense and offer sacrifices to their gods.
My heart ached. This was wrong.
The Lord said to Solomon: "Since this is the way you are going to behave, and have not kept my covenant and decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of the people serving under you.
But, for the sake of your father, David, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will carry out my punishment upon your son. And then, for the sake of David, I will not tear the entire kingdom from him.
I hope I don't live to see the day this happens.
Author's note: Following the stories to come, sections of Proverbs will be given.
Proverbs 8:1-11 The Call of Wisdom
Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
Proverbs 8:1-11 from the ESV version
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1. What did Solomon do wrong?
2. What did Solomon do differently from his father, David?
3. What punishment did God give Solomon?
4. What is wisdom?
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