Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
1 Kings
Book: 1 Kings
Chapter: 10
Overview:
The
Queen of
Sheba's visit to
Solomon.
(1-13) Solomon's
wealth.
(14-29)
1-13 The
Queen of
Sheba came to
Solomon to hear his
Wisdom,
thereby to improve her own. Our
Saviour mentions her inquiries
after
God,
By Solomon, as showing the stupidity of those who
inquire not after
God,
By our
Lord Jesus Christ.
By waiting and
Prayer,
By diligently searching the Scriptures,
By consulting
Wise and experienced Christians, and
By practising what we have
learned, we shall be delivered from difficulties.
Solomon's
Wisdom made more impression upon the
Queen of
Sheba than all his
prosperity and grandeur. There is a spiritual excellence in
heavenly things, and in consistent Christians, to which
No
reports can do
Justice. Here the
Truth exceeded; and all who,
through
Grace, are brought to commune with
God, will say the one
half was not told them of the pleasures and the advantages of
Wisdom's ways. Glorified saints, much more, will say of
Heaven,
that the thousandth part was not told them, 1Co 2:9. She
pronounced them happy that constantly attended
Solomon. With
much more reason may we say of
Christ's servants, Blessed are
they that
Dwell in his
House; they will be still praising him.
She made a noble present to
Solomon. What we present to
Christ,
he needs not, but will have us do
So to express our gratitude.
The believer who has been with
Jesus, will return to his
station, discharge his duties with readiness, and from better
motives; looking forward to the
Day when, being absent from the
body, he shall be present with the
Lord.
14-29 Solomon increased his wealth.
Silver was nothing
accounted of. Such is the nature of worldly wealth, plenty of it
makes it the less valuable; much more should the enjoyment of
spiritual riches lessen our esteem of all earthly possessions.
If
Gold in abundance makes
Silver to be despised, shall not
Wisdom, and
Grace, and the foretastes of
Heaven, which are far
better than
Gold, make
Gold to be lightly esteemed? See in
Solomon's greatness the performance of
God's promise, and let it
encourage us to seek first the
Righteousness of
God's kingdom.
This was he, who, having tasted all earthly enjoyments, wrote a
Book, to show the vanity of all worldly things, the vexation of
Spirit that attends them, and the folly of setting our hearts
upon them: and to recommend serious
Godliness, as that which
will do unspeakably more to make us happy, than all the wealth
and power he was master of; and, through the
Grace of
God, it is
within our reach.