Day 144-11

IX - The Reign of Solomon - 985-945 B.C. ~ cont.

C. Solomon's fame and downfall (17 years) ~ cont.

4. Proverbs ~ cont.

(3) Trust the wisdom of God - Proverbs 3:1-35

(4) Benefit of wisdom - Proverbs 4:1-27

(5) Wisdom of moral restraint - Proverbs 5:1-23; 6:1-35; 7:1-27

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She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.  (Proverbs 3:15)

precious - H3368 - From H3365; valuable (objectively or subjectively).

• H3365 - A primitive root; properly apparently to be heavy, that is, (figuratively) valuable; causatively to make rare (figuratively to inhibit).

Used 36 times - spoken of the Word of the Lord, stones in a crown, costly stones, the Queen of Sheba brought costly and precious stones, Hiram brought precious stones, Hezekiah had precious stones, onyx is considered precious, the moon walking in brightness, God's loving kindness is excellent, enemies of the Lord shall be as fat of lambs, honorable women, sinners seek precious substance, life is precious, diligent man's substance is precious, an understanding man is of an excellent spirit, Zion has a precious corner stone,  precious sons of Zion, precious stone was a covering, 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.  (Psalm 116:15)

Reputation and clear are the same root word as precious.  I thought these intriguing:

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.  (Ecclesiastes 10:1)

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:  (Zechariah 14:6)

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.  (Proverbs 3:25)

sudden - H6597 - From H6621; instantly.

• H6621 - From an unused root meaning to open (the eyes); a wink, that is, moment (compare H6597), (used only (with or without preposition) adverbially quickly or unexpectedly).

fear - H6343 - From H6342; a (sudden) alarm (properly the object feared, by implication the feeling).

• H6342 - A primitive root; to be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence to fear in general.

My attention was captured originally by the sudden fear, but as I read and re-read the verse, the consolation of knowing that Father and HIS plans will prevail brought comfort and encouragement to my soul.

The desolation of the wicked will come.  All of this present world system, with its debauchery and wickedness will come to an end.  Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Praise the Lord!

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.  (Proverbs 3:35)

inherit - H5157 - A primitive root; to inherit (as a (figurative) mode of descent), or (generally) to occupy; causatively to bequeath, or (generally) distribute, instate.

glory - H3519 - From H3513; properly weight; but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness.

• H3513 - A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively to make weighty (in the same two senses).

Wow...glory (H3519) is used 200 times.

Day 134-11

IX - The Reign of Solomon - 985-945 B.C.
A. Solomon's good beginning (3 years)
1. His reign begins - 1 Kings 2:12; 1 Chronicles 29:23-25
2. God was with him - 2 Chronicles 1:1
3. Adonijah, Abithar, Joab killed or removed - 1 Kings 2:13-38
4. Brings Pharaoh's daughter to Jerusalem - 1 Kings 3:1; Psalm 45:1-17
5. His love of the Lord - 1 Kings 3:2-3
6. Sacrifice at Gibeon - 1 Kings 3:4; 2 Chronicles :2-6
7. Asks God for wisdom - 1 Kings 3:5-15; 2 Chronicles 1:7-12
8. Returns to Jerusalem - 2 Chronicles 1:13

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And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife. And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. (1 Kings 2:17-18)

I do not get how Bathsheba missed this, Absalom thumbed his nose at his father by going into the concubines left to keep the house.

Gill:

that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife; which was contrary to the law of God, Lev_18:8; which surely Adonijah must have been ignorant of, and Bathsheba likewise; or the one would never have made such a request, nor the other have undertaken to try to obtain it; but perhaps they did not take her to be David's wife, or the marriage to be consummated, because he knew her not: but yet not being returned to her father's house, and being at the dispose of Solomon, prove that she must be a concubine wife, and which became the property of the next heir and successor; see 2Sa_12:8; nor did Adonijah apply to her or her friends; which, if he was really in love with her, he would have done, if at her own or their disposal; but this he knew, that she was solely at the disposal of Solomon, to whom he did not care to apply himself, but makes use of his mother.

Leviticus 18:8 - The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

How could either of them not know?  Or be aware of something so basic.  Then the question returns to me, what have or am I missing about the Word?  Where have I strayed and/or not studied well?

And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.  (1 Kings 1:3)

affinity - H2859 - A primitive root; to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage.

My! There it is again! To give a daughter in marriage. It is the father's responsibility to give his daughter to a worthwhile man.

I am sure Pharaoh considered Solomon a *good catch* for his daughter; however, were the Israelites to intermarry with those of the nations around them? No.

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.  (Deuteronomy 7:3)

That verse is specifically related to the nations that Israel was to rout out of the land, but would seem to be applicable to Egypt as well, seeing they had been delivered from it.

God came to Solomon in a dream and spoke with him.

And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.  (1 Kings 3:15)

In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. (2 Chronicles 1:7)

Solomon asks for and receives, wisdom.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?  (1 Chronicles 1:10)

Would that we should ask for, and receive, wisdom from God. O Lord, help us Your people to seek after Your wisdom that we might deal well in this wicked and perverted generation.