HOW RICH WAS KING SOLOMON? (2)

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) Exactly how rich was King Solomon? How much gold did he possess? Did God make him wealthy, or did he inherit it from his father David, or did he have to earn it all himself? What are the four things that made him the richest king IN THE WORLD during his lifetime? How much gold, silver, and other valuable goods did he receive as GIFTS each year?

b) Many people are aware that God gave Solomon, the son of King David, wisdom. However, God gave him far MORE than an understanding heart with which to judge the children of Israel. He also blessed him by making him rich!

c) Shortly after Solomon became king God appeared to him in a dream and offered to give him ANYTHING (1Kings 3:5). He requested "an understanding heart" (verse 9) so that he could fulfill his responsibilities as king over all of Israel. God's response to his selfless request was amazing and unique.

i) 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before or will ever have again. 13 I will also give you what you have not asked for: all your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. (1Kings 3:10-13)

d) God not only promised to make David's son the wisest man EVER but also to make him RICH. 

1. How much GOLD did he own and what was it worth?

a) While the Bible does not give us a value or weight of all the silver, bronze, precious gems, garments, spices, etc. that came to Solomon, it does give us a rough idea how much gold he brought in and how rich he was.

i) 14 Every year King Solomon received over twenty-five tons (other translations say 'six hundred and sixty-six talents') of gold, 15 in addition to the taxes paid by merchants . . . (1 Kings 10)

b) Used anciently, Talents were a measure of weight and money. A talent weighs roughly 75 U.S. pounds (34.3 kilograms), which is equal to 1,094 troy ounces. At $1,500 per troy ounce, a talent of gold in today's value is worth $1,641,000. At $1,600 per troy ounce, a talent is worth $1,750,400. Solomon received 666 talents of the metal EACH YEAR. This means the value of what he got each year was between $1,092,906,000 and $1,165,766,400 U.S. dollars!

c) Solomon became so immensely rich that ALL his cups were made of gold (not one was made of silver - 1Kings 10:21). His wealth was so immense that gold and silver were as common in Jerusalem as STONES (2Chronicles 1:15, see also 1Kings 10:27)! 

2. Net worth 

a) What exactly was Solomon's net worth? Exactly how rich was he? There has never been a human in history who had SO MUCH gold and silver "at his fingertips" such that it was as common as pebbles! Since we know he ruled Israel for forty years, and that he brought in roughly 1.1 BILLION dollars of gold EACH YEAR, we can safely assume his assets were in the billions of dollars. However, there is more! He received wealth BEYOND the yearly amount of gold he brought in such as:

i) His inheritance from his father King David.

ii) Gold and silver received from the kings of Arabia, governors and merchants.

iii) The heavy taxes paid by the Israelites.

iv) Tribute money from countries and kingdoms.

v) Gold, silver, ivory, apes, monkeys, Ethiopians, and peacocks received every three years due from his business partnership with Hiram, King of Tyre.

vi) He received gifts of gold, spices, precious stones, garments, armor, horses, mules, and so on EACH YEAR.

b) It is safe to say Solomon was certainly RICH, and likely one of the top ten wealthiest humans EVER given the amount and variety of goods that came to him on a regular basis! 

3. What did wisdom teach him? 

a) God made Solomon the wisest human who would ever live. With such a gift, the king felt it was necessary to write down what he understood and pass it on to others for their benefit. The result of his efforts was the Book of Proverbs, where he wrote concerning being rich and its true place in life.

i) "Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than FINE GOLD." (Proverbs 3:13-14)

The End ...