1Ki 10:28 | KingComments | STEP | This is still about the glory of Solomon, as shown in (cf. ). Yet there are also signs of decay. We see this in the horses that Solomon imports from Egypt, a way of doing things that is contrary to the law of the king. Also the foreign women and the foreign gods that Solomon brings into his house – we see this in the next chapter – are in conflict with this and will lead to his fall ( ). Solomon has never known days of persecution and sorrow as his father David. He did not know the school of God’s discipline. This may be a reason for his fall. We cannot do without the necessary trial of our faith to keep us on the right path. Whatever blessings we are surrounded with, we can never ignore God’s law unpunished, nor become sloppy in our walk He has presented to us in His Word. God has given Solomon an abundance of riches and honor, although Solomon only asked for wisdom. But He has also prescribed that the king should read the law ( ), so that he would be restrained to use these means to obtain even more wealth. We see here that Solomon does what the law forbids. It proves that there has come distance between his heart and God. In the days of David we read more about donkeys than about horses. Donkeys are subservient animals. They seem to have no place in the kingdom of Solomon, except the time he rides on David’s mule to be anointed in Gihon ( ). Horses are used for war, but David writes even before Solomon begins to rule: “A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength” ( ; cf. ). Solomon seems to have had a great horse trade, including chariots, with the surrounding nations. That trade brought him much profit, but it was not a trade the LORD liked. This trade gave the surrounding heathen nations the impression that it was better to rely on horses than on the LORD. When they entered the land of Canaan He had also said that His people should hamstring the horses and burn the chariots ( ). It is a lesson that He does not want to use the methods of the nations in His work and His battle. He alone must be the trust of His people, then and now.

‏ 1 Kings 10:28

The Horses

This is still about the glory of Solomon, as shown in 1Kgs 10:27 (cf. Isa 55:13 ; Isa 60:17). Yet there are also signs of decay. We see this in the horses that Solomon imports from Egypt, a way of doing things that is contrary to the law of the king. Also the foreign women and the foreign gods that Solomon brings into his house – we see this in the next chapter – are in conflict with this and will lead to his fall (Deu 17:16-17).

Solomon has never known days of persecution and sorrow as his father David. He did not know the school of God’s discipline. This may be a reason for his fall. We cannot do without the necessary trial of our faith to keep us on the right path.

Whatever blessings we are surrounded with, we can never ignore God’s law unpunished, nor become sloppy in our walk He has presented to us in His Word. God has given Solomon an abundance of riches and honor, although Solomon only asked for wisdom. But He has also prescribed that the king should read the law (Deu 17:18-20), so that he would be restrained to use these means to obtain even more wealth. We see here that Solomon does what the law forbids. It proves that there has come distance between his heart and God.

In the days of David we read more about donkeys than about horses. Donkeys are subservient animals. They seem to have no place in the kingdom of Solomon, except the time he rides on David’s mule to be anointed in Gihon (1Kgs 1:33-38). Horses are used for war, but David writes even before Solomon begins to rule: “A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength” (Psa 33:17; cf. Psa 147:10).

Solomon seems to have had a great horse trade, including chariots, with the surrounding nations. That trade brought him much profit, but it was not a trade the LORD liked. This trade gave the surrounding heathen nations the impression that it was better to rely on horses than on the LORD. When they entered the land of Canaan He had also said that His people should hamstring the horses and burn the chariots (Jos 11:6). It is a lesson that He does not want to use the methods of the nations in His work and His battle. He alone must be the trust of His people, then and now.