(14) В¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, (15) Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. (16) And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. (17) And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. (18) Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. (19) The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. (20) And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. (21) And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. (22) For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. (23) So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. (24) And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. (25) And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. (26) And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. (27) And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. (28) And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. (29) And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
I include the whole of these verses within one view, because they all refer to one and the same subject; namely, the grandeur and riches of Solomon. The Holy Ghost perhaps by this account intends to instruct the church in the incompetency of riches and earthly splendour, to give happiness. Solomon himself was a most lovely evidence of it. For it was at the moment when he was thus exalted in splendour, that he wrote those solemn sentences in his book of Ecclesiastes, to show that the whole is but vanity and vexation of spirit. Reader! do mark it down as a maxim, which the universal voice of mankind in all ages hath decided with the clearest evidence; that the whole world in possession cannot satisfy a soul, void of an interest in God's covenant love. Unless Jesus be in our earthly comforts, be they what they may, there is no real enjoyment in them. It is Jesus which must put a sweetness, and give a real relish to all. If I have him this heightens all creature comforts, and makes up the want of all creature enjoyments. Look therefore, Reader, for the Lord Jesus whenever worldly prosperity is at the highest, or when adversity surrounds you. When I am most happy, is it because Jesus is near? When matters frown, doth Jesus smile? Oh! it is precious to make him the foundation, as God the Father hath made him in all our blessings. Men shall be blessed in him. Psalms 72:17. It is precious to make him the substance of all our happiness, as he himself saith; I cause them that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures. Proverbs 8:21. It is precious to make him the one enjoyment of all our comforts; because his presence and blessing is absolutely necessary to make all blessings blessings indeed. Unless the Lord lift up the light of his countenance, who, or what creature, can show us any good? Psalms 4:6. And it is precious to have Jesus for our portion, that when the streams of all earthy comforts fail; when neither the fig-tree blossom, nor fruit be in the vine, we may then rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation. Hebrews 3:17-18.