- 46-
that which alone truly exalteth a nation or an individual. The views of Solomon himself
on this subject are pithily summed up in one of his own "Proverbs" (3:13, 14), "Happy
is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that causeth understanding to go forth; for
merchandise (trading) with it, is better than merchandise with silver, and the gain from
it than the most fine gold."^87
All this the "wise king" exemplified in his own person. God gave him "wisdom" not
only far wider in its range, but far other in its character (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10)than that of
the East, or of far-famed Egypt, or even of those deemed wisest in Israel,^88 "and
understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the
sea-shore"^89 (1 Kings 4:29). Not satisfied with the idle life of an Eastern monarch, he
set the example of, and gave encouragement to study and literature, the range of his
inquiries extending not only to philosophy and poetry,^90 but also to natural science in
all its branches.^91 It must have been a mighty intellectual impulse which proceeded
from such a king; it must have been a reign unparalleled in that age, as well as among
that people, which Solomon inaugurated.
(^)