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Solomon was a strange one to talk considering he had hundreds of wives and lived in a huge palace that was even bigger than the Temple.
why didnt Solomon build a tiny house?! Why did he have so many wives? Just cos he could?
why didnt Solomon build a tiny house?! Why did he have so many wives? Just cos he could?
There, Solomon said:
Ecclesiastes chapter 1
[16] I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
[17] And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
[18] For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Ecclesiastes chapter 2
[1] I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
[2] I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
[3] I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
[4] I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
[5] I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
[6] I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
[7] I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
[8] I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
[9] So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
[10] And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
[11] Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
[12] And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
[13] Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
It seems that Solomon deliberately set out to know both wisdom and folly, while retaining his wisdom, in order to see if there was any worth in anything that is "done under the sun" or here upon this earth.
As far as his wives and concubines which numbered 1000 in total are concerned, Solomon did ultimately say this:
Ecclesiastes chapter 7
[27] Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
[28] Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Solomon apparently only found one good man among a thousand, and no good women among a thousand.
I suppose that after personally taking this count, he wrote:
"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." (Proverbs 31:10)