Right Words

Since King Solomon “exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom” (1 Kings 4:29-34, 10:23-25), one may safely assume that at least some of these kings sought alliances with this most powerful monarch through marriage. Seven hundred of his 1000 wives are designated as “princesses,” i.e., of royal birth and legally entitled to his wealth (1 Kings 11:3). Think about it: if you were a king of a modest size country in those days, wouldn’t you like to marry your daughter to the richest — and wisest— man in the world?

It’s my theory that Solomon’s wives came from all over the known world. Some of their countries of origin are given in 1 Kings 11:1 — Egypt, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon, Heth— and these countries cover a large amount of territory in the Middle East. However, consider three other things that could have broadened the number of countries that his wives came from. (1) Solomon reigned over more territory than covered by the countries listed in 1 Kings 11:1; cf. 1 Kings 4:21, 2 Chron. 8:1-4. (2) Solomon made contact with nations beyond his empire, e.g., 1 Kings 10:1, 11, 15, 22, 29; (cf. Mt. 12:42, Ps. 72:8-11). (3) Another Oriental monarch, Ahasuerus, seeks for a queen “in all the provinces of his kingdom” (Esth. 2:3), which, in his case also, covered a vast amount of territory (Esth. 1:1, 8:11), not just a small region.

In summary, it’s entirely possible that Solomon had wives from the entire Mediterranean area, north Africa, the Arabian peninsula, and some countries farther east, perhaps as far as India. The final passage that could give this support is Ezekiel 27:1-15, which describes the scope of the world market in those days, centered in Tyre, where all the descendants of Shem Ham, and Japheth all converged.