This verse and the following two might be said to be the apex of the account of Solomon’s reign over Israel. We are told that Solomon surpassed all the other rulers of his era in the matter of riches and wisdom. We ought not to pass over the order of the listing of these two matters. Solomon had asked not for wealth but for wisdom, and the promise of wealth was added by the Lord because Solomon had not asked for it, neither for long life. Yet, the writer places riches first in this account of Solomon’s magnificence. It might be that the writer wished to put the matter of lesser importance first, that it would be put out of the way to make room for the more important issue of God-given wisdom.
Yet, the reader at the end of the verse asked to consider the riches that all the kings of the earth
brought to Solomon as presents so that they could hear his wisdom. I must ask, therefore, if this verse and the next indicate a change in Solomon’s priorities. Was the Holy Spirit displaying what Yahweh was willing to do in order to show his blessing upon a faithful and righteous king of his people? Was he preparing us for Solomon’s slide downhill, as his foreign wives turned his heart to their idols?
23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.