The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.

God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.

1 Kings 4:20-21; 1 Kings 4:29-34

“You are about to enter the land the LORD your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the LORD has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

“When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
Deuteronomy 17:14-20

• Through Solomon, we see the blessings that come when a wise leader lives in service to God. 
• A wise leader governs by first seeking God’s guidance. 
• Solomon’s decision to first appoint a priest showed that he wisely valued someone who would handle the nation’s spiritual relationship with God. 
• David had selected military commanders first. 
• 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 20:23
• A wise leader empowers and listens to all of the people. 
• Solomon recognized the divisions that existed. 
• Saul increased division by only appointing people from his tribe of Benjamin. 
• David ignored the division that came because others felt that his tribe of Judah had too much influence. 
• A wise leader brings provision and joy to others. 
• Solomon used his God-given wisdom to rule for God’s glory and not his own. 
• This was the golden age for Israel as a kingdom. 
• The population grew…as numerous as the sands on the seashore. 
• It was a time of great prosperity. 
• God wants to pour out His blessings upon the nations. 
• God will pour out His blessing when a nation serves Him. 
• A wise leader will lead a nation to serve God. 
• A wise leader will lead others to serve God. 

In the modern world—be it in business, government, or community leadership—these biblical principles guide effective leadership. Look for wise leaders, and be a wise leader!