Solomon’s Wisdom

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: You're wise, Solomon. But you must also be strong. Strong enough to overcome the tug of power. Show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God. Walk in His ways. Keep His laws and commandments. Guard your heart with His testimonies, eh? As Moses wrote them, if you hold fast to the word of God, you will prosper in all you do. He promised me, if my son walks in his ways, Israel will never lack a man on the throne. 00:00:51 Speaker 1: The cry spread like wildfire through the garden, through the courtyard, out into the streets. Servants, guards, singers, scribes, the voice of the city rising as one. Long live King Solomon! Long live King Solomon! He had been crowned king, but now Solomon had to prove that he was worthy of the appointment. The wind picked up speed as it travelled up the rise and torsled Solomon's hair, blasting cold air across his face, making him feel alive. From somewhere behind him, his young son, Rehoboam, giggled at the excitement of being so far above the city below. Solomon couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm of his childish belly laugh and turned to see him grinning from ear to ear as he broke free from his mother's hand to run ahead to where Solomon led the group. Solomon turned and waited for him, and when he reached the top, the two of them stood in awe at the sweeping panorama of the mountains and valleys that made up their home. In the heart of it was the city of David, its densely packed white streets winding and cutting up the rise in the middle. It was nestled between terraced hills of olive and fig trees and pockets of golden grain in the narrow valleys that flowed between like rivers. Solomon crouched playfully, scooped up a delighted Rehoboam and placed him on his shoulders. Solomon pointed to the landmarks below, grounding his son in the land that would one day be his to rule. 00:02:48 Speaker 2: See that high point above the city of David? That's where we live? 00:02:52 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:02:53 Speaker 2: Yes, that's where we live. Until our new palace is complete. 00:02:57 Speaker 4: And the place for your Egyptian wife? 00:03:00 Speaker 2: Well, not quite. I will build Princess Nefertari a palace outside the city of David where she can worship her own gods. That high point you see over there will be the temple for the Lord. Your grandfather brought it and placed an altar there. You can't see it anymore, but the place where it stood will be the heart of the new temple. 00:03:22 Speaker 1: Even from this distance, the construction on the mount was an impressive and bustling scene. The massive foundation of pale stone had taken shape, its deep trenches and thick walls extending upwards beneath a skeleton of scaffolding. 00:03:38 Speaker 2: Tell me, Rehoboam, do you know the history of that mountain? Have your tutors told you of Mount Moriah? 00:03:45 Speaker 1: Solomon peered up at his son's face above his head on his shoulders. Rehoboam's brow furrowed as he scrunched up his face in concentration, searching his memory. 00:03:57 Speaker 4: There's an altar there. Just like here. 00:04:01 Speaker 2: Yes, this is a high place too. But who put the altar over on Mount Moriah? 00:04:08 Speaker 4: Grandfather? 00:04:09 Speaker 2: Yes, I just told you that. And who else? 00:04:14 Speaker 4: Our father, Abraham, when the Lord asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. 00:04:21 Speaker 2: Good. And what did the Lord provide instead? 00:04:24 Speaker 1: A ram. 00:04:25 Speaker 2: And where is your ram today? 00:04:28 Speaker 1: Solomon punctuated the question with a knowing glance upward. Before Rehoboam could respond, Solomon tightened his grip on the boy's legs and started marching toward the slope where the altars were being assembled. 00:04:41 Speaker 3: Oh, dear. No ram! 00:04:43 Speaker 2: No ram! I guess my boy Rehoboam will do. 00:04:46 Speaker 1: Rehoboam shrieked with laughter, kicking his legs in protest against his father's hold. Tears of laughter streaked down Solomon's cheeks as he gently lowered his still giggling son to the ground. Though he carried the weight of a kingdom, wives and children, he was still a young man. And sometimes, on rare occasions... It felt freeing to lean into the boyhood he had left behind not so long ago. But moments like these were fleeting. There was always more to read, more to learn, more to study and memorize. Even if he lived a thousand years, it would never be enough. Solomon looked around. The fires had sprung to life and the priests were making their final preparations. Soon they would be waiting for him to begin. He and his entire royal entourage had travelled to the high place at Gibeon to worship the Lord, celebrating the long-anticipated alliance sealed by his marriage to Pharaoh's daughter. Solomon spared her a glance down the mount. She stood stiffly, her nose wrinkled as if the very air offended her. Even from this distance he could see her narrowed eyes, her crossed arms, the imperious way she surveyed the Israelite ceremony. Her expression made her opinion clear. To her, Israel was nothing more than a podunk upstart kingdom, laughably crude compared to the ancient grandeur of Tannis. Solomon sighed. He would need to charm her, distract her, flatter her, something, before her mood soured further, before she made it everyone's problem. 00:06:37 Speaker 3: Rebond. 00:06:38 Speaker 2: Do me a favor. 00:06:39 Speaker 1: The boy looked up at him with a determined expression. He was eager to please his father. 00:06:45 Speaker 2: Will you go watch over your baby sisters while I lead the ritual? Tell them everything you know about this place and observe everything you learn about the practice. Yes, father. 00:06:57 Speaker 4: Will mother sacrifice an animal for Milcom when you're done sacrificing to the Lord? 00:07:03 Speaker 1: Solomon blinked in surprise at his son's innocent question. No. 00:07:08 Speaker 2: This is where we worship the God of Israel. I won't permit the worship of another god here in this holy place. 00:07:14 Speaker 4: But it looks just like where Mother worships the gods of her people, the Ammonites. 00:07:20 Speaker 2: Well, it's not. And we won't worship here for long. Once the temple's complete, we won't need to come to this high place anymore. 00:07:27 Speaker 4: But you're building the Princess Nefertari a place where she can worship her gods. Will our temple be like that? 00:07:34 Speaker 1: Solomon struggled for a moment and tried to think of how he would explain the difference between worshipping their true god and the advantages of nurturing these complex political alliances to his five-year-old when his mother and the prophet Nathan approached. 00:07:52 Speaker 2: My king, they are ready for you. 00:07:54 Speaker 5: Rehoboam, my love, why don't you come with me? 00:07:58 Speaker 2: We'll go find your. 00:07:59 Speaker 5: Mother and your sisters. 00:08:01 Speaker 1: Nathan's face was impossible to read. But his mother arched an eyebrow at him, which told him she heard most of their exchange as they approached. Solomon sighed, a problem for another time. It was just Solomon and Nathan for a moment. Nathan pursed his lips and sighed. 00:08:21 Speaker 3: Ah, a complicated thing, teaching a child the ways of the world. 00:08:29 Speaker 2: I'm afraid Rehoboam's world is more complicated than most children's. It is the world you're created for, my king. 00:08:37 Speaker 3: Remember that. 00:08:39 Speaker 1: Nathan bowed and left with that pearl of wisdom, as he was known to do. Nathan never lingered long enough for questions or protests. Later that night, Solomon was fast asleep in his tent. The world around him faded under the dark, warm embrace of his furs. As Solomon slept, he was whisked away in a dream, a vision, a visitation. He heard the Lord's voice break the peaceful silence. 00:09:13 Speaker 3: Ask, what shall I give you? 00:09:17 Speaker 1: Solomon stirred. He pondered the Lord's question for a long while. What could he ask of the Lord? What should he ask of the Lord? He considered the kingdom he had inherited from his father It was unified, stable for the most part, and their wealth had grown. Solomon considered asking for more of what they had already achieved, but then he considered what more he had to do in his lifetime. His father's words had loomed large in his memory in the years since his death. 00:09:51 Speaker 2: You're wise, Solomon, but you must also be strong, strong enough to... overcome the tug of power. Show yourself, man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God. 00:10:09 Speaker 1: A pit formed in Solomon's stomach, even in his dreams. His father's words were still true, even though Solomon had achieved so much in his short reign. Alliances formed, children born, including his heir. Allegiances shored up, debts paid, temple plans underway, and yet, for where Solomon wanted to take Israel, Solomon would have to be wise. The wisest king there ever was to match the ambition he had for his beloved nation. wise enough to protect his family and the children of Israel, wise enough to stay faithful to the Lord and all that he had been called to do. 00:10:54 Speaker 2: You have shown my father, David, a love that is steadfast and unveiling. Because he walked before you in faithfulness, righteousness and integrity, you honored him, you sustained him. And even now you've kept your promise by placing me on his throne. But, Lord, my God, you have made me king in his place. And I'm young. I've no experience in ruling a people, let alone a nation as vast as this one. They're yours. Too many to be counted. Too great to be led by a man who leads only himself. So, I ask you, give your servant the heart that hears. Let me discern what is right. Teach me to distinguish between good and evil, because who in all the world is truly capable of governing a people as great as yours? 00:12:04 Speaker 1: Even from deep within his subconscious, Solomon could sense that the Lord was pleased. Waves of warmth and approval caused him to sink deeper into the blankets and luxurious animal skins piled high on his bedroll. 00:12:21 Speaker 3: Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice, I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for, both riches and honor, so that no king will be your equal during your entire life. If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long, long life. 00:13:13 Speaker 1: Solomon woke suddenly and realized it had been a dream. He sat up, invigorated, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the pre-dawn. The sun's triumphant glow pressed gently against the outline of the tent's opening, beckoning like the hope and promise yet to come. Solomon grinned and arose. He would arrange for a feast of celebration and offer even more burnt offerings to the Lord to express his gratitude for this profound gift the Lord had bestowed upon him. Years passed and Solomon wielded the wisdom he had been given often. With wisdom came other tools, diplomatic prowess, an engineering mind and assent for finding the truth hidden behind lies. He did his best to serve the Lord who had given it to him, as well as the people. On such an occasion, the great doors of the throne room groaned open, and the final petition of the day was ushered in. They were two women, dressed plainly, heads bowed low. Whispers rippled through the court of their presence. They were harlots. Yet Solomon did not stir. Despite the obvious judgment being passed by the court at their being allowed to appear before the king, he gleaned that they would have only been permitted to do so if their need was dire. And so Solomon would listen. Who else would hear their case? For they were women of no standing, likely no husbands to speak for them, no patrons present to plead their case. and they had come with a single child. The infant was held in the arms of one of Solomon's servants. The first woman wasted no time, stepping forward with the urgency of a mother in distress. 00:15:16 Speaker 5: My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. We both bore sons days apart, but one night she rolled over onto her child, and he died. And before the sun rose, she stole my son from my arms as I slept. She placed her dead child beside me and took mine as her own. 00:15:38 Speaker 1: The second woman, unable to contain herself, burst forward, interjecting. 00:15:44 Speaker 5: That's a lie! 00:15:46 Speaker 2: The boy is mine, and the dead one is hers! 00:15:49 Speaker 3: No! 00:15:50 Speaker 5: She lies! 00:15:51 Speaker 1: My son! 00:15:52 Speaker 5: My son! 00:15:54 Speaker 1: Furious, they shouted over each other, voices rising and becoming increasingly shrill and desperate with each round of insults. The women were clearly rivals of some kind and some deep, entrenched history between them. The infant squirmed in the attendant's arms, his small face confused by the warring cries of the two women who both claimed to be his mother. Solomon exhaled slowly. steepling his fingers as the throne room waited. This was not a case of wealth or land, treaties or diplomacy. There were no witnesses, documents or proof. Just a child caught in the storm of two desperate women. He felt for the child. Solomon leaned forward. Bring me a sword. The words sent a jolt of doubt through the court. One of his guards hesitated. Solomon turned his gaze on him, sharp and unreadable. 00:16:59 Speaker 2: Did I stutter? 00:17:01 Speaker 1: Solomon watched the man's throat bob with uncertainty, but he stepped forward obediently, drawing his sword from its sheath. The polished blade gleamed in the torchlight of the throne room. The murmurs in the court ceased as the guard kneeled before his king, offering him his sword, awaiting orders. The child let out a soft whimper in the stunned silence. 00:17:27 Speaker 2: Divide the living child in two. Give half to one and half to the other. 00:17:32 Speaker 1: Gasps echoed through the chamber. The frozen women didn't move a muscle. They seemed suspended in this shocking moment as the full meaning of Solomon's words hit them. 00:17:45 Speaker 2: Surely you're joking. This isn't a joke. Let's settle this now. Swiftly! 00:17:53 Speaker 1: The first leaped forward and collapsed before the king with violent tears. 00:17:58 Speaker 5: No, no, my lord, I beg you, give her the child. Let him live. Do not kill him. 00:18:05 Speaker 1: There it was. Solomon never intended to kill the child, but he knew in a swift moment between life and death, the real mother would spring forward. The second woman stood still as a stone. Her eyes then assessed the woman next to her. Solomon could see the scheming in her eyes as she calculated her options. Would she try the same plea as the first woman, or play an entirely different hand? Solomon saw her eyes narrow in decision, and a stubbornness set her features. 00:18:41 Speaker 2: Neither of us should have him. Divide him. 00:18:46 Speaker 1: Solomon's eyebrows raised, but her calloused words spurred more tears from the first woman. She would gamble with the child's life just to call his bluff, but in her desire to win, the truth was laid bare. 00:19:02 Speaker 2: Do not harm the child. Give him to the first woman. She is his mother. 00:19:08 Speaker 1: As the whispers in the court faded, Solomon remained seated on his throne, watching the true mother cradle her child, relief etched across her face. She wept in relief and beamed at him wordlessly. He nodded respectfully. Moments where he could simply be a father, or even just a man, were fewer and farther between as his empire and ambitions grew. The weight of wisdom and the responsibilities it brought often outpaced his heart and his humanity. There was always another deal to be made, plans to oversee, and all the while his children and his wives grew up around him at a distance. He glanced to the side. Nathan stood among the advisors, his face unreadable. But as their eyes met, the old prophet gave him the smallest of nods. A gesture of approval, perhaps. All mere acknowledgement. Suspicion prickled on the back of Solomon's neck. 00:20:16 Speaker 2: You disapprove? I didn't say that. But you thought it. 00:20:21 Speaker 1: The prophet's gaze softened, but Solomon couldn't tell if it was out of respect or resignation. Or, perhaps, it was sympathy? 00:20:32 Speaker 2: I try not to think too much, my king. I can spin myself in circles. Eventually I don't know which way is up or down. 00:20:42 Speaker 1: Then, without another word, Nathan turned and left the court. Solomon didn't know it then, but this would be the last time Solomon would see him. The weight of that departure would settle slowly over Solomon. In light of the gift of wisdom bestowed upon Solomon from the Lord, the man who represented his voice was seemingly no longer needed It would be up to Solomon to determine how well his ear was inclined to that soft, still, ever-guiding voice. He stood, and the court quieted again as he addressed them. 00:21:22 Speaker 2: Today, justice was done, but Israel's future would not be built on courtroom victories alone. 00:21:29 Speaker 1: He swept a hand toward the city of David palace windows, where the outline of Mount Moriah rose against the sky. 00:21:38 Speaker 2: Soon we will complete the house of the Lord, a temple unlike any the world has ever seen. And as long as I sit on this throne, Israel will be a kingdom of wisdom, peace and prosperity. 00:21:52 Speaker 1: The court erupted in applause, but as Solomon sat back down, his gaze lingered on the mountaintop in the distance and then briefly on the empty space where Nathan had stood. Solomon allowed the applause to wash over him. The reunited mother's smile from earlier kindled satisfaction in his heart. He then recalled the day on the mountain those years ago when he was first gifted with the Lord's wisdom, the boy on his shoulders, his family's legacy secure, the temple on the horizon. But even as he held it all in his hands, power was Wisdom, legacy. He couldn't help but wonder, for how long? This Pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Schellewager and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradok, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.