I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 7.

    Solomon spent 7 years building the Temple. Then he spent almost twice as long building his own palace, because it was so much more ornate than the Temple (or, at least, that is how I read it). I think the priorities Solomon demonstrated by doing this are the origin of what went wrong that led to the kingdom being split after his death. Solomon is an example that someone who possesses wisdom may not always choose the actions which that wisdom dictates. However, despite spending lavishly on his own palace, Solomon spared no expense on the furnishings for the Temple. He hired the best craftsman he could find to oversee creating the furnishings and allocated so much bronze for them that it was impossible to keep track of how much was used. And all of this was over and above the wealth and materials which his father David had gathered for the Temple. Those Solomon put into the Temple treasuries after he had finished building and furnishing the Temple.