Dr. Henry M. Morris - The Remarkable Wisdom of Solomon: Ancient Insights from the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes

First printing: July 2001

Seventh printing: February 2021

Copyright 2001 by Master Books, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. For information write:

Master Books, Inc., P.O. Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638.

ISBN-13: 978-0-89051-356-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-61458-012-6 (digital)

Library of Congress Number: 01-090935

Cover design by Farewell Communications

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Acknowledgments

My grateful thanks go to Dr. Art Peters for reviewing the manuscript for this book and writing the Foreword. He and his talented and gracious wife, Shirley, have been good friends of mine ever since he, Dr. Tim LaHaye, and I served together as co-founders of Christian Heritage College back in 1970. Art and Shirley had actually taught a successful course on the Book of Proverbs at the college (and other places as well) and were thus already actively interested in the writings of Solomon, so I was especially pleased when they agreed to review this book.

My two sons, Dr. Henry Morris III and Dr. John Morris, also reviewed the manuscript, and my daughter Mary Smith typed it, so sincere thanks go to them as well.

Contents

Foreword

D r. Henry Morris, whom it has been my privilege to be a friend and colleague of for over 30 years, has written not a mere textbook but a fascinating biography of a singular man in history. The Remarkable Wisdom of Solomon traces the life of a man who spoke more wisely than he lived. Dr. Morris brings to this commentary on King Solomon and his three Bible books Song of Solomon, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes his unashamed adherence to the plain, literal translation and teaching of the Word of God. His dedicated exploration and interpretation of the books of the Bible written by Solomon convey details of Solomons heritage and personal story on which other authors have only lightly touched.

In all three commentaries Dr. Morris emphasizes the place of Solomons one and only love, Naamah. He ably defends his suggestion that the other women were in Solomons harem for purposes of politics and prestige. Could this be the reason, he questions, that no names of the other women or of any children born of these other women are recorded? At least, Dr. Morris attributes the candid view of romantic love as described in the Song of Solomon to Solomons wife Naamah. He sets forth clearly and beautifully the physical delights of married love and, not surprisingly, extends his exploration of the relationship to a discussion of Christ and His church.

Dr. Morris uncovers vivid details tucked away in the proverbs of Solomon that add context to the relevant, often stand-alone instructions for living well. He weaves the warnings and blessings to his son Rehoboam, revealed in the first nine chapters of Proverbs in the form of 17 sermons. He reveals the organization of Proverbs, clarifying where formal outlines and divisions work and where its better to treat a verse as complete in itself. Among other things, his exposition of the Book removes what has often been a stumbling block to Bible students by demonstrating that the Proverbs are cast in the form of generalizations. They were not meant to be read as inflexible rules that allow no exceptions.

The commentary on Ecclesiastes further develops the fact that, like any other person, Solomon had his share of mistakes which he calls vanities. Yet the theme of married love returns with Solomons exhortation to live joyfully with the wife of ones youth (Eccles. 9:9). Dr. Morris shows that Solomon is referring to Naamah, the true love of his life. There is good marriage counseling in his commentary on this passage. His meticulous scholarship is revealed in the exposition of the word joyfully which occurs only this one time in the Old Testament. It refers to keeping ones marriage happily alive, and not allowing it to become routine.

There are rich gems of the truth to be mined in his commentary of the wisdom literature of the Bible. Wisdoms crown jewel the gospel of Jesus Christ is appealingly laid out at the conclusion of the book. Characteristically, Dr. Morris ends by inviting readers to trust Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Among the founders of Christian Heritage College, Dr. Morris brought to the school a commitment to academic excellence and to creation, which continues to characterize the college. The Remarkable Wisdom of Solomon , along with Dr. Morriss many other books, grows out of this same scholarship and faithful interpretation of the truth of Gods word. It is an important book for earnest Christians, lay and clergy.

Dr. Art Peters

Introduction

T he life and writings of King Solomon, who reigned over Israel during the 40-year period of her greatest glory, have always been an intriguing mystery to me. How could a man who was said to be the man of greatest wisdom in the world of his day ever think he needed seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, as we read in 1 Kings 4:31; 11:3? Most of these were acquired when he was old, and one wonders whether he could even remember all their names.

And why did none of these seven hundred wives, all of whom were princesses, ever give him any children? If they did, why are none of them ever mentioned in the records? How, too, would a man of such God-given wisdom and blessing, a man who truly loved the Lord, have his heart partially turned away from God by these pagan wives?

Perhaps the most pressing question of all is why God would use Solomon to write three of the most fascinating books of the Bible Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. These three books all have many marks of divine inspiration, and each can bring great blessing and deeper understanding of God and His ways to its readers. So far as we know, none of the other writers of the books of the Bible ever later wavered in their commitment to God as Solomon did. Yet even the Lord Jesus spoke of the wisdom of Solomon and the glory of Solomon, with no hint that these had been compromised by his later failures.

I have tried to explore some of these and other questions in this book. Although I am an engineer and scientist by training and experience, I have also studied the Bible daily for 60 years, so I hope it is not too presumptuous for me to attempt a commentary on Solomons three unique books and a summary analysis of his life. Very few older commentaries on these books are still in print, and very few of our modern Bible scholars have written on them for some reason, so perhaps this book will help meet a need felt by many pastors and Sunday school teachers today.

There are just seven chapters in this book. The first deals with the enigma of Solomon himself. Then there is a chapter containing a verse-by-verse commentary on Song of Solomon, four chapters of commentary on Proverbs, and one on Ecclesiastes. Each of these books is vastly different from the others, and commenting on them verse by verse is a daunting task, to say the least. Many, no doubt, will disagree with my expositions of some of these verses, but I hope the net impact of the book as a whole will be helpful. In any case, I have approached the task prayerfully and in full confidence in the inerrancy and authority of every verse in every book of the Bible.