Ecclesiastes 2:7 Commentary and Bible Study

In his great household and on his great lands, Solomon needed a large number of servants, some of whom were long term and had their own children. They added to his stature as a king, since one measure of a man in the eyes of the world is the size of his retinue. The Queen of Sheba, when she saw all this said, ‘Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom’ (1 Kings 10:8). Solomon’s house was well ordered and she commended him for his skilful organisation of all its affairs. The servants were not abused, but felt privileged to serve such a great man and content to do their work. They therefore served willingly and it was this harmony and industry that struck the queen as something exceedingly rare and worthy of the highest admiration. Solomon’s household was therefore the best of households and again he had no reason not to be happy, if happiness is truly to be found in such things, but it is not. He bought servants from outside the house and he had those who were born in his house and brought up in it, benefitting no doubt from his wisdom which diffused to all around him. His servants were still known as an identifiable group many years later at the time of the return from exile, ‘All the Nethinim and the children of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two’ (Ezra 2:58). Again, he was entirely successful in this part of his experiment.Solomon sought a lift through possessions. He built up great flocks and herds from which the royal table was supplied and, as in every other sphere, his livestock exceeded that of every other person both in his day and in all times before him. He examined what it was to excel all others and to obtain a reputation for having surpassed every other known king. This brought him great admiration from within Israel and from the surrounding kingdoms, ‘and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself’ (Psalm 49:18).