How does Solomon's approach in 1 Kings 5:6 reflect humility and reliance on others? A closer look at 1 Kings 5:6 “ So now, please command that cedars be cut for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants, and I will pay you for your servants’ wages according to whatever you say. For you know that none of us can cut timber like the Sidonians.” Setting the scene • Solomon is preparing to build the temple, a task of immense spiritual significance. • Though endowed with wisdom (1 Kings 3:12) and resources (1 Kings 4:20–34), he still needs the famed cedars of Lebanon and the skilled lumberjacks of Sidon. • His letter to Hiram reveals his attitude—and it’s worth pausing to observe the heart behind the words. How humility shows up in Solomon’s request • “Please command…” – a respectful appeal, not a royal demand. • Acknowledgment of expertise: “none of us can cut timber like the Sidonians.” He openly admits Israel’s limitation. • Willingness to compensate: “I will pay you… according to whatever you say.” He values the labor of others and refuses to exploit. • Partnership language: “My servants will work with your servants.” He invites collaboration rather than insisting on total control. Reliance on others—an expression of reliance on God • God often provides through people. Solomon recognizes that the Lord’s provision comes via Sidonian skill (cf. Exodus 35:30-35—Bezalel and Oholiab, gifted by the Spirit for craftsmanship). • Proverbs 15:22: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Solomon practices what that proverb teaches, years before he pens it. • 1 Corinthians 12:21: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you.’ ” The king prefigures the New-Testament truth that God’s work advances through many members, each supplying what the other lacks. Key takeaways for today • Recognize expertise in others and celebrate it. • Ask respectfully, even when we possess authority. • Offer fair compensation; generosity reflects God’s heart (Luke 6:38). • See cooperation as an act of faith—trusting God to work through the broader body rather than relying solely on ourselves. |
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