How Rich Was King Solomon?
How much was King Solomon worth? Have you been asking the question almost everyone is asking?
The story of King Solomon is a popular one. He is a Bible character, and also became the king of Israel after his father King David died. If there is anything King Solomon is well known for, it will be for his wealth.
God blessed Solomon with matchless wealth after asking him what he wanted from Him. Instead of asking for wealth, which would have been the most likely thing to ask for being a youth, Solomon asked God for wisdom to lead His people.
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Solomon’s wealth in today’s money
God was impressed by his request and decided to bless him with both wealth and wisdom. This was the primary source of his wealth. Solomon became the richest King that ever ruled Israel and also the richest in His day. This article pays special attention to the aspect of His wealth.
With many inquiries being made, and questions being asked about King Solomon’s true net-worth, this article seeks to address some of the questions regarding the nature of his wealth. This story is found in the book of 1 Kings 3:1-15.
So how much money did Solomon have?
How Rich Was Solomon?
The composition of King Solomon’s Wealth
King Solomon’s wealth was composed of several income flows. These huge incomes included heavy taxations paid by the Israelites to King Solomon who ensured they were heavily taxed to the dismay and displeasure of his people, tributes paid by several kingdoms; gifts which included the popular visit of the Queen of Sheba who visited King
Solomon to see for herself His much talked about wealth and splendor which was talked about all over the world.
While visiting, she did not come empty-handed, as she brought in great quantities of gifts which included camels, gold, silver plus other valuables. Several other people of note including Kings visited King Solomon, bringing along precious gifts adding to the net-worth of King Solomon.
Historic recordings also allude to the desire to see King Solomon by the Kings of other Kingdoms. They all brought in large supplies of gifts that would be pleasing to the eyes of King Solomon.
King Solomon was also into trading and commerce and formed alliances with other Kings, notably King Hiram who ensured that the partnership between them thrived and grew. All these were apart from the inheritance He inherited from King David His father.
Converting King Solomon’s Gold Income to Figures
With an ever-expanding network of trading and commerce that raked in 25 tons of gold on an annual basis, King Solomon was stupendously wealthy. Calculating his gold alone earnings alone, in present-day figures, it would amount to a ton of gold valued at 64.3 million dollars, using $2,000/oz. it, therefore, means that the 40 years of
His reign as King when converted will amount to $64,300,800,000. Knowing that this is just a part of what makes up King Solomon’s net-worth is breathtaking!
Combining all of King Solomon’s assets, these, when converted using present-day currency values equals a whopping $2.1 Trillion. This is a figure nobody else has attained. Religious sources attribute this great wealth to the fulfillment of Gods’ fulfillment of His promise to King Solomon.
Other Valuations of King Solomon’s Wealth
With the promise God made to him, King Solomon increased in wealth that had never been seen before his time. To this day, the subject of his wealth has attracted global attention with several projections being made base on the properties and assets he had.
During his time as King of Israel, because of the immense wealth he had, his throne was coated in pure gold, in addition to a footstool that was made of pure gold.
Also, the household items that were found in King Solomon’s house were all made of gold. Because of how wealthy he was in gold, nothing in his entire palace was made of silver, because it was considered of low value and as such, unfit for use in his palace. Because of the vast amounts of gold he possessed, it is recorded in the bible that silver became as common as stones in Jerusalem.
Also, cedarwood which is considered of great value especially in monetary terms became so common during the reign of Solomon and depreciated due to its abundance in his Kingdom.
Different stories conducted by scholars and historians alike all point to King Solomon as the richest man who ever lived on the face of the earth. Other wealthy individuals that have existed have not been as rich as King Solomon who was blessed by God.
Conclusion
This article has shed light on King Solomon’s wealth and how much he was worth. Being promised by God that He will bless him with great wealth more than any King that had ruled before him, and the resulting wealth he eventually had, it is little wonder that scholars and historians are interested in this area of study.
With recorded biblical accounts of King Solomon’s wealth, this has been used in arriving at the current figures where his wealth has clearly dwarfed that of any other person that has lived on the planet.
SUMMARY
King Solomon’s riches surpasses most of the wealth seen in recent times. His wealth places him conveniently among the top 10 richest men of all time. This is unarguably the wealthiest king in history.
How Much Was King Solomon Worth?
How much are 666 talents of gold worth today? Now, let’s calculate how much was Solomon worth during his time as compared with today. According to biblical records, King Solomon’s annual salary was pegged at 666 gold talents.
A talent of gold converts to 34.5Kg which then translates to 1109 troy ounce of gold. An ounce of gold worth $960.
From the calculations, King Solomon was paid $760 million per year. Also considering that he was in power for 40years. That’s more than thirty billion dollars as King Solomon’s net worth! King Solomon’s wealth also encompasses his investments, properties, and assets such as houses, land, and horses.
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How Wealthy Was King Solomon?
Today, Solomon’s net worth should be around $100 billion. As a wise king employing the best Solomon wealth management, 700 wives and 300 concubines must have had draining effects on his riches.
Nevertheless, when looking through the list of the richest people in history Solomon rich and wise is a force to reckon with.