Proverbs 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Governance in family, society and country is a major theme in the bible, God since the days of Abraham had started to train and expect his people to understand and execute righteousness and justice
For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. Genesis 18:19
According to the bible at the heart of failure in a society is poor or absent leadership, this is the story of Judges that repeats the phrase “In those Days there was no King in Israel; Every Man did what was Right in his Own Eye” seven times. The old testament through a series of stories first talks about Kings in the southern and northern kingdoms who try to lead their countries out of this miserable state found in Judges. Each Kings story is concluded by either of two phrase’s
He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.
or
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done
God evaluated this Kings success based on how they implemented righteousness and justice, left to themselves the children of Israel became lawless, and did what felt good to them. Therefore the King’s role (any leader) was to judge and enforce God’s laws this required that a leader was to have 3 qualities
Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads. Deuteronomy 1:13
Wisdom and Understanding
Before Solomon became King, his father had given him specific instructions
“Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. May the Lord give you wisdom and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. 1 Chronicles 22:12-13
When Solomon was appointed King, he was scared he knew that at his age he did not know how to execute righteousness and justice in Israel, he therefore humbly made a specific request to God
And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? 1 Kings 7-9
From above we can understand that wisdom and understanding are the tools that are used to govern unto righteousness. That the primary purpose of wisdom is to discern between good and evil, to guide Gods people to do good, and therefore do what is right in God’s eyes. The law gives general guidelines but wisdom is the interpretation that gives a righteous and just outcome and where there is justice people are able to leave peacefully together and be righteous.
Proverbs 2:9-20
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul…Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men…Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,from the wayward woman with her seductive words…Thus you will walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.
In Judges everyone did what was right in their own site but in Solomon’s time there is a certain godly way of doing things and whenever there was a deviation Solomon was able to judge and resolve. The value add that Solomon’s wisdom brings can be best illustrated by a story in Judges 19 where a Levite’s concubine is raped by men from the tribe of Benjamin. The Levite has nowhere to go to resolve this injustices, he therefore unwisely instigates a war against the whole tribe of Benjamin, so that the sin is purged from among them, the believe being if this sin is not judged it would bring the wrath of God.
When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. 1 Kings 4:28
During Solomon’s time how disputes were resolved even between two prostitute’s highlight’s how wisdom is used to give just judgments and therefore avoid escalation and purging sin simultaneously. Wisdom’s primary purpose is to bring clarity in situations where there is confusion between what is good and evil, wisdom and the knowledge of God propelled Israel to be the most prominent country of its time, the Queen of Shaba observed
6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness. 1 Kings 10:6-9
Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” Exodus 18:19-23
Blessings or Curses 