The Wisdom of Solomon and the Creatures

Fame of Solomon’s Wisdom

 God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. 

He was wiser than anyone else, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, children of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 

He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 

 He would speak of trees, from the cedar that is in the Lebanon to the hyssop that grows in the wall; he would speak of animals, and birds, and reptiles, and fish.  

People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

 1 Kings 4:29-34 NRSVue

And Solomon succeeded David²⁰ and said: "O people, we have been taught the speech of birds²¹ and we have been endowed with all kinds of things.²² Surely this is a conspicuous favour (from Allah)."

Surah 27:16 Quran 

I've been reading the daily lectionary passages this Summer and been reminded of some of the remarkable storytelling of the Hebrew Scriptures. Yesterday I came upon this passage about the wisdom of Solomon which asserts that he was a poet and musician, but also something of a botanist and biologist. 

I knew about this verse and the ancient legends that he spoke with the critters, not just of them. The image that emerges is of a mash-up of Charles Darwin and Dr. Doolittle. As you can see from the paintings, this has captured the imaginations of artists from different traditions, including Islam, for hundreds of years. 

I'm not sure why I don't have this verse posted somewhere in my study in big, bold print because it's so timely. We seem to have lost the ability as humans to "converse" with animals and birds and reptiles and fish. Our empirical science has downplayed the spiritual and mystical dimensions of relationships with the web of Creation and while I'm dubious about Solomon chatting with creatures I do feel that human wisdom involves listening and learning with humility.