gnosis92

Who's richer, Bill Gates or Solomon? Some Christians believe Solomon was the "richest man who has ever lived". It says so in the Bible.

Chris Weimer

Um...has ever lived up to that point? Or will have ever lived? Big difference.

gnosis92

The Bible clearly says Solomon was the richest man who has ever lived, which implies up to that point. He built the Temple with his wealth. The Temple proves Solomon's wealth, much as pyramids show Pharoah's wealth and power.

When Xians say this, I am under the impression they mean richer than even Bill Gates, which I tell them I believe Bill Gates is richer.

Clivedurdle

If Solomon existed, he was certainly only a little war lord.

Sarpedon

As if a Ranch house sized temple is as expensive as a pyramid...even without the complex of funerary temples and their furnishings.

gstafleu

How exactly does one compare richness between Solomon's time and now? Number if virgins available per day? You'd have to find something in common, perhaps pounds of gold, and then you have to be able to convert current riches to pounds of gold and then-riches to pounds of gold. All in all I suspect the question is undefined.

Gerard Stafleu

Trout

Stupid

Considering Solomon was supposedly around during the Zhou Dynasty which had already replaced the Shang and Xia even by the standards of the age, it's pretty dam unlikely that a wee little kingdom that would otherwise be pretty inconsequential, had anywhere near that wealth and power.

Amazingly arrogant really. Christianity and Judaism has really screwed with history.

gnosis92

I was under the impression the Temple was a very large structure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_solomon

gnosis92

I agree we cannot do an apples to apples comparison. One soft way is purchasing power parity.

You would agree with me that a bushel of wheat is a commodity item? Or, say, three pigs?

If it costs Solomon two copper pieces to buy a bushel of wheat, and Bill Gates $10 to buy a bushel of wheat, and King George 1 lb to buy a bushel of wheat, then we would say that two copper pieces, $10, and 1lb are comparable.

We know the Pharoahs built pyramids out of their wealth.

How many pounds or US dollars would it cost to build the Pyramid in Giza, the one dedicated to Kufu, and to field a standing army of comparable size?

Obviously the Pharoah can be far wealthier than the wealth they demonstrated when they built the pyrmiads. But it if were to cost say $10 billion today to build a pyrmid exactly like Kiffu, then that could give us some baseline idea of the Pharoah's wealth.

Not perfect apples to apples comparison, but asking how much foodstuff you can buy with your disposable income would be one way to make wealth comparisons across time and culture.

gnosis92

2 Chronicles 1:10-12 (New International Version)

10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

11 God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."


13 Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting. And he reigned over Israel.

14 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, [a] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 16 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt [b] and from Kue [c]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. 17 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels [d] of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. [e] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...ontext=context

I wish God gave me a deal like that