Above every earthly good, the king desired wisdom and understanding for the accomplishment of the work God had given him to do. He longed for quickness of mind, for largeness of heart, for tenderness of spirit. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask what I shall give thee." In his answer the young and inexperienced ruler gave utterance to his feeling of helplessness and his desire for aid. "Thou hast showed unto Thy servant David my father great mercy," he said, "according as he walked before Thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with Thee; and Thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that Thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

Salomons guddommeligt inspirerede visdom fandt udtryk i lovsange og talrige ordsprog. "Han fremsagde 3000 tankesprog, og tallet på hans sange var 1005. Han talte om træerne lige fra cederen på Libanon til ysopen, der vokser frem af muren; og han talte om dyrene, fuglene, krybdyrene og fiskene." 1Kong. 4,32-33.