King Solomon‟s writings have been ridiculed as
not being inspired (see The Amplified Bible
footnotes on Ecclessiastes). There can be no
The sin of alcohol use continued to pass through
generations of David‟s offspring always with
predictable results: “Rehoboam fortified the
strong holds, and put captains in them, and
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Solomon‟s words in the Book of Ecclesiastes
pitifully describe the experience of the drunkard:
“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove
thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure:
and behold, this also is vanity. I sought in
mine heart to give myself unto wine [yayin fermented], I planted vineyards and
whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from
them. I hated life.” [Ecc 2:1-17]
King Solomon may have hated life, but during
this period he did not hate one of the main
causes of his miserable condition: “Drink thy
wine [yayin - fermented] with a merry heart”
[Ecc 9:7] “Wine makes merry.” [Ecc 10:19]
[yayin - fermented]
It was eventually recommended by Solomon that
those in political leadership should abstain from
spirits, undoubtedly recounting his own errors:
“It is not for kings to drink wine [yayin fermented]; nor for princes strong drink: lest
they drink, and forget the law, and pervert
the judgement of any of the afflicted.”
[Prov 31:4,5] “Wisdom hath mingled her wine,
come drink of the wine which I have mingled.
[Pro 9:2,5] Israel knew all too well the effects of
being drunk. Symbolically, Solomon states that
wisdom from God is portrayed as something a
man should be drunk in, not alcohol.
Thanks to Solomon‟s eventual strict stand
against alcohol, Christians can live today in
happy sobriety. New Testament writers
emphasizing holy living used the wise man‟s
counsel to instruct new believers.
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“The vines with the tender grape give a good
smell.” [SS 2:13] “How much better is thy love
than wine!” [SS 4:10] “We will remember thy
love more than wine” [SS 1:4] “I have drunk
my wine with my milk.” [SS 5:1] “The roof of
thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved,
that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of
those that are asleep to speak.” [SS 7:9]
Reference is made to those who talk in their
sleep after drinking what is termed the best or
most potent wine. “Let us get up early to the
vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish,
whether the tender grape appear.” [SS 7:12]
“I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of
the juice of my pomegranate.” [SS 8:2]
Alcohol might explain how the wisest man could
end up running after heathen women, and
watching as children were sacrificed to false
gods.
doubt that Solomon‟s reign was only a shadow
of what it could have been. There was a decided
shortage of spirituality during his kingship but
there was no shortage of alcoholic spirits.
However, before he died, Solomon became the
first of the Bible writers to counsel believers
against the use of spirits, pointing out its varied
evils. The King finally spoke vigorously against
the use of fermented spirits: “Who hath woe?
Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions?
Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds
without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go
to seek mixed wine.” [Prov 23:29,30] “Wine is a
mocker, strong drink is raging: and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
[Prov 20:1] “Look not thou upon the wine when
it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup,
when it moveth itself aright. At the last it
biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an
adder.” [Prov 20:31,32] “He that loveth wine
shall not be rich.” [Pro 21:17] “Be not among
the wine-bibbers ... for the drunkard shall
come to poverty.” [Prov 23:20,21] “Enter not
into the path of the wicked … avoid it, pass
not by it, turn from it … for they drink the
wine of violence.” [Prov 4:17]