The Lord gave Solomon a "wise and an understanding heart," so there was none like him. (1 Kings 3:12.)
As a result of this blessing from the Lord, Solomon "spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom." (1 Kings 4:32-34.)In Mormon Doctrine, Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: "Solomon is the symbol of wisdom. . . . But Solomon did not endure to the end; his wisdom vanished away. He apostatized from the Church, worshiped false gods, and incurred the wrath of a just God." (See 1 Kings 11.)
In the April 1966 general conference, Presiding Bishop John H. Vandenberg said: "Most of us know of some people who showed promise of great attainment but who lived their lives so they never quite measured up to that promise. Such a person was Solomon, who was blessed with numerous privileges, opportunities, and great wisdom. Yet he strayed into a path of foolishness. Solomon asked God for wisdom and was blessed so that there was not a king like him in all his days. His philosophy indicates he had an understanding of life and the experiences that were connected with it. He knew of life's purpose and its eternal nature. In fact, few men have had the experience he had. Even the Lord appeared to him and set him a goal: the strait and narrow way that leadeth to life." (See Matt. 7:14.)
