“A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the trusted stronghold” (Proverbs 21:22).
An enduring proof of Solomon’s wisdom is recorded in 1 Kings 3:16-28. Here, it is written of two women who had given birth to sons three days apart. Shortly thereafter, one of the boys was accidentally and tragically smothered by his mother while they slept. By the time these two women appeared before Solomon, each claimed that the living baby was her son. What a knotty problem!
To determine the living baby’s mother Solomon called for a sword to be brought so that the baby could be cut in half. Each woman would get an equal share of the remaining infant. One mother objected to this solution; one agreed. Their reactions allowed Solomon to determine the accurate solution to this problem.
One integral part of wisdom is solving tough, tough problems. In this proverb, the challenging problem is how to breach an enemy’s fortified city and secure victory for a nation’s army. By definition, a fort is designed to be impregnable.
Of interest in this proverb is the fact that the one who devised this breach attack on the city was also the one who successfully carried out the plan he had created. This wise man had enough faith in his plan to act and the courage to carry it out. What a rare man!
