1 Kings 10:25
And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
The verse belongs to the account of Solomon's life, reign and kingdom in the first eleven chapters of 1 Kings, during the period when the kingdom was undivided. Solomon succeeded David, who succeeded Saul, and at Solomon's death Rehoboam took the kingdom and through imprudent stubbornness lost a large portion, leaving the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah that continued until Israel was obliterated in 721 B.C. and Judah was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C. and finally in 588 B.C. The verse is part of the fuller record of Solomon's wealth and wisdom in 1 Kings 10:14-29, which goes with 1 Kings 4:25-34.
Kings, nations and people from abroad came to Jerusalem to hear Solomon's God-given wisdom, and every man brought his yearly present or annual tribute recognizing his sovereignty and the supremacy of Israel's peaceful empire. The yearly presents were vessels of silver and vessels of gold, garments or clothing, armour or weapons, spices, horses and mules. This yearly flow of valuable goods shows Solomon's extraordinary wealth and worldly glory and Israel's former glory, prestige and honor, and is evidence of the great riches available in Solomon's time. The submission of the kings was won not by military force but through God-given wisdom, peace and righteousness.
The mention of mules shows they were in common use among the children of Israel, supporting the likelihood that they raised them. Solomon later lost this empire when he turned from God's wisdom and adopted heathen ways, and apostasy brought Israel down to a position worse than the heathen from which as a people they never fully recovered. Solomon's pride in such splendor, including fine clothing and other luxuries and costly gifts, contributed to his fall into idolatry, showing that wealth and adornment can become temptations even for someone once devoted to God. The valuable yearly gifts brought by those seeking the truth illustrate how people seeking the truth can provide means for its work.