Being wealthy means having the financial means to fulfill all basic human necessities, as well as being able to afford an extravagant lifestyle without worrying about the state of your wallet or bank account. When studying the Bible as Christians, we are often faced with thoughts and comparisons to today’s standards that may lead to doubts about its authenticity.
While it may seem like modern-day billionaires like Bernard Arnault & family, Elon Musk & Jeff Bezos hold the title of being the wealthiest people alive in today’s world, there are several individuals from the Bible who were much richer than these modern business moguls. Here are the top 10 richest people from the Bible who were richer than Elon Musk.
1) King Solomon
King Solomon was the son of David and the builder of the famous temple of Jerusalem. He was regarded as the wisest man on earth and acquired his wealth by being a king, owning farm animals, servants, and winning battles. He ruled from 970BC to 931BC and received about 25 tons of gold alone each year of his 39-year reign, including those of Queen of Sheba. In total, King Solomon garnered about $62.7 billion in gold alone. Despite using most of the gold to build the Temple of the Lord, he still had more than enough for himself, and his peak net worth was estimated to be about $2 trillion
2) Job
Job was a God-fearing man from the land of Uz who was incredibly wealthy, with a thousand flocks of camel, she-asses, sheep, and oxen, as well as numerous servants. Despite losing everything in a test from God, his faith and obedience were rewarded with ten times the wealth he had lost. He remained steadfast in his faith despite the advice of his friends and family, and as a result, God gave him double of what he had before. In the end, God blessed Job’s later life even more than his earlier life, and he lived to see four more generations, with exactly double of what he had before.
3) Abraham
Abraham was the son of Terah and was named the father of all nations by God. He acquired his wealth by rearing farm animals, sheep, and camels, and having many servants under his possession. He is considered one of the wealthiest men in the Bible, with the Bible mentioning that he became rich in cattle, silver, gold, and maidens. Although the Bible doesn’t provide a specific value, his wealth if calculated today would be worth billions.
4) David
David, a former shepherd boy, became the king of Israel and Judah and was known for his military conquests, which brought him wealth. Despite his adultery, he was considered a man after God’s heart, seeking forgiveness through music and song. David’s wealth came from various sources, including the loot from his battles against other nations, the remains of King Saul, and gifts from wealthy individuals. He also mined gold from Ophir. In 1 Chronicles 22:14, it is stated that David donated a large sum of gold and silver for the construction of the temple. Today, the value of the gold alone would be worth around $210 billion, while the silver would be worth approximately $1.65 billion, making the total donation worth approximately $212 billion.
5) Joseph
Joseph, the 11th child of Jacob, was sold into slavery by his brothers but eventually became the Vizier or Governor of Egypt after interpreting Pharaoh’s dream. He was able to provide his family with Egyptian transport wagons, new garments, silver money, and 20 donkeys carrying provisions for their journey. While his exact wealth cannot be estimated, the Bible gives some insight into his wealth. Today’s calculation shows that Joseph would have been a billionaire.
6) Isaac
Isaac inherited wealth from his father Abraham and was a diligent and resourceful man who grew his wealth through farming and employing many servants. He married Rebecca and had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Isaac managed his father’s business well and was one of the wealthiest men in the Bible. His wealth caused issues between his sons over birthright.
7) Jacob
Despite his reputation as a cheat, Jacob was the son of Isaac and twin brother to Esau. After cheating and stealing his brother’s birthright with the help of his mother, he ran away to an unknown land where he met Laban. Jacob agreed to serve him for 14 years in exchange for marrying his daughters, Rachel and Leah. During his service to Laban, Jacob gathered a good amount of wealth from livestock and farm animals.
8) Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar is considered one of the wealthiest people in the Bible, thanks to his inheritance of the throne of Babylonia and the land of Egypt, which was known for its riches. His rule was marked by a period of peace and prosperity, which helped him to amass an enormous fortune. His wealth came not just from gold and silver, but also from vast lands, livestock, and slaves. Despite facing challenges, Nebuchadnezzar maintained his power and wealth and built many magnificent structures, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. His legacy as one of the richest people in history lives on to this day.
9) Boaz
Boaz was a wealthy man of Bethlehem during the time of the Judges and is recognized as one of the richest men in the Bible. He owned many farmlands, which brought him immense wealth, and he employed numerous workers to cultivate the land and oversee his crops. Boaz was also known for his compassion, kindness, and integrity, which earned him the respect and admiration from his community. He married Ruth, a foreigner from Moab, and together they had a son named Obed, who became the father of Jesse, the grandfather of King David. Boaz’s wealth and influence allowed him to make a significant impact on his community, and his example of living a life of generosity and treating others with respect and dignity has inspired many throughout history.
The Bible is full of rich and wealthy individuals, some of whom are far richer than the elite of today. It is interesting to note the wealth these individuals had, and how it compares to the richest people today. Even billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk do not come close to the immense wealth of King Solomon alone.
If you have thoughts about these multi-billionaires from the Bible and aspire to be like them, feel free to drop a comment in the section below. Don’t forget to like, share, and follow for more interesting updates.
