Solomon
| Solomon שְׁלֹמֹה | |
|---|---|
King Solomon (1872) by Simeon Solomon | |
| King of Israel | |
| Reign | c. 970–931 BCE (hypothesised) |
| Predecessor | David |
| Successor | Rehoboam |
| Born | 11th–10th century BCE Jerusalem, Kingdom of Israel and Judah |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | 3 (recorded):
|
| Dynasty | House of David |
| Father | David |
| Mother | Bathsheba |
| Religion | Yahwism |
Solomon (/ˈsɒləmən/),[a] also called Jedidiah,[b] was the fourth monarch of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah, according to the Hebrew Bible.[4][5] The successor of his father David, he is described as the penultimate ruler of all Twelve Tribes of Israel under a united Israel and Judah. His reign is hypothesized to have lasted from 970 to 931 BCE. According to the biblical narrative, his reign brought commercial prosperity through alliances and trade, but his accumulation of wealth, horses, and foreign wives, many of whom introduced idolatry, led to divine punishment. After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam’s harsh policies led the northern Israelites to reject David’s line and follow Jeroboam, splitting the kingdom into Israel in the north and Judah in the south, according to the Hebrew Bible.[6]
Considered a Jewish prophet, Solomon is portrayed as wealthy, wise, powerful, and a dedicated follower of Yahweh (God),[7] as attested by the eponymous Solomon's Temple,[8][9] which was the first Temple in Jerusalem.[5] He is also traditionally regarded as the author of the biblical books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. He is also the subject of many later references and legends, most notably in the Testament of Solomon, part of biblical apocrypha from the 1st century CE.
The historicity of Solomon is the subject of significant debate. While current scholarship generally allows for the possibility of a historical Solomon, the details of his reign over Israel and Judah are contested and the biblical portrayal of his apparent empire's opulence is considered highly likely to be an anachronistic exaggeration.[10][11][12][13]
Solomon is also revered in Christianity and Islam. In the New Testament, he is portrayed as a teacher of wisdom, compared to Jesus,[14][15] and invoked rhetorically to illustrate God's generosity.[16][17] In the Quran, he is considered to be a major Islamic prophet. In primarily non-biblical circles, Solomon also came to be known as a magician and an exorcist, with numerous amulets and medallion seals dating from the Hellenistic period invoking his name.[18]
- ^ "In Our Time With Melvyn Bragg: King Solomon". United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: BBC Radio 4. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
- ^ 1 Kings 11:1–3
- ^ Khan, Geoffrey (2020). The Tiberian Pronunciation Tradition of Biblical Hebrew. Vol. 1. Open Book Publishers. p. 305. ISBN 978-1-78374-676-7.
- ^ Book of Kings: 1 Kings 1–11; Books of Chronicles: 1 Chronicles 28–29, 2 Chronicles 1–9
- ^ a b Barton, George A. (1906). "Temple of Solomon". Jewish Encyclopedia. pp. 98–101. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ Stefon, Matt (27 June 2023). "Solomon king of Israel". Britannica.
- ^ Rashi, to Megillah, 14a
- ^ 1 Kings 5:5
- ^ 1 Kings 8:20
- ^ Grabbe, Lester. The Dawn of Israel: A History of Canaan in the Second Millennium BCE. 2023. T&T Clark. p. 255-259. "It is essentially a folktale about an Eastern potentate – it is royal legend or Königsnovelle." "Thus, it looks difficult to discover much in the Solomon story that strikes the critical reader as likely to be historical." "[T]he temple story has been inflated into a legendary extravaganza." "[T]he Solomon story is the most problematic of those relating to the early Israelite kings, providing the thickest cloud of obscurity over the history that lies behind it."
- ^ Faust & Farber 2025, p. 413, "During Solomon’s reign, Israel came into its own as a state. The increased social complexity and hierarchy is expressed in various material changes like the new pottery forms and assemblages. Although these started before Solomon’s time, they climaxed in this period. [...] The evidence briefly recounted earlier in this chapter fits not only with the general description of Solomon’s policies, but also with the various lists of ministers and officials, districts, and the like, which testify to the administrative nature of his rule and which were far more sophisticated than those of David."
- ^ Dever, William G. (2021). "Solomon, Scripture, and Science: The Rise of the Judahite State in the 10th Century BCE". Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology. 1: 102–125. doi:10.52486/01.00001.4. ISSN 2788-8819.
- ^ Finkelstein & Silberman 2006, p. 20.
- ^ Matthew 12:42
- ^ Luke 11:31
- ^ Matthew 6:28–29
- ^ Luke 12:27
- ^ "Archaeology, Culture, and other Religions". FMC terra santa. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
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