Old Testament Characters

Solomon

Text:  peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David's second son by Bathsheba, 
i.e., the first after their legal marriage (2 Sam. 12). He was 
probably born about B.C. 1035 (1 Chr. 22:5; 29:1). He succeeded his 
father on the throne in early manhood, probably about sixteen or 
eighteen years of age. Nathan, to whom his education was intrusted, 
called him Jedidiah, i.e., "beloved of the Lord" (2 Sam. 12:24, 25). 
He was the first king of Israel "born in the purple." His father chose 
him as his successor, passing over the claims of his elder sons: 
"Assuredly Solomon my son shall reign after me." 

His history is recorded in 1 Kings 1-11 and 2 Chr. 1-9. His elevation 
to the throne took place before his father's death, and was hastened 
on mainly by Nathan and Bathsheba, in consequence of the rebellion of 
Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5-40). 

During his long reign of forty years the Hebrew monarchy gained its 
highest splendour. This period has well been called the "Augustan age" 
of the Jewish annals. The first half of his reign was, however, by far 
the brighter and more prosperous; the latter half was clouded by the 
idolatries into which he fell, mainly from his heathen intermarriages 
(1 Kings 11:1-8; 14:21, 31). 

Before his death David gave parting instructions to his son (1 Kings 
2:1-9; 1 Chr. 22:7-16; 28). As soon as he had settled himself in his 
kingdom, and arranged the affairs of his extensive empire, he entered 
into an alliance with Egypt by the marriage of the daughter of Pharaoh 
(1 Kings 3:1), of whom, however, nothing further is recorded. 

He surrounded himself with all the luxuries and the external grandeur 
of an Eastern monarch, and his government prospered. He entered into 
an alliance with Hiram, king of Tyre, who in many ways greatly 
assisted him in his numerous undertakings. (See HIRAM.) 

For some years before his death David was engaged in the active work 
of collecting materials (1 Chr. 29:6-9; 2 Chr. 2:3-7) for building a 
temple in Jerusalem as a permanent abode for the ark of the covenant. 
He was not permitted to build the house of God (1 Chr. 22:8); that 
honour was reserved to his son Solomon. (See TEMPLE.) 

After the completion of the temple, Solomon engaged in the erection of 
many other buildings of importance in Jerusalem and in other parts of 
his kingdom. For the long space of thirteen years he was engaged in 
the erection of a royal palace on Ophel (1 Kings 7:1-12). It was 100 
cubits long, 50 broad, and 30 high. Its lofty roof was supported by 
forty-five cedar pillars, so that the hall was like a forest of cedar 
wood, and hence probably it received the name of "The House of the 
Forest of Lebanon." 

In front of this "house" was another building, which was called the 
Porch of Pillars, and in front of this again was the "Hall of 
Judgment," or Throneroom (1 Kings 7:7; 10:18-20; 2 Chr. 9:17-19), "the 
King's Gate," where he administered justice and gave audience to his 
people. This palace was a building of great magnificence and beauty. A 
portion of it was set apart as the residence of the queen consort, the 
daughter of Pharaoh. From the palace there was a private staircase of 
red and scented sandal wood which led up to the temple. 

Solomon also constructed great works for the purpose of securing a 
plentiful supply of water for the city (Eccl. 2:4-6). He then built 
Millo (LXX., "Acra") for the defence of the city, completing a line of 
ramparts around it (1 Kings 9:15, 24; 11:27). 

He erected also many other fortifications for the defence of his 
kingdom at various points where it was exposed to the assault of 
enemies (1 Kings 9:15-19; 2 Chr. 8:2-6). Among his great undertakings 
must also be mentioned the building of Tadmor (q.v.) in the wilderness 
as a commercial depot, as well as a military outpost. 

During his reign Palestine enjoyed great commercial prosperity. 
Extensive traffic was carried on by land with Tyre and Egypt and 
Arabia, and by sea with Spain and India and the coasts of Africa, by 
which Solomon accumulated vast stores of wealth and of the produce of 
all nations (1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:11, 12; 2 Chr. 8:17, 18; 9:21). 

This was the "golden age" of Israel. The royal magnificence and 
splendour of Solomon's court were unrivalled. He had seven hundred 
wives and three hundred concubines, an evidence at once of his pride, 
his wealth, and his sensuality. The maintenance of his household 
involved immense expenditure. The provision required for one day was 
"thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ten 
fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, 
beside harts, and roebucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl" (1 Kings 
4:22, 23). 

Solomon's reign was not only a period of great material prosperity, 
but was equally remarkable for its intellectual activity. He was the 
leader of his people also in this uprising amongst them of new 
intellectual life. "He 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" (1 Kings 4: 32, 33). 

His fame was spread abroad through all lands, and men came from far 
and near "to hear the wisdom of Solomon." Among others thus attracted 
to Jerusalem was "the queen of the south" (Matt. 12:42), the queen of 
Sheba, a country in Arabia Felix. "Deep, indeed, must have been her 
yearning, and great his fame, which induced a secluded Arabian queen 
to break through the immemorial custom of her dreamy land, and to put 
forth the energy required for braving the burdens and perils of so 
long a journey across a wilderness. Yet this she undertook, and 
carried it out with safety." (1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chr. 9: 1-12.) She 
was filled with amazement by all she saw and heard: "there was no more 
spirit in her." After an interchange of presents she returned to her 
native land. 

But that golden age of Jewish history passed away. The bright day of 
Solomon's glory ended in clouds and darkness. His decline and fall 
from his high estate is a sad record. Chief among the causes of his 
decline were his polygamy and his great wealth. "As he grew older he 
spent more of his time among his favourites. The idle king living 
among these idle women, for 1,000 women, with all their idle and 
mischievous attendants, filled the palaces and pleasure-houses which 
he had built (1 Kings 11:3), learned first to tolerate and then to 
imitate their heathenish ways. 

He did not, indeed, cease to believe in the God of Israel with his 
mind. He did not cease to offer the usual sacrifices in the temple at 
the great feasts. But his heart was not right with God; his worship 
became merely formal; his soul, left empty by the dying out of true 
religious fervour, sought to be filled with any religious excitement 
which offered itself. 

Now for the first time a worship was publicly set up amongst the 
people of the Lord which was not simply irregular or forbidden, like 
that of Gideon (Judg. 8:27), or the Danites (Judg. 18: 30, 31), but 
was downright idolatrous." (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13.) This brought 
upon him the divine displeasure. His enemies prevailed against him (1 
Kings 11:14-22, 23-25, 26-40), and one judgment after another fell 
upon the land. 

And now the end of all came, and he died, after a reign of forty 
years, and was buried in the city of David, and "with him was buried 
in the city of David, and "with him was buried the short-lived glory 
and unity of Israel." "He leaves behind him but one weak and worthless 
son, to dismember his kingdom and disgrace his name." 

"The kingdom of Solomon," says Rawlinson, "is one of the most striking 
facts in the Biblical history. A petty nation, which for hundreds of 
years has with difficulty maintained a separate existence in the midst 
of warlike tribes, each of which has in turn exercised dominion over 
it and oppressed it, is suddenly raised by the genius of a 
soldier-monarch to glory and greatness. An empire is established which 
extends from the Euphrates to the borders of Egypt, a distance of 450 
miles; and this empire, rapidly constructed, enters almost immediately 
on a period of peace which lasts for half a century. Wealth, grandeur, 
architectural magnificence, artistic excellence, commercial 
enterprise, a position of dignity among the great nations of the 
earth, are enjoyed during this space, at the end of which there is a 
sudden collapse. The ruling nation is split in twain, the 
subject-races fall off, the pre-eminence lately gained being wholly 
lost, the scene of struggle, strife, oppression, recovery, in-glorious 
submission, and desperate effort, re-commences.", Historical 
Illustrations.