Solomon

Solomon, king of ancient Israel (reigned 961-922 bc), second son of David, king of Judah and Israel, and Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 12:24), the last king of a united Israel. In later Jewish and Muslim literature Solomon appears not only as the wisest of sages but as one gifted with the power to control the spirits of the invisible world. He is frequently noted in history and literature as the builder of the Temple of Jerusalem.

Solomon succeeded his father in c. 961 despite the claims of Adonijah, his older half-brother (see 1 Kings 1:1-40). He divided Israel into 12 parts for administrative purposes and extended his territory “from the river [Euphrates] unto the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt” (4:21). He made slaves of the Canaanites who remained in the land (9:20-21) and formed an alliance with Hiram (10th century bc), king of Tyre (Şūr, Lebanon). In return for food, Hiram furnished him with timber and the ships of the allies went out trading together. The Temple, completed in about seven years, was built in great splendour with Hiram's aid and dedicated with much magnificence (see 1 Kings 8). However, these alliances provoked discontent since they led to the establishment of foreign religious cults in Jerusalem.

Solomon's distinguishing quality was as an administrator. He kept the united kingdom largely intact, strengthened its fortifications, and made alliances not only with Tyre, but also with several other nations surrounding Israel. Commerce, consisting of trade by caravan and by sea, and an extensive copper-mining industry were encouraged by the international intercourse. Contact with other nations also resulted in a marked intellectual advance and it may be assumed that genuine literary activity was carried on. Solomon himself is traditionally regarded as an author of high skill and remarkable output. The writings that have been ascribed to him are the biblical Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, the Wisdom of Solomon, and the later Psalms of Solomon and Odes of Solomon. Modern scholars have determined, however, that several were written centuries later. The Odes, indeed, are possibly of Gnostic Christian authorship.

Despite his reputation for wisdom, it would seem that Solomon's extravagance and disregard for his people were partly responsible for the later disruption of the kingdom after his death, when the northern tribes seceded under Jeroboam. Outside conditions, moreover, contributed to his original success. The larger empires were preoccupied with their own affairs, and Israel's trade and industry flourished in the absence of extensive warfare.