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This article is about the Biblical figure. For other uses, see Solomon (disambiguation).
King Solomon

Depiction of Solomon on his throne
Born c. 1000 BCE
Israel
Died 931 BCE
Jerusalem , United Kingdom of Israel
Occupation Monarch ruler
Spouse Pharaoh's daughter plus 700 other wives (with an additional 300 concubines)

King Solomon (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה, Standard Šəlomo or Šlomo Tiberian Šəlōmōh; Ge'ez: ስለሞን, Arabic: سليمان, Sulayman, all from the triliteral root S-L-M, "peace")[1] is a figure described in Middle Eastern scriptures as a wise ruler of an empire centred on the united Kingdom of Israel. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The United Monarchy ( United Kingdom of Israel and Judah) refers to a period in the traditional account of the History of ancient Israel and Judah lasting Pharaoh's daughter who was the wife of Solomon is a figure in Hebrew scriptures who married the king of the United Monarchy of Israel to cement a political alliance Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status Tiberian Hebrew is an extinct (yet very well documented Oral tradition of pronunciation for ancient Hebrew, especially the Hebrew of the Tanakh, that was Ge'ez (gez ግዕዝ) also called Ethiopic, is an Abugida script that was originally developed to write Ge'ez, a Semitic language Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language In the terminology used to discuss the grammar of the Semitic languages and some other Afro-Asiatic languages, a triliteral ( Arabic: جذر ثلاثي Sin - Lam - Mim (Hebrew שלם Š-L-M, Arabic س ل م S-L-M, Maltese S-L-M) is the Triconsonantal The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The United Monarchy ( United Kingdom of Israel and Judah) refers to a period in the traditional account of the History of ancient Israel and Judah lasting He was born in Jerusalem about 1000 BCE and reigned over Israel from 971 BCE to 931 BCE. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the

The Hebrew Bible accounts identify Solomon as the son of David. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible [2] He is also called Jedidiah in the Tanakh (Old Testament), and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah split; following the split his patrilineal descendants ruled over Judah alone. See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The United Monarchy ( United Kingdom of Israel and Judah) refers to a period in the traditional account of the History of ancient Israel and Judah lasting The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. Patrilineality (aka agnatic kinship) is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage it generally involves the Inheritance of property names or titles

The Bible accredits Solomon as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem,[3] and portrays him as great in wisdom, wealth, and power. Solomon's Temple (בית המקדש transliterated Beit HaMikdash) also known as the First Temple, was according to Solomon is the subject of many other later references and legends.

Contents

Historical figure

Artist's depiction of Solomon's court (Ingobertus, c. 880).
Artist's depiction of Solomon's court (Ingobertus, c. 880).

Historical evidence of King Solomon, independent of the biblical accounts, is scarce. Nothing indisputably of Solomon's reign has been found. Archaeological excavations at Hazor, Megiddo, Bethshan and Gezer have uncovered structures that Israeli archaeologists Ammon Ben-Tor, Amihai Mazar and US Professor William G. Dever argue all belong to his reign and all were simultaneously destroyed by a raid of Shishaq. For the kibbutz see Gezer Israel; For the Arab village see Abu Shusha; for the regional council see Gezer Regional Council Amihai "Ami" Mazar (born 1942 is an Israeli archaeologist. William G Dever is an American Archaeologist, specialising in the history of Israel and the Near East in Biblical times who was Professor of Near Eastern Shishak ( Hebrew: שישק Tiberian:) or Shishaq is the biblical Hebrew form of the first ancient Egyptian name of a Pharaoh mentioned [4] but some like Finkelstein argues that these structures are dated to the Omride period, more than a century after Solomon's reign. Omri ( short for) was king of Israel and father of Ahab. William F [5] Excavations on these sites are ongoing.

Biblical account

Succession

According to the biblical book of 1 Kings, when David was "old and stricken" he "gat no heat":

2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not. 1 Kings 1:2-4

When Adonijah, the fourth son of David and heir-apparent to the throne after the death of his elder brothers Amnon and Absalom, heard this he acted to have himself be declared king. Adonijah is a man who appears in the Bible he was the fourth son of David (2 Sam Amnon (אַמְנוֹן according to the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, was David's eldest son Absalom or Avshalom (אַבְשָלוֹם "Father/Leader of/is peace" or "Salem is my Father" Standard Hebrew Avšalom But Bathsheba (Solomon's mother) and Nathan induced David to give orders that his younger son Solomon should immediately be proclaimed king. According to the Hebrew Bible, Bathsheba (בת שבע Bat Sheva) was the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later of David, king of the For other Biblical people with this name see Nathan (given name. Adonijah fled and took refuge at the altar, and received pardon for his conduct from Solomon on the condition that he showed himself "a worthy man" (1 Kings 1:5-53). The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible.

Adonijah asked to marry Abishag the Shunammite, but Solomon denied authorization for such an engagement, although Bathsheba now pleaded on Adonijah's behalf. Abishag - a young woman of Shunem, distinguished for her Beauty. He was then seized and put to death (1 Kings 2:13-25).

David's general Joab was killed, in accord with David's deathbed request to Solomon, and David's priest Abiathar was exiled. Yoav redirects here For the musician see Yoav (musician. Joab ( יוֹאָב " The LORD is father" Standard Abiathar (אביתר Ebyathar Evyatar the father is pre-eminent) in the Bible, son of Achimelech or Ahijah priest at Nob, the fourth in Shimei was confined to Jerusalem and killed three years later when he went to Gath to retrieve some runaway servants. Shimei is the name of a number of persons referenced in the Hebrew Bible and Rabbinical literature [1]

A sketch of Solomon's Temple based on descriptions in the Scriptures.
A sketch of Solomon's Temple based on descriptions in the Scriptures. Solomon's Temple (בית המקדש transliterated Beit HaMikdash) also known as the First Temple, was according to

Buildings and related works

During Solomon's long reign of 40 years, the Hebrew monarchy, according to the Bible, gained its highest splendour. This period has been called the Augustan Age of the Jewish annals. In a single year, according to 1 Kings 10:14, Solomon collected tribute amounting to 666 talents of gold (39,960 pounds). The talent ( Latin: talentum, from Ancient Greek: "scale balance" is an ancient unit of Mass. Based on the archeological evidence, [5] the kingdom of Israel at the time of Solomon was little more than a small city state, so some consider this to be an implausibly large amount of money. Likewise, the magnitude of Solomon's temple may be considered legendary given the lack of physical evidence of its existence, despite some archeological work in the area. [5] It should be noted that extensive archeological excavation has never been conducted around the area known as the Temple Mount; what is thought to be the foundation of Solomon's Temple. Attempts to do so are often met with protest from adherents to the Muslim and Jewish faiths (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/temple-mount-excavation.htm).

Solomon is described as surrounding himself with all the luxuries and the external grandeur of an Eastern monarch, and his government prospered. The term Eastern world refers very broadly to the various Cultures social structures and philosophical systems of " the East " He entered into an alliance with Hiram I, king of Tyre, who in many ways greatly assisted him in his numerous undertakings. Hiram I ( Hebrew: חִירָם "high-born" Standard Hebrew Ḥiram, Tiberian vocalization Ḥîrām) according to Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew For some years before his death David was engaged in the active work of collecting materials for building a temple in Jerusalem as a permanent abode for the Ark of the Covenant; Solomon is described as completing its construction, with the help of an architect, also named Hiram, and other materials, sent from Hiram king of Tyre. Solomon's Temple (בית המקדש transliterated Beit HaMikdash) also known as the First Temple, was according to The Ark of the Covenant (אָרוֹן הָבְרִית ʔārōn hāb’rīθ, Modern aron habrit) is described in the Bible as a sacred container wherein The description of the temple is remarkably similar to that of surviving remains of Phoenician temples of the time, and it is certainly plausible, from the point of view of archaeology, that the temple was constructed to the design of Phoenicians. It has also been suggested that the Phoenicians built it for themselves. [5]

From a critical point of view, Solomon's building of a temple for Yahweh should not be seen as an act resulting from particular devotion to Yahweh, since Solomon is also described as erecting temples for a number of other deities[6] (1 Kings 11:4). For information about Yahweh see God in Abrahamic religions, which provides useful links Solomon's apparent initial devotion to Yahweh appearing in for example his dedication prayer (1 Kings 8:14-66) are seen by textual scholars as a product of a much later writer, Solomon being credited with the views only after Jerusalem had actually become the religious centre of the kingdom (rather than, for example, Shiloh, or Bethel). Shiloh or Shilo may refer to People Shiloh (given name Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, daughter of Angelina Jolie Bethel (בֵּית אֵל also written as Beth El or Beth-El, meaning "House of God" (in general or " House of (the specific god named El Textual scholars consider the authorship of passages such as these in the Books of Kings to be separate from the remainder of the text, and consider these passages to be probably the result of the Deuteronomist. The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. The Deuteronomist (D is one of the sources of the Torah postulated by the Documentary Hypothesis [7]

After the completion of the temple, Solomon is described as erecting many other buildings of importance in Jerusalem; for the long space of thirteen years he was engaged in the erection of a royal palace on Ophel (a hilly promontory in central Jerusalem); Solomon also constructed great works for the purpose of securing a plentiful supply of water for the city, and the Millo (Septuagint, Acra) for the defense of the city. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Ophel ( Hebrew: עופל meaning fortified hill or risen area is the biblical name given to a certain part of a settlement or city that is elevated from its surroundings The Millo was a structure in Jerusalem mentioned by the Books of Kings, and corresponding passages in the Books of Chronicles. The Septuagint (ˈsɛptuədʒɪnt or simply " LXX " is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, translated in stages between the However, excavations of Jerusalem have shown a distinct lack of monumental architecture from the era, and remains of neither the Temple nor Solomon's palace have been found (although it should be noted that a number of significant but politically sensitive areas have not been extensively excavated, including the site that the Temple is traditionally said to have been located). The Temple Mount ( הַר הַבַּיִת, Har haBáyit) also called the Noble Sanctuary ( الحرم القدسي الشريف, al-haram

Solomon is also described as rebuilding major cities elsewhere in Israel, creating the port of Ezion-Geber, and constructing Tadmor in the wilderness as a commercial depot and military outpost. Ezion-Geber or Asiongaber ( Classical Hebrew: עֶצְיֹן גֶּבֶר pronounced "Etzyón-Gaver" was a city of Idumea, a biblical seaport Palmyra ( Arabic: تدمر Tadmor) was in ancient times an important city of central Syria, located in an Oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus Solomon is additionally described as having amassed a thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. Though the location of Solomon's port of Ezion-Geber is known, no remains have ever been found. More archaeological success has been achieved with the major cities Solomon is said to have strengthened or rebuilt (for example, Hazor , Megiddo and Gezer- 1 Kings 9:15); these all have substantial ancient remains, including impressive six-chambered gates, and ashlar palaces, as well as trough-like structures outside buildings that early archaeologists have identified as the stables for Solomon's horses. For the kibbutz see Gezer Israel; For the Arab village see Abu Shusha; for the regional council see Gezer Regional Council Ashlar is dressed stone work of any type of stone Ashlar blocks are large rectangular blocks of Masonry sculpted to have square edges and even faces

According to the Bible, during Solomon's reign Israel enjoyed great commercial prosperity, with extensive traffic being carried on by land with Tyre, Egypt, and Arabia, and by sea with Tarshish (Spain), Ophir, and South India. Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) Tarshish occurs in the Hebrew Bible with these meanings One of the sons of Javan (Genesis 104 Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Ophir ( is a port or region mentioned in the Bible, famous for its wealth South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union

The archaeological remains that are still considered to actually date from the time of Solomon are notable for the fact that Canaanite material culture appears to have continued unabated; there is a distinct lack of magnificent empire, or cultural development - indeed comparing pottery from areas traditionally assigned to Israel with that of the Philistines points to the Philistines having been significantly more sophisticated. One possible explanation some archaeologists (notably Finkelstein[5]) give for these discrepancies is that due to religious prejudice, later writers (i. e. the Biblical authors) suppressed the achievements of the Omrides (whom the Bible describes as being polytheist), and instead pushed them back to a supposed golden age of godly rulers (i. The term Omrides refers to Omri and his descendants (particularly Ahab) who were according to the bible as well as a number of other archaeological remains Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals e. monotheist, and Yahweh worshiping). For information about Yahweh see God in Abrahamic religions, which provides useful links

View from inside a Roman aqueduct from the Pools of Solomon to Jerusalem.
View from inside a Roman aqueduct from the Pools of Solomon to Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the

Solomon's Pools

Solomon's Pools are located near the ancient town of Etam, about 5 miles southwest of Bethlehem in the Palestinian Territories. Bethlehem ( بيت لحم,, lit "House of Meat" Βηθλεέμ Bethleém בית לחם Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread" is a Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called [2] They are named after the Biblical Solomon, probably because of his mention in Ecclesiastes 2. 6, that "I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees". [3] However the pools of more recent evidence were probably the work of the Romans under Herod the Great to provide source water for the aqueduct built to supply water to Bethlehem and to Jerusalem where it terminated under the Temple Mount. Herod (הוֹרְדוֹס Horodos, Greek: Herōdes) also known as Herod I or Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC in Jericho These source pools consist three open cisterns, each at different elevations, fed from an underground spring. The total water capacity is about 11,36 million liters. [4]

Giuseppe Cades: Judgment of Solomon.
Giuseppe Cades: Judgment of Solomon. Giuseppe Cades (1750-1799 was an Italian sculptor painter and engraver

Wisdom

One of the qualities most ascribed to Solomon is his wisdom. One account, that of Solomon suggesting to divide a baby in two to determine its real mother, is from the Old Testament of the Bible in the book of Kings. The Judgment of Solomon is a Metaphorical expression referring to a wise judge who uses a stratagem to determine the truth tricking the parties into revealing their In this often-quoted passage, two prostitutes came before Solomon to resolve a quarrel about which of them was the true mother of a baby. (The other's baby died in the night and each claims the surviving child as hers. ) When Solomon suggests dividing the living child in two with a sword, the true mother is revealed to him because she is willing to give up her child to the lying woman rather than have the child killed. Solomon then declares the woman who shows the compassion is the true mother and hands the child to her.

Queen of Sheba

Main article: Queen of Sheba

In a brief, unelaborated, and enigmatic passage, the Bible describes how the fame of Solomon's wisdom and wealth spread far and wide, so much so that the queen of Sheba decided that she should meet with him. The Queen of Sheba (ንግሥተ ሳባ, 'מלכת שבא, ملكة سبأ) was the woman who ruled the ancient kingdom of Sheba and is referred to in Habeshan Sheba ( Hebrew: שבא, Sh'va, Arabic: سبأ Sabaʼ, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya: ሳባ Saba The queen is described as visiting with a number of gifts including rare spices, and bringing with her a number of riddles. When Solomon gave her "all her desire, whatsoever she asked," she left satisfied (1 Kings 10:10).

Whether the passage is simply to provide a brief token foreign witness of Solomon's wealth and wisdom, or whether there is meant to be something more significant to the queen's visit and her riddles is unknown; nevertheless the visit of the Queen of Sheba has become the subject of numerous stories.

Depiction of Solomon greeting the Queen of Sheba.
Depiction of Solomon greeting the Queen of Sheba. The Queen of Sheba (ንግሥተ ሳባ, 'מלכת שבא, ملكة سبأ) was the woman who ruled the ancient kingdom of Sheba and is referred to in Habeshan

Sheba is typically identified as Saba, a nation once spanning the Red Sea on the coasts of what are now Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen, in Arabia Felix. Sheba ( Hebrew: שבא, Sh'va, Arabic: سبأ Sabaʼ, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya: ሳባ Saba The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya The history of Yemen is especially important because Yemen is one of the oldest centers of Civilization in the Near East. In a Rabbinical account (e. g. Targum Sheni), Solomon was accustomed to ordering the living creatures of the world to dance before him (Rabbinical accounts say that Solomon had been given control over all living things by God), but one day upon discovering that the mountain-cock or hoopoe (the Hebrew name for the creature is Shade) was absent, he summoned it to him, and the bird told him that it had been searching for somewhere new.

The bird had discovered a land in the east, exceedingly rich in gold, silver, and plants, whose capital was called Kitor and whose ruler was the Queen of Sheba, and the bird, on its own advice, was sent by Solomon to request the queen's immediate attendance at Solomon's court.

The queen collected together several vessels with all kinds of treasures, selecting 6,000 boys and girls, all of the same age, stature, and dress, and sent all this to Solomon with a letter stating that she would visit three years later; when she finally arrived, Solomon was seated within a glass pavilion, and the Queen, thinking that the king was sitting in water, lifted her dress, causing Solomon to smile. A similar tale is told in the Qur'an. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran

In an Ethiopian account (Kebra Nagast) it is maintained that the Queen of Sheba had sexual relations with King Solomon (of which the Biblical account gives no hint) and gave birth by the Mai Bella stream in the province of Hamasien, Eritrea. The Kebra Nagast (var Kebra Negast, Ge'ez,ክብረ ነገሥት kəbrä nägäst or the Book of the Hamasien (ሓማሴን was the name of a province including and surrounding Asmara, now part of modern Eritrea. Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in

The child was a son who went on to become Menelik I, Emperor of Abyssinia, and founded a dynasty that would reign until Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974. Menelik I (originally named Ebna la-Hakim, "Son of the Wise" first Jewish Emperor of Ethiopia, is traditionally believed to be the son of King Solomon NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page Haile Selassie I ( Ge'ez: am ኃይለ፡ ሥላሴ "Power of the Trinity " 23 July 1892 &ndash 27 August 1975 born Tafari Makonnen, was Claiming such a lineage was an important source of legitimacy and prestige for the Ethiopian monarchy throughout the many centuries of its existence, and had important and lasting effects on Ethiopian culture as a whole.

Some classical-era Rabbis, attacking Solomon's moral character, have claimed instead that the child was an ancestor of Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed Solomon's temple some 300 years later. [8]

Jewish scriptures

King Solomon is one of the central Biblical figures in Jewish heritage that have lasting religious, national and political aspects. As the constructor of the first temple in Jerusalem and last ruler of the united Jewish Kingdom of Israel from ancient times, until it was re-established in the modern State of Israel, Solomon is associated with the peak "golden age" of the independent Kingdom of Israel as well as a source of judicial and religious wisdom. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. According to Jewish tradition, King Solomon has written three books of the Bible:

The Hebrew word "To Solomon" (also by Solomon) appears in the title of two hymns in the book of Psalms (Tehillim), suggesting to some that Solomon wrote them. Psalms ( Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or "praises" is a book of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) included

In modern Israel, the debate about the historical accuracy of the Biblical account of Solomon has political as well as scientific dimensions. In general, those who uphold the Biblical account are identified as nationalists who support an exclusive Israeli-Jewish territorial claim to the whole Land of Israel. For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is Those who doubt this account and assert that the actual Solomon, if he existed, had a far smaller and poorer kingdom than the one depicted in the Bible are identified as those who might be inclined to territorial concessions in present-day politics.

Christianity

Russian icon of King Solomon. He is depicted holding a model of the Temple. (18th century, iconostasis of Kizhi monastery, Russia).
Russian icon of King Solomon. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. He is depicted holding a model of the Temple. (18th century, iconostasis of Kizhi monastery, Russia). In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis (the plural is iconostases) also called the Templon, is a wall of Icons and religious paintings Kizhi (Ки́жи Кижи́ Kiži is an Island on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia ( Medvezhyegorsky District) Russia with This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

Christianity has traditionally accepted the historical existence of Solomon, though some modern Christian scholars have also questioned at least his authorship of those biblical texts ascribed to him, if not his actual existence. Such disputes tend to divide Christians into traditionalist and modernist camps.

Of the two Genealogies of Jesus given in the Gospels, Matthew mentions Solomon, but Luke does not. The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph is given by two passages from the Gospels, Matthew and Luke. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the Jesus mentions Solomon twice: once when teaching his followers about trust in God (Matthew 6:28-29, Luke 12:27), and again when speaking of the Queen of Sheba's visit to the court of David (Matthew 12:42, Luke 11:31). Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The Queen of Sheba (ንግሥተ ሳባ, 'מלכת שבא, ملكة سبأ) was the woman who ruled the ancient kingdom of Sheba and is referred to in Habeshan Saint Stephen, in his testimony before the Sanhedrin, mentions Solomon's construction of the Temple (Acts 7:47). The Sanhedrin (סנהדרין συνέδριον ''synedrion'', "sitting together" hence " assembly " or "council" was an assembly

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Solomon is commemorated as a saint, with the title of "Righteous Prophet and King". The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity His feast day is celebrated on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (two Sundays before the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Lord). The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints The feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter is the greatest of the feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Islamic view

Main article Islamic view of Solomon
See also Biblical narratives and the Qur'an

Solomon also appears in the Qur'an, where he is called سليمان in Arabic, which is transliterated in English variously as Sulayman, Suleiman, Sulaimaan etc. Sulayman ( circa 985 BC - 932 BC, (سليمان is a prophet in the Qur'an who is known as King Solomon from the Bible. The Qur'an, the central religious text of Islam, contains references to over fifty people also found in the Bible, typically in the same or similar The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The Qur'an refers to Sulayman as the son of David (Arabic: Dawud), as a prophet and as a great ruler imparted by God with tremendous wisdom, favor, and special powers just like his father, David. Daud, also spelled Daoud, Dawud, Dawood, and more ( Arabic: داوود) is a male Arabic Given name which is The Quran states that Sulayman had under his rule not only people, but also hosts of Jinn. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service It also states that Sulayman was able to understand the language of the birds and ants, and to see some of the hidden glory in the world that was not accessible to common human beings. Ruling a large kingdom that extended south into Yemen, he was known throughout the lands for his wisdom and fair judgments. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya

Solomon is said to have been given control over various elements, such as the wind and transportation. Thus the Quran says,

And to Sulayman (We made) the Wind (obedient): Its early morning (stride) was a month's (journey), and its evening (stride) was a month's (journey); and We made a Font of molten brass to flow for him; and there were Jinns that worked in front of him, by the leave of his Lord, and if any of them turned aside from our command, We made him taste of the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. Quran 34:12

And before Sulayman were marshaled his hosts,- of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. Quran 27:17

And Solomon was accordingly grateful of God, he says

"O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed from everything: this is indeed the Grace manifest (from God). " Quran 27:16

Death

According to the Quran, the death of Sulayman was a lesson to be learned,

Then, when We decreed (Sulayman's) death, nothing showed them his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his staff: so when he fell down, the Jinns saw plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in the humiliating Penalty (of their Task). Quran 34:14

When Sulayman was to die (of very old age 100 years old but he was a tall man), he was standing watching the work of his (Jinn) slaves while reclining on his cane. There he silently passed away, but, by God's will, did not fall. He remained in this position, for forty days and the Jinns thought that he was still alive watching them work, and so they kept working an extra 40 days. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service But the termites were eating at the cane all these days so that the body of Sulayman fell after forty days. It was thereafter that the Jinn (along with all humans) fell in their hands that they did not know more than God had allotted them to know and only God had the knowledge of all. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

Denial of witchcraft

The Quran emphasizes that Solomon had no part in producing the literature that is commonly associated with witchcraft and black magic.

They followed what the Satans recited (falsely) over Solomon's kingdom. Solomon did not disbelieve, but the Satans disbelieved, teaching men magic, and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying: "We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme. " They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew! Quran 2:102

Rather, the rituals had been spread by evil Jinn, falsely attributing Solomon as the originator. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service


Later legends

One Thousand and One Nights

A well-known story in the One Thousand and One Nights describes a genie who had displeased King Solomon and was punished by being locked in a bottle and thrown into the sea. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service Since the bottle was sealed with Solomon's seal, the genie was helpless to free himself, until freed many centuries later by a fisherman who discovered the bottle.

There is no such account in the Qu'ran.

Demons and magic

According to the Rabbinical literature, on account of his modest request for wisdom only, Solomon was rewarded with riches and an unprecedentedly glorious realm, which extended over the upper world inhabited by the angels and over the whole of the terrestrial globe with all its inhabitants, including all the beasts, fowls, and reptiles, as well as the demons and spirits. Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense can mean the entire spectrum of Rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history His control over the demons, spirits, and animals augmented his splendor, the demons bringing him precious stones, besides water from distant countries to irrigate his exotic plants. The beasts and fowls of their own accord entered the kitchen of Solomon's palace, so that they might be used as food for him, and extravagant meals for him were prepared daily by each of his 700 wives and 300 concubines, with the thought that perhaps the king would feast that day in her house.

A magic ring called the "Seal of Solomon" was supposedly given to Solomon, and gave him power over demons. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Sigillum Solomonis is also a name of the Polygonatum genus In Medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic legends the Seal The magical symbol said to have been on the Seal of Solomon which made it work is now better known as the Star of David. The Star of David or Shield of David ( Magen David in Hebrew with nikkud or מגן דוד without academically transcribed Māḡēn Dāwīḏ by Asmodeus, king of demons, was one day, according to the classical Rabbis, captured by Benaiah using the ring, and was forced to remain in Solomon's service. Asmodai or Asmodeus (see below for other variations is a Demon mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. In one tale, Asmodeus brought a man with two heads from under the earth to show Solomon; the man, unable to return, married a woman from Jerusalem and had seven sons, six of whom resembled the mother, while one resembled the father in having two heads. After their father's death, the son with two heads claimed two shares of the inheritance, arguing that he was two men; Solomon, owing to his huge wisdom (according to the tale), decided that the son with two heads was only one man.

The Seal of Solomon, in some legends known as the Ring of Aandaleeb, was a highly sought after symbol of power. In several legends, different groups or individuals attempted to steal it or attain it in some manner.

One legend concerning Asmodeus goes on to state that Solomon one day asked Asmodeus what could make demons powerful over man, and Asmodeus asked to be freed and given the ring so that he could demonstrate; Solomon agreed but Asmodeus threw the ring into the sea and it was swallowed by a fish. Asmodeus then swallowed the king, stood up fully with one wing touching heaven and the other earth, and spat out Solomon to a distance of 400 miles. The Rabbis claim this was a divine punishment for Solomon having failed to follow three divine commands, and Solomon was forced to wander from city to city, until he eventually arrived in an Ammonite city where he was forced to work in the king's kitchens. Solomon gained a chance to prepare a meal for the Ammonite king, which the king found so impressive that the previous cook was sacked and Solomon put in his place; the king's daughter, Naamah, subsequently fell in love with Solomon, but the family (thinking Solomon a commoner) disapproved, so the king decided to kill them both by sending them into the desert. Solomon and the king’s daughter wandered the desert until they reached a coastal city, where they bought a fish to eat, which just happened to be the one which had swallowed the magic ring. Solomon was then able to regain his throne and expel Asmodeus. (The element of a ring thrown into the sea and found back in a fish's belly earlier appeared in Herodotus' account of Polycrates of Samos). Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash Polycrates (Πολυκράτης son of Aeaces, was the Tyrant of Samos from c

In another familiar version of the legend of the Seal of Solomon, Asmeodeus disguises himself. In some myths, he's disguised as King Solomon himself, while in more frequently heard versions he's disguised as a falcon, calling himself Gavyn (Gavinn or Gavin), one of King Solomon’s trusted friends. The concealed Asmeodeus tells travelers who have ventured up to King Solomon's grand lofty palace that the Seal of Solomon was thrown into the sea. He then convinces them to plunge in and attempt to retrieve it, for if they do they would take the throne as king.

Other magical items attributed to Solomon are his key and his Table. The Key of Solomon, Clavis Salomonis, is a medieval book on magic originally attributed to King Solomon. The latter was said to be held in Toledo, Spain during the Visigothic rule and was part of the loot taken by Tarik ibn Ziyad during the Umayyad Conquest of Iberia, according to Ibn Abd-el-Hakem's History of the Conquest of Spain. Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain Tariq Ibn Ziyad or Taric bin Zeyad (طارق بن زياد d 720 known in Spanish history and legend as Taric el Tuerto (Taric the one-eyed was The Umayyad conquest of Hispania ( 711 – 718) began as an army of the Umayyad Caliphate consisting largely of Berbers inhabitants Ibn Abd-el-Hakam (d 870 or 871 was an Egyptian chronicler who wrote the History of the Conquest of Egypt and North Africa and Spain. The former appears in the title of the Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire whose framing tale is Solomon capturing demons using his ring, and forcing them to explain themselves to him. The Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis (the Clavis Salomonis, or Key of Solomon is an earlier book on the A grimoire (grɪˈmwɑr is a textbook of magic. Books of this genre typically giving instructions for invoking Angels or Demons performing

Demons also help out Solomon in building the Temple; though not by choice. The edifice was, according to rabbinical legend, throughout miraculously constructed, the large, heavy stones rising to and settling in their respective places of themselves. The general opinion of the Rabbis is that Solomon hewed the stones by means of a shamir, a mythical worm whose mere touch cleft rocks. The Shamir ( Hebrew: שמיר was a worm or a substance that had the power to cut through or disintegrate stone iron and diamond According to Midrash Tehillim, the shamir was brought from paradise by Solomon's eagle; but most of the rabbis state that Solomon was informed of the worm's haunts by Asmodeus. The shamir had been entrusted by the prince of the sea to the mountain cock alone, and the cock had sworn to guard it well, but Solomon's men found the bird's nest, and covered it with glass. When the bird returned, it used the shamir to break the glass, whereupon the men scared the bird, causing it to drop the worm, which the men could then bring to Solomon.

Early adherents of the Kabbalah portray Solomon as having sailed through the air on a throne of light placed on an eagle, which brought him near the heavenly gates as well as to the dark mountains behind which the fallen angels Uzza and Azzael were chained; the eagle would rest on the chains, and Solomon, using the magic ring, would compel the two angels to reveal every mystery he desired to know. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Solomon is also portrayed as forcing demons to take Solomon's friends, including Hiram, on day return trips to hell.

Other forms of Solomon legend describe Solomon as having had a flying carpet that was 60 miles square, and could travel so fast that it could get from Damascus to Medina within a day. A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary Carpet that can be used to Transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Medina mɛˈdiːnə (المدينة المنورة ælmæˈdiːnæl muˈnɑwːɑrɑ or المدينة ælmæˈdiːnæ also transliterated into English as One day, due to Solomon exhibiting pride, the wind shook the carpet and caused 40,000 men to fall from it; Solomon on being told by the wind why this had happened, felt ashamed. Another day Solomon was flying over an ant-infested valley and overheard an ant warning its fellow ants to hide lest Solomon destroy them; Solomon desired to ask the ant a question, but was told it was not becoming for the interrogator to be above and the interrogated below. Solomon then lifted the ant above the valley, but the ant said it was not fitting that Solomon should sit on a throne while the ant remained on the ground, so Solomon placed the ant upon his hand, and asked it whether there was any one in the world greater than he. The ant replied that she was much greater as otherwise God would not have sent him there to place it upon his hand; this offended Solomon and he threw the ant down reminding it who he was, but the ant told him that it knew Solomon was created from a corrupted drop, causing Solomon to feel ashamed.

According to one legend, while magically traveling Solomon noticed a magnificent palace to which there appeared to be no entrance. He ordered the demons to climb to the roof and see if they could discover any living being within the building but the demons only found an eagle, which said that it was 700 years old, but that it had never seen an entrance. An elder brother of the eagle, 900 years old, was then found, but it also did not know the entrance. The eldest brother of these two birds, which was 1,300 years old, then declared it had been informed by its father that the door was on the west side, but that it had become hidden by sand drifted by the wind. Having discovered the entrance, Solomon found an idol inside that had in its mouth a silver tablet saying in Greek (a language not thought by modern scholars to have existed 1000 years before the time of Solomon) that the statue was of Shaddad, the son of 'Ad, and that it had reigned over a million cities, rode on a million horses, had under it a million vassals, and slew a million warriors, yet it could not resist the angel of death. In English Death is often given the name the " Grim Reaper " and shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large Scythe, and wearing a midnight black gown robe

Throne

Solomon's throne is described at length in Targum Sheni, which is compiled from three different sources, and in two later midrash. A targum ( Hebrew: תרגום plural targumim, lit "translation interpretation" is an Aramaic Translation of the Hebrew Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic According to these, there were on the steps of the throne twelve golden lions, each facing a golden eagle. There were six steps to the throne, on which animals, all of gold, were arranged in the following order: on the first step a lion opposite an ox; on the second, a wolf opposite a sheep; on the third, a tiger opposite a camel; on the fourth, an eagle opposite a peacock, on the fifth, a cat opposite a cock; on the sixth, a sparrow-hawk opposite a dove. On the top of the throne was a dove holding a sparrow-hawk in its claws, symbolizing the dominion of Israel over the Gentiles. The first midrash claims that six steps were constructed because Solomon foresaw that six kings would sit on the throne, namely, Solomon, Rehoboam, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, and Josiah. There was also on the top of the throne a golden candelabrum, on the seven branches of the one side of which were engraved the names of the seven patriarchs Adam, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Job, and on the seven of the other the names of Levi, Kohath, Amram, Moses, Aaron, Eldad, Medad, and, in addition, Hur (another version has Haggai). A candlestick, chamberstick, or single candelabrum is a holder for one or more Candles used for illumination rituals or decorative purposes Above the candelabrum was a golden jar filled with olive-oil and beneath it a golden basin which supplied the jar with oil and on which the names of Nadab, Abihu, and Eli and his two sons were engraved. Over the throne, twenty-four vines were fixed to cast a shadow on the king's head.

By a mechanical contrivance the throne followed Solomon wherever he wished to go. Supposedly, due to another mechanical trick, when the king reached the first step, the ox stretched forth its leg, on which Solomon leaned, a similar action taking place in the case of the animals on each of the six steps. From the sixth step the eagles raised the king and placed him in his seat, near which a golden serpent lay coiled. When the king was seated the large eagle placed the crown on his head, the serpent uncoiled itself, and the lions and eagles moved upward to form a shade over him. The dove then descended, took the scroll of the Law from the Ark, and placed it on Solomon's knees. When the king sat, surrounded by the Sanhedrin, to judge the people, the wheels began to turn, and the beasts and fowls began to utter their respective cries, which frightened those who had intended to bear false testimony. Moreover, while Solomon was ascending the throne, the lions scattered all kinds of fragrant spices. After Solomon's death King Shishak, when taking away the treasures of the Temple (comp. I Kings xiv. 26), carried off the throne, which remained in Egypt till Sennacherib conquered that country. After Sennacherib's fall Hezekiah gained possession of it, but when Josiah was slain by Pharaoh Necho the latter took it away. However, according to rabbinical accounts, Necho did not know how the mechanism worked and so accidentally struck himself with one of the lions causing him to become lame; Nebuchadnezzar, into whose possession the throne subsequently came, shared a similar fate. The throne then passed to the Persians, who their king Darius was the first to sit successfully on Solomon's throne since his death, and after that the throne passed into the possession of the Greeks and Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus ( Latin: Xerxes, Persian: Khashayarshah, commonly transliterated Achashverosh) is a name used several times in the

Apocryphal texts

To Solomon are attributed, by rabbinical tradition, the Wisdom of Solomon, probably written in the 2nd century BC where Solomon is portrayed as an astronomer, and other books of wisdom poetry such as the Odes of Solomon and the Psalms of Solomon. Book of Wisdom or Wisdom of Solomon or simply Wisdom is one of the Deuterocanonical books of the Bible. The 2nd century BC started the first day of 200 BC and ended the last day of 101 BC. Historically Astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky while Astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena Wisdom Poetry refers to the type of Poetry that contains some sort of moral or lesson often written by an ancient scholar For a book included in some editions of the Septuagint, see The Book of Odes. One of the Pseudepigrapha, the Psalms of Solomon is a group of eighteen Psalms (religious songs or poems that are not part of any scriptural canon. The Jewish historian Eupolemus, who wrote about 157 BC, included copies of apocryphal letters exchanged between Solomon and the kings of Egypt and Tyre. Eupolemus was a Jewish historian whose work survives only in five fragments (or possibly six fragments in the Eusebius of Caesarea 's Praeparatio Evangelia This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew

The Gnostic Apocalypse of Adam, which may date to the 1st or 2nd century, refers to a legend in which Solomon sends out an army of demons to seek a virgin who had fled from him, perhaps the earliest surviving mention of the later common tale that Solomon controlled demons and made them his slaves. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. The 2nd century is the period from 101 to 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. This tradition of Solomon's control over demons appears fully elaborated in the early Gnostic work called the "Testament of Solomon" with its elaborate and grotesque demonology. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems The Testament of Solomon is an Old Testament pseudepigraphical work purportedly written by King Solomon, in which Solomon mostly describes particular Demonology (from Greek grc δαίμων daimōn, "demon" and grc -λογία -logia) is the systematic study of [9]

Fiction

Arts

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Kaplan, Aryeh (1989). The Bahir (in English), 130. ISBN 0877286183.  
  2. ^ JewishEncyclopedia.com - TEMPLE OF SOLOMON.
  3. ^ JewishEncyclopedia.com - TEMPLE OF SOLOMON.
  4. ^ What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? What Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel, Eerdmans ISBN 0-8028-4794-3
  5. ^ a b c d e Finkelstein The Bible Unearthed
  6. ^ This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. The Bible Unearthed, subtitled Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts is a 2001 book about the archaeology of ancient The Jewish Encyclopedia was an Encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
  7. ^ ibid
  8. ^ This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. The Jewish Encyclopedia was an Encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
  9. ^ JewishEncyclopedia.com - SOLOMON, TESTAMENT OF:.

External links

Solomon
Cadet branch of the Tribe of Judah
Preceded by
David		 King of the United Kingdom
of Israel and Judah
971 BCE – 931 BCE
 Succeeded by
Rehoboam
in Judah
Succeeded by
Jeroboam I
in Israel
Persondata
NAME Solomon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES שְׁלֹמֹה ;سليمان; Šəlōmōh
SHORT DESCRIPTION Ruler of Israel and Judah
DATE OF BIRTH circa 1000 BC
PLACE OF BIRTH Israel
DATE OF DEATH circa 900 BC
PLACE OF DEATH Jerusalem, United Kingdom of Israel
The Davidic line, known in Hebrew as Malkhut Beit David (מלכות בית דויד( "Monarchy of the House of David") refers to the The Tribe of Judah ( was one of the Tribes of Israel. At its height it was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah, and occupied most of the territory of the kingdom David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible The United Monarchy ( United Kingdom of Israel and Judah) refers to a period in the traditional account of the History of ancient Israel and Judah lasting Rehoboam ( Hebrew:רחבעם Rehav'am was a king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, succeeding his father Solomon. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. Jeroboam (yarobh`am Hieroboam in the Septuagint; commonly held to have been derived from riyb and `am and signifying "the people contend" or "he pleads the The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Dictionary

Solomon

-proper noun

  1. (Biblical) A king of Israel famous for his wisdom.
  2. A male given name.

-noun

  1. A very large champagne bottle (named after the King) with the capacity of about 20 liters, equivalent to 28 standard bottles.
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