Born son of David and Bathsheba - David's 11th son.
His mother pushes him forward as heir to the throne. He kills his brother apparently to possess the throne.
Elevated into the semi deified being. Glimpses of the real man at the beginning and end of his reign.
Biblical sources - main accounts Kings 1-12, II Chronicles. There are differences between the accounts. The main account is in Kings.
Violent put downs of enemies to being with and then very peaceful. His main task is building the temple. He builds his own palace and other building works across his state.
Kings 11 - the only criticism of Solomon - his liking of foreign women. Condemnation of his interest in other cults.
Wisdom is played down in favour of the temple.
Both accounts are idealised and need to be taken with an historical pinch of salt.
The first temple was given such essential significance because there is the ark of the covenant wherein dwells the presence of God. The arc needs a permanent home. King David was more involved in military matters so Solomon designated the building of the temple.
Era of Solomon and the time of writing are different.
Different tribes each had their own gods and the notion of one God being recognised was still int he shadows. People were worshipping at different shrines. There was a danger of the break up of the religions and there was a need to centralise it. So the importance of the arc was borne.
It was lavish with lay overs of gold and carvings of angels.
Solomon has a dream and he requests in this dream for God to bequest him with wisdom. As he hasn't asked for more God gives him more because he hasn't asked for them.
His reputation of wisdom are renowned. The story of the two women and the baby is a story indicating Solomon's wisdom when he says the baby will be chopped in half and the real mother saves the baby even if it means giving the baby up.
Living from 730 to 790 BC
The worship of the one true God. Everything is judged according to history - puritan view of King Solomon. Theological and difficult to get to the real history of Solomon.
Ancient Israel lies between the desert in the east and the Med in the west - a land bridge.
Between Iraq and Egypt (Assyria). Sustaining great nations.
Political weaknesses due to the pushing and puling of different power blocks - north and south.
Spice route from the south which links with Queen of Sheba. Solomon founded a port near the gulf of Elat. He wanted to exploit the main trade route through Jordan up to Damascus. He made money from this.
He made alliances with the Venetians. They would not let him impinge on the westward trade but helped set up an eastward trade connection. They were great sailors.
Reading the Bible carefully Solomon ran up debts - he had to relinquish 20 villages to pay his debts.
Challenges faced by Solomon involved his dramatic over spending. 13 years building his own palace and 7 years building the temple
His people were put into servitude to the foreigners. They were effectively slaves.
He taxed his people very heavily.
His empire crumbles and is rotten within because of his treatment of his people.
This doesn't seem so wise???
He had a building programme and the motivation is presented as a glorification for God. But there must have been an ego and lavishness for himself. The palace must have been more lavish than the temple. It's all show. There was talk of a lot of gold. A passive man behind all of this and he was a bit of a porn in the succession of the throne in the first place. Forced labour were aspects of his character that were not great.
But his passiveness is also there.
The scriptures suggest that his spirituality was out of sync with that times. If he wanted to be a great king he had to have the element of display ie building.
Modern archaeology - he built his house, chariot cities, structure in Jerusalem called the Millo.
His splendour as a monarch required him to have splendid buildings. But was there any truth in this?
The areas have been thoroughly dug and there are questions whether findings actually have anything to do with Solomon and so far nothing has.
Stables were discovered - stabling up to 400 horses. David didn't use chariots so the indication was that Solomon used chariots.
Also fortified gates were discovered and afforded to Solomon
But archaeologists say that this is false.
The Millo was said to be discovered with steps and a palace on the top but it is negated that this is associated with Solomon.
There was a lot of confidence at the uncovering of these structures suggesting a similarity or unified mind behind the structures. A structured programme.
But there seems in last 10 to 15 years a undercutting of the evidence.
Solomons large administration - he married an Egyptian Pharoahs daughter connecting him with Egypt.
Minimalist position is that there is no association of Solomon with structures uncovered.
Extravagance suggests a lot of wives and concubines totalling 1000
His significance is not about being a historical figure but is based on a lot of myths. The stories were written 400 to 500 years after he was living.
He was elevated into this position.
We want him to have been this kind of ruler - wealth, women and wisdom and with God.
Maximalist view - Oriental monarchs at that time did have big harems. So there is a core of plausibility - the status of King would hold large numbers of women in court.
Queen of Sheba - she comes to visit Solomon having heard of his renown of wisdom and wealth. She enjoys riddling with him finding the rumours to be true.
There are no sexual overtones. There is debate of her having a son by Solomon.
There is a hint that Solomon fulfilled her every desire - what does this mean?
Buildings may give us more evidence of Solomon. There are huge questions about the dating of the buildings. The evidence is more from the written text itself. If it is made up then there is a lot of detail that would be puzzling. There are lists of administrative districts, officials.
There is more than fiction and instead an historical core.
The kingdom cam to an end - his own son was set to inherit.
All these foreign wives and cults he is to be punished by the division of his kingdom - Go' punishment. But it's done after his death.
Jeroboam and Rehoboam who is Solomons son. He won't give up the forced labour.
He inherits from David - he builds on that - wealth, trade routes, jewels, buildings
But then it falls back from that in his death.
His reign was and still is is thought of a reign or peace prosperity and wisdom - by standards of the rest of reigns it was a peaceful time
There were odd rebellions and incursions but he wasn't facing the invasions from Syria in the north and Assyria in the south
It was a settles time not too many invasions
A time of success and wealth because of the trade routes.
So an image of wise king was borne. He was passive - not out to war and invade.
He has flaws - he kills off the opposition and loses Gods favour
But there is a model of a king from his image
Evidence that he took on the wisdom texts of Egypt - proverbs and song of songs and Ecclesiastes were attributed to him
Scholars say her had nothing to do with these.
His wisdom begins with scribes who were international in their outlook. Any large state had their very educated people who knew foreign languages dealing with corres with foreign kings
So there was knowledge from different cultures. They began the wisdom literature dealing with how to live life and ow to be a good administrator in court. Then they began to deal with laws and religion
Priests were in conflict as they had been in charge of laws.
Solomon was therefore known as a greater keeper of wisdom even if not directly involved.
Attribution was honorary,.
In proverbs a lot are attribute d to Solomon.
Songs of Solomon - so it can't possibly be a complete untruth surely?
Ecclesiastes - takes on a persona of Solomon.
Judaism and Islam have a collection of stories. He is the ruler of Israel and animals and can command the devils.
They contain within them the humbling of Solomon - he has this power but every so often the ant has the power. ie is smaller and thereby humbled
In Islam there is no humbling - he is only ever the great and the wise. He is seen as the embodiment of the wise ruler. Islamic theology the Calif is the appointed one of God. To rule over the whole of creation - everything and is on trial before God to maintain the purity of that role. So the wisdom of that person is important.
Today it is conflicted between scholars - there is a core of history but there is a plastic figure too. A myth.
Kingship and wisdom are moulded from the idea of Solomon
At the centre of the series of legends are righteous rule, effective rule and wisdom
And a as yet accounts cannot be proved - idealistic but there must be a historical core.
There is more info in the Bible about him than any other King.
His mother pushes him forward as heir to the throne. He kills his brother apparently to possess the throne.
Elevated into the semi deified being. Glimpses of the real man at the beginning and end of his reign.
Biblical sources - main accounts Kings 1-12, II Chronicles. There are differences between the accounts. The main account is in Kings.
Violent put downs of enemies to being with and then very peaceful. His main task is building the temple. He builds his own palace and other building works across his state.
Kings 11 - the only criticism of Solomon - his liking of foreign women. Condemnation of his interest in other cults.
Wisdom is played down in favour of the temple.
Both accounts are idealised and need to be taken with an historical pinch of salt.
The first temple was given such essential significance because there is the ark of the covenant wherein dwells the presence of God. The arc needs a permanent home. King David was more involved in military matters so Solomon designated the building of the temple.
Era of Solomon and the time of writing are different.
Different tribes each had their own gods and the notion of one God being recognised was still int he shadows. People were worshipping at different shrines. There was a danger of the break up of the religions and there was a need to centralise it. So the importance of the arc was borne.
It was lavish with lay overs of gold and carvings of angels.
Solomon has a dream and he requests in this dream for God to bequest him with wisdom. As he hasn't asked for more God gives him more because he hasn't asked for them.
His reputation of wisdom are renowned. The story of the two women and the baby is a story indicating Solomon's wisdom when he says the baby will be chopped in half and the real mother saves the baby even if it means giving the baby up.
Living from 730 to 790 BC
The worship of the one true God. Everything is judged according to history - puritan view of King Solomon. Theological and difficult to get to the real history of Solomon.
Ancient Israel lies between the desert in the east and the Med in the west - a land bridge.
Between Iraq and Egypt (Assyria). Sustaining great nations.
Political weaknesses due to the pushing and puling of different power blocks - north and south.
Spice route from the south which links with Queen of Sheba. Solomon founded a port near the gulf of Elat. He wanted to exploit the main trade route through Jordan up to Damascus. He made money from this.
He made alliances with the Venetians. They would not let him impinge on the westward trade but helped set up an eastward trade connection. They were great sailors.
Reading the Bible carefully Solomon ran up debts - he had to relinquish 20 villages to pay his debts.
Challenges faced by Solomon involved his dramatic over spending. 13 years building his own palace and 7 years building the temple
His people were put into servitude to the foreigners. They were effectively slaves.
He taxed his people very heavily.
His empire crumbles and is rotten within because of his treatment of his people.
This doesn't seem so wise???
He had a building programme and the motivation is presented as a glorification for God. But there must have been an ego and lavishness for himself. The palace must have been more lavish than the temple. It's all show. There was talk of a lot of gold. A passive man behind all of this and he was a bit of a porn in the succession of the throne in the first place. Forced labour were aspects of his character that were not great.
But his passiveness is also there.
The scriptures suggest that his spirituality was out of sync with that times. If he wanted to be a great king he had to have the element of display ie building.
Modern archaeology - he built his house, chariot cities, structure in Jerusalem called the Millo.
His splendour as a monarch required him to have splendid buildings. But was there any truth in this?
The areas have been thoroughly dug and there are questions whether findings actually have anything to do with Solomon and so far nothing has.
Stables were discovered - stabling up to 400 horses. David didn't use chariots so the indication was that Solomon used chariots.
Also fortified gates were discovered and afforded to Solomon
But archaeologists say that this is false.
The Millo was said to be discovered with steps and a palace on the top but it is negated that this is associated with Solomon.
There was a lot of confidence at the uncovering of these structures suggesting a similarity or unified mind behind the structures. A structured programme.
But there seems in last 10 to 15 years a undercutting of the evidence.
Solomons large administration - he married an Egyptian Pharoahs daughter connecting him with Egypt.
Minimalist position is that there is no association of Solomon with structures uncovered.
Extravagance suggests a lot of wives and concubines totalling 1000
His significance is not about being a historical figure but is based on a lot of myths. The stories were written 400 to 500 years after he was living.
He was elevated into this position.
We want him to have been this kind of ruler - wealth, women and wisdom and with God.
Maximalist view - Oriental monarchs at that time did have big harems. So there is a core of plausibility - the status of King would hold large numbers of women in court.
Queen of Sheba - she comes to visit Solomon having heard of his renown of wisdom and wealth. She enjoys riddling with him finding the rumours to be true.
There are no sexual overtones. There is debate of her having a son by Solomon.
There is a hint that Solomon fulfilled her every desire - what does this mean?
Buildings may give us more evidence of Solomon. There are huge questions about the dating of the buildings. The evidence is more from the written text itself. If it is made up then there is a lot of detail that would be puzzling. There are lists of administrative districts, officials.
There is more than fiction and instead an historical core.
The kingdom cam to an end - his own son was set to inherit.
All these foreign wives and cults he is to be punished by the division of his kingdom - Go' punishment. But it's done after his death.
Jeroboam and Rehoboam who is Solomons son. He won't give up the forced labour.
He inherits from David - he builds on that - wealth, trade routes, jewels, buildings
But then it falls back from that in his death.
His reign was and still is is thought of a reign or peace prosperity and wisdom - by standards of the rest of reigns it was a peaceful time
There were odd rebellions and incursions but he wasn't facing the invasions from Syria in the north and Assyria in the south
It was a settles time not too many invasions
A time of success and wealth because of the trade routes.
So an image of wise king was borne. He was passive - not out to war and invade.
He has flaws - he kills off the opposition and loses Gods favour
But there is a model of a king from his image
Evidence that he took on the wisdom texts of Egypt - proverbs and song of songs and Ecclesiastes were attributed to him
Scholars say her had nothing to do with these.
His wisdom begins with scribes who were international in their outlook. Any large state had their very educated people who knew foreign languages dealing with corres with foreign kings
So there was knowledge from different cultures. They began the wisdom literature dealing with how to live life and ow to be a good administrator in court. Then they began to deal with laws and religion
Priests were in conflict as they had been in charge of laws.
Solomon was therefore known as a greater keeper of wisdom even if not directly involved.
Attribution was honorary,.
In proverbs a lot are attribute d to Solomon.
Songs of Solomon - so it can't possibly be a complete untruth surely?
Ecclesiastes - takes on a persona of Solomon.
Judaism and Islam have a collection of stories. He is the ruler of Israel and animals and can command the devils.
They contain within them the humbling of Solomon - he has this power but every so often the ant has the power. ie is smaller and thereby humbled
In Islam there is no humbling - he is only ever the great and the wise. He is seen as the embodiment of the wise ruler. Islamic theology the Calif is the appointed one of God. To rule over the whole of creation - everything and is on trial before God to maintain the purity of that role. So the wisdom of that person is important.
Today it is conflicted between scholars - there is a core of history but there is a plastic figure too. A myth.
Kingship and wisdom are moulded from the idea of Solomon
At the centre of the series of legends are righteous rule, effective rule and wisdom
And a as yet accounts cannot be proved - idealistic but there must be a historical core.
There is more info in the Bible about him than any other King.
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