A Study on Solomon

A Study on Solomon

2nd Samuel 12:24-25
24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; 25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. (Jedidiah means loved by the LORD.)

Solomon’s history is recorded in 1st Kings 1-11 and 2nd Chronicles 1-9. He succeeded his father, David, on the throne in about 971 or 970 BC. David chose him as successor, passing over the claims of his father’s elder sons, by women other than Bathsheba. His elevation to the throne took place before his father’s death, and is hastened on mainly by Nathan and Bathsheba, in consequence of the rebellion or Adonijah.

During his long reign of 40 years, the Hebrew monarchy gained its highest splendor. This period has well been called the “Augustan Age” of the Jewish annals. In a single year, he collected tribute amounting to 25 tons of gold, according to 1st Kings 10:13.

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, according to the scribes, from his intermarriages. According to 1st Kings 11:4, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. 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 a marriage with the daughter of the Pharaoh.

Blamed for his decline and fall from his high estate were his polygamy and his great wealth, causing him to become decadent and involved in various forms of idol worship which are contrary to the religious law. Because of this idol worship, a prophet visits Solomon and tells him that after his death, his kingdom would be split in two and that his son would suffer because of his sin. He died, after a reign of forty years, and was buried in Jerusalem.

In 1st Kings 3:15-28, an account of Solomon’s wisdom can be viewed as symbolic of the split in the Kingdom of Israel following the death of Solomon. In the story, there are two new mothers, one of which who had smothered her baby during sleep and claimed the other woman’s baby as her own. The problem is presented to King Solomon who proposes the baby be split in half, each woman receiving one half of the baby. The woman who was lying went along with the plan while the real mother immediately feels sympathy for her offspring and would rather see the other woman raise it than see it die. Solomon instantly grants the real mother the baby realizing that a true mother would compromise to see her offspring survive.