Solomon King of Israel

2022-05-03

King David appointed Solomon to succeed him as the Lord commanded him. “And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father” (1 Chronicles 28:6). The king charged his son with building the Temple and to be courageous.

At the end of David’s life, his son Adonijah, born to the same mother as Absalom, took it upon himself to be king. He invited such men to support him that had been at odds with David during his life. When David was told of it by Nathan and Solomon’s mother Bathsheba, Solomon was crowned king by Zadok and Nathan.

Solomon established his kingdom by defeating David’s enemies and those who shed innocent blood, including Joab, Shimei, and eventually Adonijah. Abiathar was put out of the priesthood, who had sided with Adonijah.

Solomon began a humble reign, praying for wisdom to rule over the Lord’s people. The Lord provided him wisdom. “Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee” (1 Kings 3:12). He demonstrated his wisdom when dealing with the two women and the living child, and the Queen of Sheba admired how he ordered his kingdom in wisdom. “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment” (1 Kings 3:28). He also had much wealth and honor, and he authored 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. We know him as the primary author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.

The king hired Hiram king of Tyre to supply workers and supplies to build the Temple. Some supplies were already in store from his father as well. It took seven years to build. Solomon dedicated the Temple in prayer, though acknowledging that God could never truly dwell completely in any Temple. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). He appealed to God that whenever the people would sin, but remembered Him in their trials, that He would forgive them.

The Lord answered the king from heaven: “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house” (2 Chronicles 7:1-2). The Lord also answered Solomon, “I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually” (1 Kings 9:3). Solomon was also warned to walk with God as his father David did.

Other building projects included Solomon’s own palace, which was 13 years in the making, and the house of the forest of Lebanon.

The Queen of Sheba came and was impressed with his wisdom and wealth, knowing that the rumor of his greatness did not do him justice. Many kings of the earth brought him tribute.

Despite all the wisdom he was given by the Lord, Solomon’s great fall were his foreign wives. He built high places for their gods. The Lord stirred up adversaries because of his idolatry. “And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father” (1 Kings 11:6). It is the thought of some that Ecclesiastes and its somber tone is the result of acknowledging his sin in this matter. He acknowledged the uselessness of life and the importance of serving the Lord: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

This is a part of the Kings of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.