Solomon

Found: 1 Kings 1-11

Solomon Becomes King (1 Kings 1)

Solomon was David's son by Bathsheba. David loved this son, and promised he would be king after him. When David was old, though, Solomon's older son, Adonijah, decided he would set himself up as king. He gathered the people together and they partied and hailed him as king. David got to hear about this and sent Nathan the prophet out with Solomon to anoint him and declare him king. Adonijah heard, and was afraid, so he went to the altar and held on to the horns for safety. Solomon said he would let Adonijah live if he would be a worthy man, so Adonijah came and bowed before Solomon.

Enemies Removed (1 Kings 2)

King David died from his old age, but before he died he urged Solomon to keep on for the Lord. Adonijah approached Solomon and asked if he could marry Abishag, the girl who had been David's companion in his old age. Solomon realised he was trying to gain power again, and had him killed. He took Abiathar, who had supported Adonijah, out of the priesthood and replaced him with Zadok, and he had Joab, who had also supported Adonijah, killed. He told Shimei, who had cursed David, that if he stayed in the city he would be safe, but Shimei left the city to retrieve his slaves one day, so Solomon had him killed. He now had a firm grasp on the kingdom.

What to Choose (1 Kings 3)

Solomon started building. He built up the walls of Jerusalem, finished the royal palace and of course built the temple for the Lord. God appeared to him in a dream and asked him what he wanted. Solomon replied that he needed wisdom to rule the country, because he was still young. God was pleased with this, and gave Solomon wisdom, also promising him riches and long life, since he had been selfless in his request.

Two women came to Solomon with a problem: they lived together, both had babies, but one of the babies had died in the night. Both claimed the living one was their's. Solomon suggested they cut the living one in two so they could both have half. One woman cried out and said she would rather the baby went to the other woman than be killed, and Solomon said this was the mother, give her the child.

Building the Temple (1 Kings 5-8)

Solomon began to build the temple, as his father had prepared. He had the assistance of Hiram, the king of Tyre, who supplied him with a lot of wood, and the stone was cut at the quarry. No stone was cut at the temple site, so that a reverent silence was kept as the temple was built. It took seven years, but finally the house of God was built. Solomon also built himself a palace, which took 13 years to build.

When the temple was built, the various items of furniture were brought into it, and lastly the ark of the covenant. Solomon prayed before the temple and offered sacrifices as a dedication.

Horses, Money and Women (Deuteronomy 17 v 14-17, 1 Kings 10 v 23 - 11 v 13)

Back when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the Lord had told them they would inevitably want to have a king, He specified three things the king should not do: he should not acquire a lot of horses, a lot of women or a lot of silver and gold.

Solomon did acquire riches though, more than any of the kings around him. And he accumulated horses, brought from Egypt as the Lord had warned against. And he married many women: 700, with 300 concubines, and these women turned Solomon's heart away from the Lord.

Because of this, the Lord spoke to Solomon and told him he would take the kingdom away from him, and pass it on to one of his people. Solomon's son would be left with just one tribe from all the land.

He Dies (1 Kings 11 v 41-43)

Solomon died after ruling for 40 years, like his father. Unlike his father, though, he had turned away from God in his later years, and after his death the kingdom of Israel would be divided in two.