How Solomon Became King
David had ruled Israel for 40 years. He truly was a great king and a man after God's own heart. (see my blogs on David). He had promised his wife Bathsheba that their son, Solomon would be king after him. Now, David had 8 wives and 12 sons, and Solomon was not the oldest, but David loved his mother, Bathsheba. She was a beautiful woman, and David had committed adultery with her and arranged for the death of her husband, Uriah to be killed to cover up a suprise pregnancy. That child only lived for a brief time. Solomon was born after David married Bathsheba. We see the Grace of God and forgiveness and acceptance of David and honoring his love to bring Solomon into the world. The Word teaches us where sin does abound, Grace does much more abound.
David had been promised that his son would rule the kingdom, forever. (Now this was really concerning the coming of Jesus who was descended from David through his son Nathan, who's lineage brought forth Mary, Jesus' mother.) But, David taught Solomon about kingship and turned over to him a huge amount of wealth and a sizable kingdom. David wanted to build God a Temple, but the Lord told him that it would be built by his son.
David became old and could not keep warm and was in bed most of the time. So they searched the kingdom for a young virgin who could hold the king and give him warmth for his ailing circulation. They found a beautiful Shulamite (or Shunammite, from Shunem) by the name of Abishag.
She was brought into the palace and tended to king David and stayed with him. David never took her as a wife or had sexual relations with her, but she kept him warm.
Adonijah was David's son by Haggith and was older than Solomon. He was the younger brother of Absalom who had plotted against his father, David. He plotted to take the throne and got David's general Joab and the priest Abiathar to side with him. He put together a group of 50 men to run before him and went through the kingdom to gain support.
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei (not the one who followed Saul and cursed David), and Rei, and the mighty men of war which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah, but were loyal to king David and his wishes.
So Nathan the prophet went and spoke with Bathsheba and told her that Adonijah was claiming the throne and for her and Solomon's life, she needed to speak to David. So she went before David and and said,
1 Ki 1:17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
Nathan came in to see king David after that and confirmed all that Bathsheba has said. David called all his loyal followers and caused Solomon to ride on his own mule to an official crowning ceremony where Solomon was made king over Israel in David's stead. Nathan anointed Solomon to be king with the blessings of Zadok the priest.
When Adonijah heard this news he ran and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar for he feared for his life. But Solomon was merciful to him and said as long as he stayed out of mischief he could live.
David called for Solomon as his death was approaching and gave him this advice,
1 Ki 2:2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
He also told him about his enemies, which would also be the enemies of Solomon.
Solomon was now established as the official king of Israel.
Adonijah's Treachery
Now Adonijah felt that the kingdom had been taken away from him and he looked for another way to lay claim to it. He had seen Abishag and her beauty and desired her.
He also knew that Abishag the Shulamite was now considered in the king's harem, even though David had not had relations with her, she was royalty and if he had her for a wife it would be a big step in getting the throne. So he went before Bathsheba to talk to her about it. When he came before her, she wanted to know if he came in peace. He said yes.
1 Ki 2:15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD.
16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
Bathsheba did go before Solomon to represent Adonijah. It is not clear if she understood the significance of what was asked of her; but it is clear that Solomon knew. The conversation went like this,
19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
23 Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
24 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
For Joab, who was the captain of the host of David came the judgment of death as well. He had wronged David and murdered innocent men, and he was against Solomon and supported Adonijah.
Benaiah was appointed general of Solomon's army.
Abiathar was removed from the priesthood and banished. Zadok became the new High Priest.
Shimei who was loyal to king Saul and from the same clan, had cursed David, now was against Solomon. He was shown mercy and told to live in Jerusalem as a city of refuge. Solomon warned him that the day he left Jerusalem, he would be killed. After 2 years, that is just what happened.
Solomon's Kingdom
After the enemies of David and Solomon were put down, his kingdom was a established. It was a vast one that went from Syria to Egypt.
Solomon made an alliance with Egypt and took the Pharaoh's daughter as part of the deal, a marriage covenant. Pharaoh had taken Gezer of the Canaanites and gave it to his daughter as a wedding present. Solomon rebuilt Gezer. He kept his Egyptian bride at Jerusalem in a house built for her until he built the Temple and his own house.
He did not want her to stay in David's palace as the Ark had been there and it was Holy.
Solomon also built the Millo which was a fortress to protect Jerusalem as well as the wall round about it. He also built a fortress and stables at Megiddo; the ruins are still there. Hazor was another fortress that he built. He knew that to have peace, you must have strength.
He also built a large stables in Jerusalem next to Mt. Moriah, ruins are still there as well.
Solomon loved Jehovah and went to Gibeon near Jerusalem where there was a great high place where the people sacrificed. The following pictures are the ruins of the site, which still have remnants of the period and of the period of the Crusaders.
Here is where Samuel had sacrificed, and a Holy Place where the people sacrificed and burned incense because there was no Temple as yet. But the Ark of God was in Jerusalem, David had moved it there. There had been idolatry practiced here in this high place in the past. What was still here was the Menorah, Table of Shewbread, and Altar of Incense, which was what David left when he moved the Ark.
Solomon the king offered 1000 burnt offerings here to the LORD.
That night God appeared to Solomon in a dream. Jehovah said, "Ask what I shall give you."
The new king Solomon answered,
1 Ki 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 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.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the Ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
Solomon now glimpsed the revelation of what his father David had received. For under the Law there was a separation from God, the tabernacle left at Gibeon represented that. But under the Grace of God, there was no separation of man and God because of the faith of the future Messiah. David understood and moved the Ark to Mt. Zion in Jerusalem and placed a tent over it, where worship was directly to God, no veil or separation. This was not under the priesthood of Aaron, but under the priesthood of Melchizedek (Jesus).
Not long after this came a test of Solomon's gift of wisdom. Two harlots were brought before him, one with a dead baby and the other with a live baby.
One of the women told the story; my Lord the two of us live alone in the same house. I gave birth to this child and after 3 days, she gave birth to this other child. She laid on her child during the night and it died. At midnight while I was asleep, she took her dead child and traded it with my child. When I woke up to nurse my child I had this dead child, which was not mine.
Then the other woman said, not so for the living child is mine and the dead one is hers.
King Solomon said, each of you claim the live child, and the dead one is the other's. Bring me a sword. So when a sword was brought, the king said, divide the live child down the middle and give each woman half.
Then the mother of the live child yearned for her child and said, let her keep the child, do not kill him. But the other woman said, go ahead and divide it and it won't be yours or mine.
Solomon said, do not harm the child, give him to the first woman who spoke, for it is hers.
1 Ki 3:28 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.
Solomon later wrote this about Wisdom:
Pv 3:13 ¶ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
Solomon later wrote this about Wisdom:
Pv 3:13 ¶ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
And the land prospered under the reign of king Solomon. He is a picture and type of Jesus the Messiah who under his Grace gives us salvation, peace, prosperity, and protection.
There was peace all the days of Solomon. Even Egypt and Philistia brought him tribute and there was good relations will all the countries around Israel.
Solomon had 40,000 horses for his chariots and 12,000 horsemen to train and drive them. His wisdom was published through out the world and kings came to visit and hear him speak. As God had promised, he was the wisest man on earth. He wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs. The book of Proverbs in our Bible is attributed to Solomon.
He also placed 30' granite pillars on each side of the Red Sea in the gulf of Aqaba where Moses led the Children of Israel through the parted waters. Each pillar had engravings on it with the history of the Exodus and mentioned Solomon and Moses in the inscriptions.
He also placed 30' granite pillars on each side of the Red Sea in the gulf of Aqaba where Moses led the Children of Israel through the parted waters. Each pillar had engravings on it with the history of the Exodus and mentioned Solomon and Moses in the inscriptions.
Ron Wyatt found these pillars in the 1970's. The one in Saudi Arabia was taken by the Saudi's with the writings on it. The other was laying in the gulf and the waves had removed the writings. However, Egypt put it in concrete and left it standing in Nuwieba, the place known as where "Moses parted the waters" on the Sinai Peninsula.
Solomon's Loves
Solomon was young and handsome, wise, and rich. Women wanted to be with him. He not only took marriage covenants with neighboring kings daughters, but also married many women from the surrounding countries. He ended up with 700 wives and 300 concubines. In his latter days, they led him astray, but more about that later.
Solomon wrote the "Song of Solomon" which is a wonderful story of his courting and marrying the beautiful Shulamite. The type and analogy of this story is mirroring the marriage of Jesus the Christ to His Church. There are many deep spiritual insights contained in this book of the Love of Jesus for us; documented by the Holy Spirit in the Love of Solomon for this Shulamite.
Now, Abishag was part of the royal house, being a virgin concubine of David. She lived in the palace of David and the importance of marrying her is obvious as we have seen. It cost Adonijah his life for trying to marry her and claim the throne.
It is her that Solomon fell in love with and wooed her until her heart belonged to him. In the Song of Solomon we read how he knew her as she worked in her parents' vineyards.
As you read the Song of Solomon, remember Abishag, for she became the favorite wife of Solomon's youth. In Song he says he had 60 queens and 80 concubines at that time, and they all praised her.
I also believe that she was the virtuous woman of whom Proverbs 31 was written about with her loyal and pious life.
The Temple
In the 4th year of Solomon's reign, he started work on building the Temple of Jehovah. David had amassed a great treasury to incorporate into the Temple and had discussed this with Solomon. There was 100,000 talents of gold (6675 tons) and 1,000,000 talents of silver (66.750 tons) that Solomon had to put into the Temple, 1 Crn 22.
Solomon called on Hiram the king of Tyre who loved David and was eager to help. Hiram built the ships that sailed around the world and brought gifts to Solomon, 2 Crn 9. Solomon contracted with him to supply cedars from Lebanon, as well as stone blocks to use for the Temple and for his palace. Solomon supplied Hiram food for all of his house and more. Hiram shipped the logs down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and then hauled them across land to Jerusalem.
To give you an idea of the magnitude of this project; there were 30,000 lumberjacks to cut and trim the cedars, 70,000 laborers, 80,000 stone cutters, and 3,300 foremen to manage the work. It was a tremendous task, and Solomon spared no expense.
Solomon may have seen some wonders in Egypt that gave him ideas for the Temple of the Lord.
And he had the advice of the scribes and Levites for the design and layout as was told to Moses for the tabernacle. King Tut has gold engraving on the walls of his coffin.
When the Holy of Holies was constructed nearly everything was covered in gold. The 2 giant Cherubim, and the walls.
Some believe that the Cherubim may have looked like winged lions.
The veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies and all of the construction were on a grand scale from the Tabernacle.
Hiram was also skilled in the casting of brass. He made the "Brazen Sea" that was the size of a swimming pool and on the backs of 12 oxen that supplied water for the priests to wash in for their rituals.
Hiram also cast for Solomon two pillars to go in the front of the Temple that were 35 cubits high.
This was probably the Egyptian cubit which was 20.5"; that makes the the height 59.7'. Amazing.
They were so unique, that he named them: Boaz on the North (In Him is strength) and Jachin on the South (He shall establish).
The beauty of polished brass resembles gold, and there was more brass put into the Temple than could be weighed. I add this picture of a brass column, because the drawings of the great pillars of Solomon are drawings.
Probably the most magnificent building of all time, the Temple was the highest achievement of Solomon's reign.
Drawings cannot possibly truly portray the beauty of the Temple of the LORD.
This cut-away and close up give one an idea of the awesomeness of this Holy structure.
The Word of the LORD came to Solomon:
1 Ki 6:12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
The complete description of all the things that Solomon built into the Temple is written in 1 Ki 6. Hiram cast all the brass which was used in the tools, altar, pillars, brazen sea, and much more.
The Temple was finished after 7 years.
1 Ki 8:1 ¶ Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
So everything was now as it was in the Tabernacle of Moses, but on a much grander scale. The concept that David had revelation of, about the Ark and Grace and Mt. Zion, was put to the side. Jesus would be the one to revive that through God's plan of Grace, there would be no separation between man and God, for Jesus took the punishment for sin, and we through Jesus can come before a Holy God under His righteousness.
So all of the congregation assembled for the dedication of the Temple.
Solomon's Loves
Solomon was young and handsome, wise, and rich. Women wanted to be with him. He not only took marriage covenants with neighboring kings daughters, but also married many women from the surrounding countries. He ended up with 700 wives and 300 concubines. In his latter days, they led him astray, but more about that later.
Solomon wrote the "Song of Solomon" which is a wonderful story of his courting and marrying the beautiful Shulamite. The type and analogy of this story is mirroring the marriage of Jesus the Christ to His Church. There are many deep spiritual insights contained in this book of the Love of Jesus for us; documented by the Holy Spirit in the Love of Solomon for this Shulamite.
Now, Abishag was part of the royal house, being a virgin concubine of David. She lived in the palace of David and the importance of marrying her is obvious as we have seen. It cost Adonijah his life for trying to marry her and claim the throne.
It is her that Solomon fell in love with and wooed her until her heart belonged to him. In the Song of Solomon we read how he knew her as she worked in her parents' vineyards.
As you read the Song of Solomon, remember Abishag, for she became the favorite wife of Solomon's youth. In Song he says he had 60 queens and 80 concubines at that time, and they all praised her.
I also believe that she was the virtuous woman of whom Proverbs 31 was written about with her loyal and pious life.
The Temple
In the 4th year of Solomon's reign, he started work on building the Temple of Jehovah. David had amassed a great treasury to incorporate into the Temple and had discussed this with Solomon. There was 100,000 talents of gold (6675 tons) and 1,000,000 talents of silver (66.750 tons) that Solomon had to put into the Temple, 1 Crn 22.
Solomon called on Hiram the king of Tyre who loved David and was eager to help. Hiram built the ships that sailed around the world and brought gifts to Solomon, 2 Crn 9. Solomon contracted with him to supply cedars from Lebanon, as well as stone blocks to use for the Temple and for his palace. Solomon supplied Hiram food for all of his house and more. Hiram shipped the logs down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and then hauled them across land to Jerusalem.
To give you an idea of the magnitude of this project; there were 30,000 lumberjacks to cut and trim the cedars, 70,000 laborers, 80,000 stone cutters, and 3,300 foremen to manage the work. It was a tremendous task, and Solomon spared no expense.
Solomon may have seen some wonders in Egypt that gave him ideas for the Temple of the Lord.
And he had the advice of the scribes and Levites for the design and layout as was told to Moses for the tabernacle. King Tut has gold engraving on the walls of his coffin.
When the Holy of Holies was constructed nearly everything was covered in gold. The 2 giant Cherubim, and the walls.
Some believe that the Cherubim may have looked like winged lions.
The veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies and all of the construction were on a grand scale from the Tabernacle.
Hiram was also skilled in the casting of brass. He made the "Brazen Sea" that was the size of a swimming pool and on the backs of 12 oxen that supplied water for the priests to wash in for their rituals.
Hiram also cast for Solomon two pillars to go in the front of the Temple that were 35 cubits high.
This was probably the Egyptian cubit which was 20.5"; that makes the the height 59.7'. Amazing.
They were so unique, that he named them: Boaz on the North (In Him is strength) and Jachin on the South (He shall establish).
The beauty of polished brass resembles gold, and there was more brass put into the Temple than could be weighed. I add this picture of a brass column, because the drawings of the great pillars of Solomon are drawings.
Probably the most magnificent building of all time, the Temple was the highest achievement of Solomon's reign.
Drawings cannot possibly truly portray the beauty of the Temple of the LORD.
This cut-away and close up give one an idea of the awesomeness of this Holy structure.
The Word of the LORD came to Solomon:
1 Ki 6:12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
The complete description of all the things that Solomon built into the Temple is written in 1 Ki 6. Hiram cast all the brass which was used in the tools, altar, pillars, brazen sea, and much more.
The Temple was finished after 7 years.
1 Ki 8:1 ¶ Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
So everything was now as it was in the Tabernacle of Moses, but on a much grander scale. The concept that David had revelation of, about the Ark and Grace and Mt. Zion, was put to the side. Jesus would be the one to revive that through God's plan of Grace, there would be no separation between man and God, for Jesus took the punishment for sin, and we through Jesus can come before a Holy God under His righteousness.
So all of the congregation assembled for the dedication of the Temple.
There were sacrifices made of sheep and oxen that numbered in the thousands. The rock that now sits under the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Israel was in the courtyard of Solomon's temple. There is a cistern carved into this rock where the blood of these sacrifices flowed. It holds 10,000 gallons. You can see the hole leading to the cistern on the upper left of the rock.
The priests placed the Ark between the 17 foot Cherubim in the Holy of Holies. There are different concepts of what these looked like. They were probably the 4 faced Cherubim as described elsewhere in scripture. Regardless, they were overlaid in Gold and spectacular.
The High Priest would bring blood before the Ark and had to be sanctified to pass through the veil.
When the priests had placed the Ark in the Most Holy place, the Glory Cloud of God filled the Temple. Non of the priests could stand.
Then Solomon raised his arms to heaven and prayed to God.
1 Ki 8:12 ¶ Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22 ¶ And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.
26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
27 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?
28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake;
42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.
53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.
After Solomon finished his prayer, he turned and blessed the people and stressed that the LORD He is God.
57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
He then held a great feast for the people for a week. And on the 8th day he sent them away full, happy, and blessed by God. The people were thankful that God had so blessed Israel.
It is hard to show all of the glory that was surrounding this Temple, but it was truly a gem in Jerusalem and the best that man could build.
400 years later after the fall of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple. 70 years after that, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, Zerubbabel was sent by Cyrus the king of Persia to rebuild the Temple and eventually Jerusalem. But this was never of the splendor of Solomon's Temple.
About 400 years after that, Herod rebuilt the Temple, but even that was not really comparable. However that is the Temple that Jesus walked in. Here is a picture of the model in Jerusalem of Herod's Temple (the 4 pillars on the right are governor Pilate's palace). The Romans destroyed this Temple in 70 AD. The future Tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11 Isa 16:5) is and will be fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.
Today the only remnant of the area that dates back to the time of Christ is the Western Wall. This is part of the retaining wall for the several acres of land that Herod constructed for the platform to build the Temple. It is a very Holy Site in Israel.
You can see here that the Dome of the Rock is now built on the top of this platform along with the Al Aqsa Mosque both of which are sacred Islam sites.
There is a 3rd Temple prophesied by Ezekiel that will be built someday. Here is a rendition of how it may look from the Temple Institute.
King Solomon's Palace
Solomon used Hiram's expertise and also built himself and elaborate palace that took 13 years to build. This artist conception shows the palace and Temple complex.
The palace was no doubt a building of grandeur.
The Masons believe that the Temple was multi-story and the palace/Temple complex looked like this:
After the 20 years of construction to build the Temple and palace, God again spoke to Solomon:
1 Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, 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.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
And we know that all of these things happened to ancient Israel. But the LORD in His Mercy, brought them home to their own land as a nation in 1948.
Hiram had contracted to do the building for Solomon, and had even loaned him money during the process for the pay and expenses of 20 years of construction was considerable. Solomon had given him 20 cities in Galilee, but Hiram was not pleased with them. Most were captured cities and some in bad shape. Hiram was a sea trade person, and did not like the interior cites. He did build Solomon a fleet of ships that were larger than those used by Columbus at the port in Edom at the Red Sea. These ships made 3 year journeys and gathered riches from the world to bring back to the king. Solomon had to tax the people heavy for his ventures, however it is mentioned that his fleet of ships brought him back 420 talents of gold. I am sure that Solomon worked out his contract with Hiram.
Modern Phoenician ship made by ancient techniques
The people of the land that had not been driven out by Israel, Solomon made bond-servants. But those who were Israelis were the rulers and were all free.
Queen of Sheba
The queen of Sheba in Ethiopia heard of the wisdom and fame of Solomon concerning the Name of Jehovah and she put together a large caravan and went to see him for herself.
She brought gifts for king Solomon: spices, gold, and precious gems. She had several hard questions for the king and told him all that was in her heart.
1 Ki 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
Note: There is about a 70% population of Jews and Christians in Ethiopia today. The history is a claim that they converted from the offspring of the queen of Sheba and Solomon. That she became a bride of Solomon after she had met him, and had a son whom later was either given or took the Ark of the Covenant back to his own land.
Today they claim the Ark is in this church in Axum which is Orthodox Christian. They still keep Jewish customs although they are Christian.
It is possible that they have a copy of the Ark, but the original was still mentioned long after Solomon as being in the Temple.
Another witness of the Gospel going to Ethiopia is in Acts 8 where Phillip baptizes a eunuch from Ethiopia under queen Candice, who was keeper of her wealth, and he returned home a Christian.
Sheba by Saabaghiberti
Solomon's Falling
1 Ki 10:14 ¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
Today they claim the Ark is in this church in Axum which is Orthodox Christian. They still keep Jewish customs although they are Christian.
It is possible that they have a copy of the Ark, but the original was still mentioned long after Solomon as being in the Temple.
Another witness of the Gospel going to Ethiopia is in Acts 8 where Phillip baptizes a eunuch from Ethiopia under queen Candice, who was keeper of her wealth, and he returned home a Christian.
Sheba by Saabaghiberti
Solomon's Falling
1 Ki 10:14 ¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
After this statement is a description of the riches that came to Solomon, and how he made silver as stones for the abundance. His throne was overlaid with gold. His cups were gold. His fleet of ships brought him more gold, silver, apes, ivory, and peacocks on a steady basis.
When you see the number 666 in the Bible, it is there to warn you of something evil concerning men. In Revelation of course, it warns of the Anti-Christ whose number is 666; the number of man is 6, God's main number is 3; so man trying to be God is 666. There are other explanations for this number, but the AC is evil.
In Ezra 2 we see that a man named Adonikam has 666 children. Adonikam means the LORD of rising, so here we see the LORD is over evil.
Here in 1 Kings we see the number 666 is the weight of gold coming to Solomon every year. Now riches are not evil, God promised Solomon he would make him the wisest and richest ever. But the love of money is the root of all evil, 1 Tim 6:10.
Look at God's warning for future kings:
Deu 17:14 ¶ When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
So we see the warning of 666 and then see that Solomon had broken most of the things listed above. So finally as Solomon got older, he had 700 wives, many from all of the surrounding pagan nations. Plus he had 300 concubines. They got him to worship their pagan gods and go into idolatry.
1 Ki 11:1 ¶ But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
9 ¶ And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
We know by scripture that this is just what happened. Rehoboam, Solomon's son, became king and in his reign Jeroboam (a servant of Solomon) took the 10 tribes and became king of Israel to the North, while David's royal line had Judah to the South with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
In Solomon's reign of 40 years, he was considered the wisest king of the earth. Kings and wise men came to just hear him talk and expound his wisdom.
Without the continual guidance of God in our lives, we cannot continue in prosperity, health, happiness, and wisdom. Solomon had priests and prophets to tell him of God's will. We have Jesus, who is God, living inside us to guide us in life. Like Solomon, we have God's Word as well, to tell us about God's will, and personality. Jesus is God's Grace and Mercy in a person. His name means Salvation, wholeness, and peace.
Solomon knew this as a younger man, for he wrote in Proverbs 4:
20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
He was raised by David, who loved God with all his heart.
He knew more wealth than anyone, but that was not the answer.
He caused himself to be poor, but that was not the answer.
He drank to excess, but that was not the answer.
He had every pleasure available to please the flesh, but that was not the answer.
He had more women, and more women, but that was not the answer.
He got knowledge from books and study, but that was not the answer.
Look at God's warning for future kings:
Deu 17:14 ¶ When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
So we see the warning of 666 and then see that Solomon had broken most of the things listed above. So finally as Solomon got older, he had 700 wives, many from all of the surrounding pagan nations. Plus he had 300 concubines. They got him to worship their pagan gods and go into idolatry.
1 Ki 11:1 ¶ But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
9 ¶ And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
We know by scripture that this is just what happened. Rehoboam, Solomon's son, became king and in his reign Jeroboam (a servant of Solomon) took the 10 tribes and became king of Israel to the North, while David's royal line had Judah to the South with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
In Solomon's reign of 40 years, he was considered the wisest king of the earth. Kings and wise men came to just hear him talk and expound his wisdom.
Without the continual guidance of God in our lives, we cannot continue in prosperity, health, happiness, and wisdom. Solomon had priests and prophets to tell him of God's will. We have Jesus, who is God, living inside us to guide us in life. Like Solomon, we have God's Word as well, to tell us about God's will, and personality. Jesus is God's Grace and Mercy in a person. His name means Salvation, wholeness, and peace.
Solomon knew this as a younger man, for he wrote in Proverbs 4:
20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
He was raised by David, who loved God with all his heart.
The whole book of Proverbs is filled with his wisdom about many things.
11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
Pr 30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
As he got older, the flesh overtook him. His own wisdom without God caused him to look for other "things" to replace what only God can provide. He wrote the book Ecclesiastes or "the Preacher."
He knew more wealth than anyone, but that was not the answer.
He caused himself to be poor, but that was not the answer.
He drank to excess, but that was not the answer.
He had every pleasure available to please the flesh, but that was not the answer.
He had more women, and more women, but that was not the answer.
He got knowledge from books and study, but that was not the answer.
For him all was vanity. Vanity in everything says the preacher.
You can see the wisdom in Ecclesiastes for it was within him, but he was depressed because he had left Jehovah and worshiped pagan gods.
From the young and vibrant king who was filled with the wisdom that was promised by God.
To an old man who walked away from God and questioned the very meaning of life for all was vanity in his eyes.
Who then was fearful for the demons he had worshiped haunted him.
Yet at the last verses of "the Preacher" he sees the answer:
Eccl 12:13 ¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
At the end of his reign, God raised up enemies against Solomon and the stage was set for the fulfillment of the prophetic word spoken. So Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried with the kings.
Solomon's Mausoleum
Through the line of David then Solomon down the line of kings is the lineage of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father.
Through the line of David from Nathan is the lineage of Mary, Jesus' virgin mother.
Jesus is the wisdom that Solomon wrote about. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one will come to the Father God except by Him. He loves you dearly.
All quotes from the KJV.
All art and pictures from the Internet with credit given if known.
If you like my blogs you might like my book available on Amazon.com
