Solomon - biography, information, personal life.  Temple of the Life-Giving Trinity on the Sparrow Hills In what century did King Solomon live The real name of King Solomon (Shlomo) is Yedidiah

(Beloved of God).

He received the nickname Solomon - the Peaceful - because, unlike his father, King David, he practically did not fight. The Holy Scripture says that Solomon was born in the capital of the Kingdom of Israel - Jerusalem. King David had many wives. According to the Bible, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3). However, polygamy played a role

a cruel joke on Solomon. Solomon's spouses were idolaters, and, indulging them, the king built numerous pagan sanctuaries for them, which he himself regularly visited. For this, he was predicted that after his death his kingdom would disintegrate.

Having heard about wisdom and the fabulous wealth of King Solomon, the legendary Queen of Sheba visited him to test his wisdom and make sure of his wealth (according to other sources, Solomon himself ordered her to come to him, having heard about the wonderful and rich country of Saba). The queen brought with her numerous gifts. The State of Saba really existed on

Arabian Peninsula(there are mentions of it in Assyrian manuscripts of the 8th century BC).

The most profitable His marriage was to the daughter of Pharaoh, the ruler of powerful Egypt. It is believed that Solomon ended half a thousand years of hostility between the Jews and the Egyptians by taking the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh as his first wife (Third Book of Kings, 9:16). Traditionally it is believed that Solomon was the author

three biblical books . In his youth, he wrote a love poem - “Song of Songs” (Shir Ha-Shirim), in maturity - a moralizing collection of “Proverbs” (Mishlei), and in old age - a sad book “Ecclesiastes” (Qoheleth), beginning with the words: “Vanity of vanities - everything is vanity." In Orthodox and catholic church

considered the author of the deuterocanonical Book Wisdom of Solomon. At the decisive moment in the struggle for power, Solomon was supported by the high priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and most importantly, the commander of the capital's guard, Vanya.

Kingdom of Israel under Solomon

Solomon was the wisest and richest king of his time. The Bible describes how God appeared to him in a dream, at the moment when Solomon began to reign, and said: “Ask what you want.” Solomon asked himself for wisdom to rule the people, and the Lord said: “Because you did not ask for wealth and glory, but asked for wisdom and understanding, then wisdom and wealth are given to you, which no king had.”

Given from above "wisdom, artist of everything", allowed Solomon “to know the structure of the world and the action of the elements, the beginning, end and middle of times, the changes of turns and changes of times, the circles of years and the position of the stars, the nature of animals and the properties of animals, the aspirations of the winds and the thoughts of people, the differences in plants and the strength of roots”

Solomon's son Rehoboam did not inherit his father's wisdom. He did not find a common language with his subjects. As a result 10 out of 12 knees separated from Jerusalem and created a separate kingdom of Israel.

Today the only surviving treasure of all Solomon's wealth is the 43 mm Solomon's garnet, which King Solomon gave to the high priest of the First Temple on the day the sanctuary opened.

King Solomon was a peaceful ruler and during his reign (he ruled for 40 years) there was not a single major war.

Solomon He also tried to develop crafts and maritime trade in Israel, bringing specialists from Phenicia for this purpose.

In the kingdom of Solomon there was so much wealth, that silver depreciated and became equivalent to a simple stone. The Third Book of Kings says on this matter (chapter 10, verse 27): “And the king made the silver in Jerusalem equal in value to simple stones, and the cedars, because of their abundance, made them equal to the sycamore trees that grow in low places.”

The flourishing of agriculture in Israel is evidenced by the fact that Solomon annually supplied Hiram with twenty thousand measures of wheat and twenty thousand measures of vegetable oil. Of course, farmers were subjected to brutal exploitation, but still such colossal supplies of agricultural products are possible only in conditions of prosperity.

Archaeological finds introduced us to many aspects of life of that time. In particular, they indicate a fairly high standard of living. Countless expensive bowls for cosmetics made of alabaster and ivory, bottles of various shapes, tweezers, mirrors and hairpins prove that Israeli women of that era cared about their appearance.

They used perfumes, blush, creams, myrrh, henna, balsam oil, cypress bark powder, red paint for nails and blue paint for eyelids. Most of these drugs were imported from abroad, and such imports are typical of a rich country.

Solomon wrote three thousand parables, of which only 513 were included in the book of Proverbs of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:32), Themes and main content of the Book of Proverbs.

The book of Proverbs has a number of important themes that can be divided into three parts:

Man's relationship to God;
A person's attitude towards himself;
His attitude towards others.

The most important thing that King Solomon did in his life- It was the Temple of Jerusalem that was built.

Building materials were supplied from Lebanon: sandstone, cypresses, cedars. The stones were cut by the stonemasons of both Hiram and Solomon. The copper needed for utensils and temple columns was mined in the copper mines of Idumea, in the south of the Israelite Highlands. Almost 200 thousand workers were involved in construction.

Grandiose construction and rapid economic development required labor, “and King Solomon imposed a duty on all Israel; the duty consisted of thirty thousand people.” Solomon divided the country into 12 tax districts, obliging them to maintain Imperial Courtyard and the army.

Tribe of Judah from which Solomon and David came, was exempt from taxes, which caused discontent among representatives of the remaining tribes of Israel. Solomon's extravagance and craving for luxury led to the fact that he was unable to pay off King Hiram, with whom he entered into an agreement during the construction of the Temple, and was forced to give him several of his cities as debt.

The priests also had reasons for dissatisfaction. King Solomon had many wives of different races and religions, and they brought their deities with them.

Solomon built temples for them where they could worship their gods, and at the end of his life he himself began to participate in pagan cults.

After the death of King Solomon, his kingdom split into two weak states, Israeli and Jewish, waging constant internecine wars.

The death of King Solomon occurred in 928 BC. e in the fourth decade of his reign. Those close to him, not believing the death of the old man, did not bury the deceased until the worms began to eat his staff.

A selection of facts: website

Proverbs Solomon

King David and Solomon, the Pharisees and Caesar, the prophet Elijah and many other such familiar and, at the same time, unfamiliar names. Who were all these biblical heroes? How well do we know who is who in the Bible? Are we sometimes confused with some mythological characters? To understand all this, “Foma” opened a project short stories. Today we are talking about those who bore the name Solomon in the Bible.

Who is King Solomon in the Bible?

Solomon (in Hebrew his name is “Shlomo” and means “peaceful”, “rich in peace”) - the famous Israeli king (approximately 1015-975 BC).
You can read about him in the Third Book of Kings, First and Second Chronicles (all included in the Old Testament).

His parents are the Israeli king David (the famous author of psalms) and Bathsheba (originally the wife of Uriah, one of David’s subjects). Solomon's mentor is the prophet Nathan.
At the very beginning of his reign, Solomon made a great sacrifice and saw God in a dream, who invited him to ask for anything. The king asked for reason in order to be able to judge and govern. For this, God gave him not only intelligence, but “riches and glory” (1 Kings 3:12-15).

The very first manifestation of wisdom is resolving a dispute between two women (1 Kings 3:16-27). They were harlots, lived in the same house and gave birth to children almost at the same time. During the night, one of the babies died, and one of the women switched children. The next morning she denied the fact of the substitution, and the women came to the king. Solomon ordered the living baby to be cut in half with a sword and given to each half. One of the women agreed to this, and the second said - no, give the child, just don’t kill. So it became clear that she was the mother of the living baby, and that she was the first to actually change the children.

Solomon was married to the daughter of the Egyptian king, and also had many concubines, including foreigners, whom he allowed to worship his gods. As punishment for this, God raised up rebels against the king, and a judgment was pronounced over Solomon himself that after his death the kingdom would be divided, and his son (Rehoboam) would reign only over a small part of it (1 Kings 11:9ff).

To manage affairs, Solomon divided the kingdom of Israel into 12 regions (regardless of the division into tribes), formed a large army with chariots and horsemen to protect against enemies, and founded garrison cities for supplies. He sent ships on long expeditions and showed people the wonders that were brought from different countries. Solomon surpassed all kings in wealth and wisdom (1 Kings 10:23).
Two famous buildings of Solomon - the temple, which took seven years to build, after which it was consecrated by transferring the ark of the covenant into it, abundant sacrifice and solemn prayer of the king (1 Kings 8:1) and the palace, which was built over the course of thirteen years and amazed with the number of buildings and luxury . The downside of this luxury is the heavy taxes that the king imposed on Israel.

After reigning for 40 years over all of Israel, Solomon “slept with his fathers” and was buried in the city of David (1 Kings 11:43), that is, in Bethlehem.

Judging by the title of Psalm 126, Solomon is its author. He also composed a significant number of parables in the book of Proverbs of Solomon and is traditionally considered the author of the books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs (All included in the Old Testament).
Solomon's porch, which is mentioned in the New Testament (John 10:23, Acts 3:11 and 5:12) is the eastern part of the colonnade that surrounded the Temple of Jerusalem.

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Son and (Bat-Sheva), his co-ruler in 967-965 BC. e. Considered the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the book Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, as well as some psalms. During the reign of Solomon, the main shrine of Judaism was built in Jerusalem.

Coming to reign

Solomon's father, David, was going to transfer the throne to Solomon. However, when David became decrepit, his other son, Adonijah, tried to usurp power. He entered into a conspiracy with the high priest Abiathar and the commander of the troops Joab, and, taking advantage of David’s weakness, declared himself the successor to the throne, scheduling a magnificent coronation. Solomon's mother, Bathsheba, as well as the prophet Nathan (Nathan) notified David about this. Adonijah fled and hid in the Tabernacle, grasping “the horns of the altar” (1 Kings 1:51); after his repentance, Solomon pardoned him.

After coming to power, Solomon dealt with the other participants in the conspiracy. So, Solomon temporarily removed Abiathar from the priesthood and executed Joab, who tried to hide on the run. The executor of both executions, Benaiah, was appointed by Solomon as the new commander of the troops. God gave Solomon kingship on the condition that he would not deviate from serving God. In exchange for this promise, God endowed Solomon with unprecedented wisdom and patience.

Temple

But the highest work and glory of his reign was the construction of the majestic, which replaced the dilapidated Tabernacle, which from now on became the national pride of Israel, its soul not only religious, but also political life. Under him, poetry reached its highest development, and its most remarkable works are the famous "" (Shir ha-shirim), in its external form representing something like a lyrical drama, glorifying love in its deepest basis and purity. Under Solomon, the Jewish people reached the culminating point of their development, and from him the reverse movement began, which most noticeably affected the king himself.

Reign of Solomon

Solomon inherited from his father a vast state, stretching from the "river of Egypt to great river Euphrates." To govern such a state, a broad mind and proven wisdom were required, and, fortunately for the people, the young gift was naturally endowed with a bright mind and insight, which later gave him the glory of “the wisest king.” Taking advantage of the deep peace, Solomon turned all his attention to the cultural development of the state and in this regard achieved extraordinary results.

The country became rich, and the welfare of the people increased to an unprecedented degree. Solomon's court was not inferior in its splendor to the courts of the greatest and most powerful rulers of the then civilized world. Composition of the government formed by Solomon:

• High priests - Zadok, Abiathar, Azariah;
• Commander of the troops - Vanya;
• Minister of Taxation - Adoniram;
• Court Chronicler - Jehoshaphat; also scribes - Elichoreth and Ahijah;
• Akhisar - head of the royal administration;
• Zawuf;
• Azariah - chief of governors;

12 governors: Ben-Hur, Ben-Deker, Ben-Hesed, Ben-Abinadab, Baana the son of Ahilud, Ben-Gever, Achinadab, Ahimaas, Baana the son of Hushai, Jehoshaphat, Shimei, Geber.

Foreign policy

Solomon, like most rulers of that time, adhered to imperial views. The states of Israel and Judah, united under his rule, occupied a large territory; Solomon sought expansion, as evidenced by his annexation of Saba under the pretext of converting to the “correct” religion. Solomon ended half a thousand years of hostility between Jews and Egyptians by taking the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh as his first wife.

Annexation of Saba

According to legend, Solomon annexed Saba to his state, a legendary state whose official religion was sun worship. He sent a note to the ruler of Saba (known under the title Queen of Sheba) Bilqis with a proposal for unification, coupled with a change in the state religion.

The Supreme Council of Saba decided to consider this note a declaration of war and enter into it, but Bilquis vetoed this decision and entered into negotiations with Solomon. The ambassador of Saba brought gifts to Solomon, but he pointedly refused, arguing that Saba could not give him anything better and more than he had, and the only goal of the unification was the establishment of a just religion in the territory of Saba. During the negotiations, Solomon stated that, if necessary, he would start a war and capture Saba by force. Then Bilkis personally went to the negotiations, having previously ordered that the royal regalia (mainly the throne) be hidden. Solomon learned about this from his spies and ordered his residents in Saba to steal the throne and take it to the place of negotiations. When Bilqis arrived, Solomon offered her her own throne.

The depressed Bilquis agreed to the annexation, which thus took place; the state religion of Saba was brought into line with the state religion of Solomon's kingdom.

End of Solomon's reign

The end of Solomon's reign was overshadowed by various disappointments, the cause of which was mainly polygamy that had reached extraordinary proportions and the exorbitant expenses associated with it. The people began to be burdened by the rapidly increasing taxes, and Solomon ended his life with the conviction that “all is vanity and vexation of spirit,” and with fear for the future of his home, which was threatened by those who had already spoken before him. According to the Bible, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3), among whom were foreigners. One of them, who by that time had become his beloved wife and had great influence on the king, convinced Solomon to build a pagan altar and worship her deities native land. For this, God was angry with him and promised many hardships to the people of Israel, but after the end of Solomon’s reign. Thus, the entire reign of Solomon passed quite calmly.

Solomon died in 928 BC. e. at the age of 62 years. According to legend, this happened while he was overseeing the construction of a new altar. To avoid a mistake (assuming that this could be a lethargic dream), those close to him did not bury him until the worms began to sharpen his staff. Only then was he officially declared dead and buried. Even during Solomon’s lifetime, uprisings of the conquered peoples (Edomites, Arameans) began; immediately after his death, an uprising broke out, as a result of which the single state split into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah).

Solomon in Islam

Suleiman is an Islamic name, known to Jews as Shlomo, to Christianity as Solomon, to Armenians as Soghomon. Respected as the name of the prophet Suleiman, the son of the prophet Daud. Suleiman was the son of the prophet Daoud. From his father, he learned a lot of knowledge and was chosen by Allah as a prophet, and he was given mystical power over all creatures, including jinn. He ruled a huge kingdom that extended to Yemen in the south. Suleiman was known for his wisdom and justice.

Suleiman's contacts with Queen Bilqis are known. Bilqis was a wise ruler, but her people worshiped the sun and the moon. Suleiman tried to stop this, but she wanted to appease the prophet with gifts, which only led to him sending a huge army to her country in anger. While on a hike, he talked with ants and birds. He soon felt sorry for the people of Bilqis and decided not to harm them. When the Queen of Sheba came to negotiate, one of the genies subordinate to Suleiman brought to the prophet one of the queen’s thrones, which she recognized. Surprised by the wisdom and power of the prophet, Bilqis married him. Suleiman completed the construction of the Temple, which was begun by his father Daoud. He lived for 80 years, but after his death the kingdom fell apart, as Suleiman's son became a wicked ruler.

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Years of life: 1011–928 BC e.

Helpful information

The name Solomon in Hebrew comes from the root "שלום" (shalom - "peace", meaning "not war"), as well as "שלם" (shalem - "perfect", "whole").

Solomon is also mentioned in the Bible under a number of other names. So, sometimes he is called Jedidiah (“beloved of God”) - a symbolic name given to Solomon as a sign of God’s favor to his father David, after his deep repentance in the story of Bathsheba.

Legends of Solomon

King Solomon's Court

Solomon showed his wisdom first of all at the trial. Soon after his accession, two women came to him for judgment. They lived in the same house, and each had a baby. At night, one of them crushed her baby and placed it next to another woman, and took the living one from her. In the morning the women began to argue: “The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours,” each said. So they argued before the king. After listening to them, Solomon ordered: “Bring the sword.”

And they brought the sword to the king. Solomon said, “Cut the living child in half and give half to one and half to the other.”

At these words, one of the women exclaimed: “Better give her the baby, but don’t kill him!”

The other, on the contrary, said: “Cut it, don’t let it get to her or me.”

Then Solomon said: “Do not kill the child, but give him to the first woman: she is his mother.”

The people heard about this and began to fear the king, because everyone saw what wisdom God had given him.

Ring of Solomon

Despite his wisdom, King Solomon's life was not calm. And one day King Solomon turned to the court sage for advice with the request: “Help me - a lot in this life can make me angry. I am very subject to passions, and this bothers me!”

To which the sage replied: “I know how to help you. Put this ring on and the phrase “This shall pass” is engraved on it. When strong anger or strong joy surges, look at this inscription, and it will sober you up. In this you will find salvation from passions!

Solomon followed the advice of the sage and found peace. But the moment came when, looking, as usual, at the ring, he did not calm down, but on the contrary, he lost his temper even more. He tore the ring off his finger and wanted to throw it further into the pond, but suddenly noticed that there was some kind of inscription on the inside of the ring. He took a closer look and read: “This too shall pass.”

Islamic legends

It is reported from the words of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: There were two women with their sons (when suddenly) a wolf came running and carried away the son of one of them, and she said to her friend: “The wolf carried away your son!” The other (woman) said: “No, it was your son!” - and then they turned to Daud, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who decided to give him to his elder.

And then they went to Sulayman, the son of Daud, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and told him (about everything), and he said: “Bring me a knife and I will divide it between them.” Then the younger one exclaimed: “Don’t do this, may Allah have mercy on you, this is her son!”, after which he decided to give him to the younger one.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily, yesterday a spirit from among the jinn came to me (or he said something similar) to interrupt my prayer, but Allah helped me cope with it. (At first) I wanted to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque so that in the morning you all would look at him, but (then) I remembered the words of my brother Suleiman (who said): “My Lord! Forgive me and grant me (such) power that no one else will have after me.”

Image in art

The image of King Solomon inspired many poets and artists:

• German poet of the 18th century. F.-G. Klopstock dedicated a tragedy to him in verse,
• the artist Rubens painted the painting “The Judgment of Solomon”,
• Handel dedicated an oratorio to him,
• Gounod - opera.

In 2009, director Alexander Kiriyenko shot the film “The Illusion of Fear” (based on the book by Alexander Turchinov), where the image of King Solomon and legends about him are used to reveal the image of the main character, entrepreneur Korob, by drawing analogies between antiquity and modernity.

Star of Solomon

According to legend, under Solomon, the sign of his father David became the state seal. In Islam, the six-pointed star is called the Star of Solomon.

At the same time, medieval mystics called the pentagram (five-pointed star) the Seal of Solomon.

According to another version, the sign of Solomon, the so-called. The Seal of Solomon was an eight-pointed star intertwined like a pentagram.

At the same time, in occultism the pentacle with the name “Star of Solomon” is considered to be a 12-pointed star. Due to the larger number of rays, a circle is formed in the center of the star. Often a symbol was inscribed in it, thanks to which the pentacle helped in intellectual work and enhanced talents.

It is believed that the Star of Solomon formed the basis of the Maltese cross of the Knights of St. John.

These signs were widely used in magic, alchemy, Kabbalah and other mystical teachings.

It is difficult to find at least one ruler or simply significant historical figure whose life would be shrouded in so many legends and secrets as the life of King Solomon. His name became synonymous with wisdom throughout the centuries, and the period of his reign became the “Golden Age,” the heyday of the Kingdom of Israel.

Solomon was born in 1011 BC. in Jerusalem. His parents were the powerful King of Israel David and the beautiful Bathsheba. The only source in which one can find confirmation of the real existence of the legendary ruler of the united kingdom of Israel is the Torah. Therefore, from a scientific point of view, to this day it is difficult to say for sure whether Solomon is a historical figure.

Here is what the Holy Scripture tells about the story of the birth of the future King Solomon: “One evening, David, getting out of bed, was walking on the roof of the king’s house and saw a woman bathing from the roof; and that woman was very beautiful. And David sent to find out who this woman was? And they said to him, This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David sent servants to take her; and she came to him, and he slept with her.". In order to get rid of the beauty’s husband, King David ordered him to be sent on a military campaign and, so that the warrior would certainly not return home, gave instructions: “Place Uriah where the strongest battle will be and retreat from him so that he will be defeated and die.”. When Uriah died, the king was able to marry Bathsheba, and in due course they had a son.

As you know, sooner or later everything secret becomes clear, and the treacherous act of the king is no exception. A scandal broke out in Jerusalem. The prophet Nathan openly cursed the house of David, dooming it to fratricidal strife. In addition, he predicted that the baby born to Bathsheba would die. And so it happened. David then repented before the Lord, and Nathan declared that he was forgiven. Soon, the beautiful Bathsheba gave birth to a second son, who was named Solomon (Shlomo), that is, “peacemaker.” The second name was given to him at birth by the prophet Nathan: Jedidiah - “favorite of God.”

By the time Solomon was born, forty-year-old King David already had two dozen offspring from different wives. Naturally, they received the news about the appearance of another heir without delight, and they did not treat each other like brothers.

David's two eldest sons, Amnon and Absalom, died in fratricidal internecine conflicts. The next oldest was Adonijah. Formalities required that he should ascend to the throne of Israel after David, but the great ruler had already promised Bathsheba that he would make Solomon his successor. Distressed by his father's injustice, Adonijah found support in the military commander Joav and the high priest Evyatar, who also believed that Adonijah had a greater right to the throne than Solomon. Adonijah, already confident of his own victory, arranged a luxurious feast in honor of his coronation. However, Bathsheba entered the king’s chambers and reminded him of the promise given to her: “Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying: “Your son Solomon will be king after me”? Why did Adonijah reign?" And David appointed 18-year-old Solomon as his successor. Having learned of his failure and the failure of his intrigues, Adonijah ran, fearing reprisals, to the temple and grabbed the horns of the altar in the form of a bull's head - this meant that he was asking for protection from G-d. Solomon came to Adonijah and promised that he would not kill him if he behaved with dignity from now on.

Soon David died, and Adonijah again tried to make his way to power. He decided to marry Abishag, King David's handmaiden at the end of his life. Solomon saw in this Adonijah’s claim to the throne, since, according to custom, the right to the throne is the one who gets the king’s wife or concubine, and ordered Adonijah to be killed.

After this execution, Solomon decided to once and for all get rid of the remaining “well-wishers” - the adherent of Adonijah Yoav and the long-time enemy of the Davidic dynasty Shimi, a relative of the first king Shaul. Solomon was not driven by a blind thirst for revenge, and there are no documents in history confirming the use of the death penalty by the king. In relation to Yoav and Shimi, Solomon only fulfilled David's will.

Solomon ruled the kingdom of Israel from 967 to 928 BC. As already mentioned, the king was unusually wise. One day, before the construction of the Temple, G-d appeared to Solomon in a dream and promised to fulfill his every desire. Solomon asks: “Give Your servant an understanding heart, to judge Your people and discern between what is good and what is evil.”

“And God said to him: because you asked for this, and did not ask for yourself a long life, did not ask for wealth, did not ask for the souls of your enemies, but asked for understanding so that you could judge, behold, I will do according to to your word: Behold, I give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was no one like you before you, and after you there will not arise one like you; There will be one like you among kings all your days; and if you walk in My way, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, I will also prolong your days.”(Kings).

Having decided to unite his people with a common cause, one task, King Solomon built the main shrine of Judaism - the First Temple of Jerusalem on Mount Zion. The Ark of the Covenant (aron ha-brit) was placed in this Temple - the greatest shrine, inside of which were kept the tablets received by Moses from the Lord himself.

David also wanted to build a worthy container for the Ark, but did not have time. Solomon continued the work begun by his father. He made a deal with the king of Phoenician Tire, Hiram, in whose country the Lebanese cedars, famous throughout the Middle East, grew.
According to the agreement, in exchange for cedar wood, Solomon agreed to supply Hiram with large quantities of oil, meat and grain every year. 30 thousand people were sent to Tire to harvest wood; another 150 thousand residents of Israel mined stones in the mountains and transported them to Jerusalem. Almost all healthy men were forced to build the temple. The construction lasted 7 years, and a famous legend is associated with it about the chief mason, whose name was Hiram according to some sources, and Adoniram according to others. He refused to reveal the secrets of his craft, and for this he was killed. Hiram's heirs allegedly founded the brotherhood of “free masons” (Masons) to protect the secret, making its emblems a compass, a square and a plumb line.

The erected Temple was a huge building that could accommodate up to 50 thousand worshipers. In the center of the Temple was the “Holy of Holies” (Davir), where the Ark was installed on a stone pedestal, guarded by gilded statues of cherubs. The temple was destroyed in 586 BC. Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, but before that the ark mysteriously disappeared. Mystery lovers are still looking for it.

Many still consider Solomon to be the personification of wisdom, and there is even a saying: “He who sees Solomon in a dream can hope to become wise” (Berachot 57 b).

No matter how atypical it may sound for those times, King Solomon was a peaceful ruler and, unlike his father, waged virtually no wars. At the same time, he managed to expand the territory of Israel from the Nile to the Euphrates. It was under this ruler that the Kingdom of Israel became a significant and quite influential state in Asia.

Solomon began to build the foreign policy strategy of the Kingdom of Israel by establishing and strengthening friendly relations with its neighbors. At the beginning of his reign, he put an end to the age-old enmity between the Egyptians and the Jews by marrying the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh and thereby strengthening the southern borders of the state. Most likely, it was precisely in order to get closer to neighboring peoples and strengthen his power that Solomon took as wives Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites who belonged to the noble families of these peoples.

King Solomon was a good diplomat, builder and trader. He transformed an agricultural country into a strong, economically developed state that had great influence in the international arena. He rebuilt and strengthened Jerusalem and other cities of his kingdom, introduced cavalry and chariots into the Jewish army for the first time, built a merchant fleet, developed crafts and in every possible way supported trade with other countries.

The new government of King Solomon consisted of a high priest, a commander of the troops, a minister of taxation, the head of the royal administration and the head of 12 governors, as well as several court chroniclers.

During excavations in Jerusalem, many cups for cosmetics, mirrors, hairpins, jugs for imported incense were found - this proves that the ladies of the court vigilantly followed fashion. The king established the mining and smelting of copper, and also built a large fleet, which sailed to the country of Ophir every three years, bringing gold and valuable wood from there.

Henry Rider Haggard's book King Solomon's Mines, published in 1885, inspired many adventurers to go in search of treasure. Haggard believed that Solomon owned diamond and gold mines. Most archaeologists are confident that the king mined copper ore in his mines. In the 1930s it was suggested that the Solomon mines were located in southern Jordan. And only at the beginning of the 21st century did archaeologists find evidence that, indeed, the copper mines discovered on the territory of Jordan in the town of Khirbat en-Nahas may be the legendary mines of King Solomon. Obviously, Solomon had a monopolist in the copper production market, which gave him the opportunity to receive super-profits. Ambassadors from various countries arrived in Jerusalem to conclude peace and trade agreements with Israel, and brought rich gifts.

One of the hallmarks of Solomon's reign was extraordinary luxury everywhere: "And the king made the silver in Jerusalem equal in value to common stones". The king's throne deserves special attention. In the Second Targum to the Book of Esther it is said that 12 golden lions and the same number of golden eagles sat opposite each other on the steps of the throne of the king of Israel. On the top of the throne is a golden image of a dove. There was also a golden candlestick with fourteen candle cups, seven of which were engraved with the names of Adam, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job, and seven others with the names of Levi, Kehat, Amram, Moshe, Aaron, Eldad and Hura. As stated in the Targum, when the king ascended the throne, the lions, using a mechanical device, extended their paws so that Solomon could lean on them. In addition, the throne itself moved at the request of the king. When Solomon, ascending to the throne, reached the last step, the eagles lifted him up and seated him on a chair.

Understanding the importance of education, realizing the influence of education on the future of the state, wanting to spread the Torah throughout the country, Solomon built synagogues and schools. However, the king was not distinguished by arrogance: when it was necessary to determine a leap year, he invited 7 learned elders to his place, "in whose presence he remained silent"(Shemot Rabbah 15, 20).

There are legends about the king's wisdom. One day Solomon turned to the court sage with a request: “Help me - a lot in this life can make me angry. I am very susceptible to passions, and this bothers me!” To which the sage replied: “I know how to help you. Put on this ring - the phrase is carved on it: “This will pass!” When strong anger or strong joy surges, look at this inscription, and it will sober you up. In this you will find salvation from passions!"

Solomon followed the advice of the sage and found peace. But the moment came when, looking, as usual, at the ring, he did not calm down, but on the contrary, he lost his temper even more. He tore the ring off his finger and wanted to throw it further into the pond, but suddenly noticed that there was some kind of inscription on the inside of the ring. He took a closer look and read: “This too shall pass...” According to another legend, the engraved ring, a source of wisdom and peace, was made for Solomon by a first-class jeweler, who faced the death penalty if the job was unsuccessful.

There's another one famous story, which testifies to the insight and intelligence of the great king. Once, two women came to the king for trial, who could not divide the baby between them - both claimed that the child belonged to her. Solomon, without thinking twice, ordered the baby to be cut in half so that each woman would get a piece. When one of the women screamed in horror: “Better give it to her, but don’t kill him!” Solomon made a decision in favor of this woman - she was the mother of the child...

King Solomon's Court

Legends say that all animals and birds obeyed Solomon. Precious stones were delivered to Solomon's palace by demons, and angels guarded them. With the help of a magical ring on which the name of God was engraved, Solomon learned many secrets about the world from the angels.

Having learned about the wisdom and fabulous wealth of King Solomon, the legendary Queen of Sheba from the country of Saba in what is now Yemen visited him to test his wisdom and verify his wealth. The queen brought with her numerous gifts. The state of Saba successfully traded spices and incense with neighboring countries. Trade routes crossed the territory of Solomon's kingdom, and the passage of caravans depended on the will and disposition of the king, which was the real reason for the visit of the Queen of Sheba. There is an opinion that she was just a “delegate”, an “ambassador” of the country and was not a dynastic queen. But only someone equal in status could speak to the king, so the envoys were “assigned” temporary status for negotiations. Folk legends gave a romantic touch to this visit. Blinded by the beauty of the Queen of Sheba, Solomon was inflamed with passion for her, she reciprocated his feelings, all questions about the advancement of the caravans were settled. Returning home, the queen gave birth to a boy named Menelik. The Ethiopians claim that their imperial dynasty descends from him. In Ethiopia, the queen is considered their countrywoman.

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba in a fresco by Piero della Francesca from the Basilica of San Francesco

During his reign, Solomon also made mistakes, which became the catalyst for the collapse of the state after his death. Time passed, and the king’s income ceased to cover his expenses. Grandiose construction and rapid economic development required labor: “and King Solomon imposed duties on all Israel; the duty consisted of thirty thousand people.”

Solomon divided the country into 12 tax districts, which were required to support the royal court and army. The tribe of Yehuda, from which Solomon and David were from, was exempt from taxes, which caused discontent and increased the degree of social tension in society. Jeroboam from the tribe of Ephraim, who held a prominent position in the royal administration, rebelled, and then fled to Egypt, where he was hospitably received by Pharaoh Shusakim. Another threat was the bandit Razon, who captured Damascus and became king there, constantly attacking the northern lands of Israel.

Solomon's extravagance and craving for luxury led him to lose his solvency. Solomon was unable to pay off King Hiram, and was forced to give him about twenty of his cities as debt.

The priests also had reasons for dissatisfaction. The king had many wives of various races and religions. Solomon allowed them to worship their gods, built temples for them, and at the end of his life he himself began to participate in pagan cults.

King Solomon in old age. Engraving by Gustav Dore

King Solomon is credited with the authorship of many books and literary works. He is believed to have written the book Ecclesiastes, but scholars have found Persian and Aramaic words in it that prove the book was written centuries later. The Song of Songs (Shir Ha-shirim), a great book about love, is also credited to Solomon’s pen.

Already in the Middle Ages, many other works were attributed to Solomon - mostly occult and magical. Astrologers and alchemists, in order not to be accused of heresy, declared the king, recognized as a saint, as their patron.

At the end of his life, G-d appeared to Solomon and said: “Because this is done with you, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant; but in your days I will not do this for the sake of David your father; I will pluck him out of the hand of your son."(Kings).

According to most sources, King Solomon's reign lasted about 37 years, and he died at the age of 52 while overseeing the construction of a new altar. Those close to the king did not immediately bury him in the hope that the ruler simply fell into a lethargic sleep. When the worms began to sharpen the royal staff, Solomon was finally declared dead and buried with full honors.

After the death of King Solomon, as a result of numerous uprisings, his kingdom split into two weak states - Israel and Judah, which were mired in constant internecine wars.

Solomon himself, looking at the disappointing results of his reign, could well have uttered the sad words put into his mouth by the author of the book of Ecclesiastes: “I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and stupidity: I learned that this too is vexation of the spirit; For in much wisdom there is much sorrow, and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

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Solomon (Heb. Shelomo, Arabic. Suleiman) is the third and greatest king of the Israeli people. David's second son from Bathsheba, Solomon, during his father's lifetime, was appointed his successor and ascended the throne as a 16-year-old youth. A pupil of the prophet Nathan, Solomon was naturally gifted with a bright mind and insight. First of all, he took care to establish inner peace around the throne and surround himself with trusted persons, with the help of whom he could freely conduct both domestic and foreign policy. His reign became synonymous with peace and national prosperity. The Egyptian pharaoh gave him his daughter in marriage, for whom Solomon received as a dowry the important city of Gazer, which commanded the Philistine plain - this great road between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Trade quickly developed, greatly contributing to the enrichment of both the court and the entire people.

So many precious metals accumulated in Jerusalem that gold and silver, in the biblical expression, became equivalent to a simple stone. Having arranged the internal affairs of the state, Solomon began the construction of the temple, which later became the most famous of temples not only for its internal significance, but also for its external splendor and beauty. At the same time, Solomon enjoyed the good services of his neighbor, the king of Tyre, Hiram, who supplied him with both timber and other building materials, as well as first-class artists and architects. The temple (begun in 480 after the exodus from Egypt, therefore around 1010 BC) was built within seven and a half years, after which it was solemnly consecrated. Neighboring sovereigns undertook journeys from afar to see the Jewish king, the fame of whose wisdom and deeds had spread throughout the east. Such was the visit of the Queen of Sheba. Solomon's luxury required enormous funds, which were supplied by rapidly developing world trade.

Solomon receives the Queen of Sheba
Edward Poynter

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
Johann Tischbein

Solomon meets the Queen of Sheba
Giovanni Demini

Particularly important in this regard was the alliance with Tire, the main city of Phenicia, the then mistress of the Mediterranean and other seas. Trade from all Asian countries was drawn to the Phoenician city of Tire, but since all the main Asian trade markets were subordinate to Solomon, all trade necessarily passed through his possessions, and Tire itself was only, as it were, the richest port of Palestine, being in full dependence on it for food, since it was the main and almost the only granary of the Phoenician cities.

To become even more independent from the Phoenicians, Solomon started his own fleet, whose ships made long voyages and brought both gold and rare works of art. King Solomon's ships reached the Pillars of Hercules. Trade gave Solomon's treasury a large annual income of 666 talents of gold (1 talent = 125,000 rubles in gold).

At this best time of his reign, Solomon fully embodied in his person the ideal of that “king of peace”, about whom the peace-loving people dreamed and the memory of which was subsequently preserved in legend. But the eastern luxury that surrounded him was not slow to exert its corrupting influence on Solomon. Like other eastern despots, he indulged in immoderate voluptuousness, started a huge harem (“and he had 700 wives and 300 concubines”); under the influence of foreign pagan wives, he weakened in his zeal for the faith of his fathers and in Jerusalem itself, to the horror of the people, built temples for the cults of Moloch and Astarte. The taxes, which had increased to the extreme, began to burden the people, who grumbled and complained; Solomon's brilliant reign ended with ominous signs of internal decay.

History does not tell how all these trials and anxieties affected him, but the books he left behind, and especially Ecclesiastes, complete the picture of his life. Here we see a man who has experienced all the pleasures of life and drank the cup of earthly joys to the dregs, and yet remains unsatisfied, and in the end exclaims with sadness: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexation of the spirit”! Solomon died in Jerusalem in the fortieth year of his reign (1020 - 980 BC). His life story is told in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles.

A. Lopukhin, “ Biblical History in the light of the latest research and discoveries,” volume II.
Article from the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron”, 1890 – 1907