Solomon in the Bible
Meaning: peaceable; perfect; one who recompenses
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And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
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David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. And Shishak king of Egypt took them, when he went up to Jerusalem in the days of Rehoboam son of Solomon.
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
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Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?
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Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
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Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?
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.
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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.
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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.
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But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
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Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
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The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
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And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
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So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.
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And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
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And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule.
And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
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And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
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And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
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And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
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And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
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So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.
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Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
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And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
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So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
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And, the report, came unto Joab, for, Joab, had inclined after Adonijah, although, after Solomon, he had not inclined, - so then Joab fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and laid hold of the horns of the altar.
And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
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And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
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And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.
So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
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.
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
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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 said, “Cut the living boy in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
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And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
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Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
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And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
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And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
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And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
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Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs,
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
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And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
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And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
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And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
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So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
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And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
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And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
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Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
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And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
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And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.
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So Solomon built the house (temple) and finished it, and roofed the house with beams and boards of cedar.
And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
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So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
Solomon also prepared an inner sanctuary within the Temple where the LORD's Ark of the Covenant was placed.
So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
Inside the inner sanctuary Solomon placed two cherubim crafted from olive wood, each ten cubits high.
Solomon placed the cherubim in the middle of the inner sanctuary, with their wings spread in such a way that the wing of one was touching the one wall and the opposite wing of the other cherub was touching the opposite wall. Furthermore, their wings in the center of the wall were touching each other wing-to-wing.
Solomon also inlaid all the inner walls of the Temple both the inner and outer sanctuaries with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and blooming flowers.
Solomon also provided doors, lintels, and five-sided doorposts for the entrance to the inner sanctuary.
Solomon also provided four-sided doorposts made of cypress wood for the entrance to the outer sanctuary,
Solomon also inlaid the doors with cherubim, palm trees, and blooming flowers. He overlaid them with gold that was carefully applied on the engraved work.
The foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid in Solomon’s fourth year in the month of Ziv.
and the Temple was completely finished according to its plans and specifications in the eighth month of the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, that is, during the month of Bul. It took about seven years to build.
But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
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And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
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And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
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He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
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And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD:
And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass.
And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.
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And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was,
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So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
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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.
And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
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And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
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Anointing » In consecration » Solomon
Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon!
That day they were very happy as they ate and drank in the presence of Jehovah. For a second time they proclaimed Solomon king. In the name of Jehovah they anointed him as their ruler and Zadok as priest.
Backsliders » Instances of » Solomon
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women.
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. read more.
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods. Jehovah was angry with Solomon. This is because his heart turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision. Jehovah had given him orders about this very thing that he was not to go after other gods. But he did not obey the orders of Jehovah. So Jehovah said to Solomon: Because you have done this, and have not kept the agreement and laws I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant. I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son. Still I will not take the entire kingdom from him. I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection. Jehovah sent Hadad the Edomite to make trouble for Solomon. He was of the king's seed in Edom. When David had sent destruction on Edom, and Joab, the commander of the army went to bury the dead. They put to death every male in Edom. Joab and all Israel stayed there six months until they had destroyed every male in Edom. Hadad was a young boy at the time. He and some of his father's Edomite servants fled to Egypt. They left Midian and went to Paran. Taking some men from Paran with them, they went to Pharaoh the king of Egypt. Pharaoh gave Hadad a home, a food allowance, and land. Pharaoh approved of Hadad. So he gave Hadad his sister-in-law, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, to be Hadad's wife. Tahpenes' sister had a son named Genubath. Tahpenes presented the boy to Pharaoh in the palace, and Genubath lived in the palace among Pharaoh's children. When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David had died and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to the king: Let me go back to my own country. Why? The king asked. Have I failed to give you something? Is that why you want to go back home? Hadad answered: Just let me go. He went back to his country. As king of Edom, Hadad was an evil, bitter enemy of Israel. God also caused Rezon son of Eliada to turn against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of outlaws. This happened after David defeated Hadadezer and slaughtered his Syrian allies. Rezon and his gang lived in Damascus, where his followers made him king of Syria. He was trouble to Israel all through the days of Solomon. This is the damage Hadad did: he was cruel to Israel while he was ruler over Edom. Jeroboam rebelled against the king. He was the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother was Zeruah, a widow. This is how he rebelled: Solomon was building the Millo (supporting terraces) and making good the damaged parts of the town of his father David. Jeroboam was a capable and responsible man. Solomon saw that he was a good worker and made him overseer of all the work given to the sons of Joseph. When Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite came across him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new robe. They were by themselves in the open country. Ahijah took his new robe in his hands and tore it into twelve pieces. He said to Jeroboam: Take ten of the parts, for this is what Jehovah said: 'I will take the kingdom away from Solomon by force. I will give ten tribes to you. But one tribe will be his because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem. Out of the tribes of Israel he will have the town I have made mine. I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did. I will not take the entire kingdom away from Solomon. I will keep him in power as long as he lives. This I will do for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who obeyed my laws and commands. I will take the kingdom away from Solomon's son and will give you ten tribes. I will let Solomon's son keep one tribe. That way I will always have a descendant of my servant David ruling in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as the place where I am worshiped. Jeroboam, I will make you king of Israel. You will rule over all the territory that you want. If you obey me completely I will always be with you. You must live by my laws, and win my approval by doing what I command, as my servant David did. I will make you king of Israel and will make sure that your descendants rule after you, just as I have done for David. Because of Solomon's sin I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.' For this reason Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. Jeroboam escaped to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon's death.
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods. Jehovah was angry with Solomon. This is because his heart turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision. Jehovah had given him orders about this very thing that he was not to go after other gods. But he did not obey the orders of Jehovah. So Jehovah said to Solomon: Because you have done this, and have not kept the agreement and laws I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant. I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son. Still I will not take the entire kingdom from him. I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection. Jehovah sent Hadad the Edomite to make trouble for Solomon. He was of the king's seed in Edom. When David had sent destruction on Edom, and Joab, the commander of the army went to bury the dead. They put to death every male in Edom. Joab and all Israel stayed there six months until they had destroyed every male in Edom. Hadad was a young boy at the time. He and some of his father's Edomite servants fled to Egypt. They left Midian and went to Paran. Taking some men from Paran with them, they went to Pharaoh the king of Egypt. Pharaoh gave Hadad a home, a food allowance, and land. Pharaoh approved of Hadad. So he gave Hadad his sister-in-law, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, to be Hadad's wife. Tahpenes' sister had a son named Genubath. Tahpenes presented the boy to Pharaoh in the palace, and Genubath lived in the palace among Pharaoh's children. When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David had died and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to the king: Let me go back to my own country. Why? The king asked. Have I failed to give you something? Is that why you want to go back home? Hadad answered: Just let me go. He went back to his country. As king of Edom, Hadad was an evil, bitter enemy of Israel. God also caused Rezon son of Eliada to turn against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of outlaws. This happened after David defeated Hadadezer and slaughtered his Syrian allies. Rezon and his gang lived in Damascus, where his followers made him king of Syria. He was trouble to Israel all through the days of Solomon. This is the damage Hadad did: he was cruel to Israel while he was ruler over Edom. Jeroboam rebelled against the king. He was the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother was Zeruah, a widow. This is how he rebelled: Solomon was building the Millo (supporting terraces) and making good the damaged parts of the town of his father David. Jeroboam was a capable and responsible man. Solomon saw that he was a good worker and made him overseer of all the work given to the sons of Joseph. When Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite came across him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new robe. They were by themselves in the open country. Ahijah took his new robe in his hands and tore it into twelve pieces. He said to Jeroboam: Take ten of the parts, for this is what Jehovah said: 'I will take the kingdom away from Solomon by force. I will give ten tribes to you. But one tribe will be his because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem. Out of the tribes of Israel he will have the town I have made mine. I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did. I will not take the entire kingdom away from Solomon. I will keep him in power as long as he lives. This I will do for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who obeyed my laws and commands. I will take the kingdom away from Solomon's son and will give you ten tribes. I will let Solomon's son keep one tribe. That way I will always have a descendant of my servant David ruling in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as the place where I am worshiped. Jeroboam, I will make you king of Israel. You will rule over all the territory that you want. If you obey me completely I will always be with you. You must live by my laws, and win my approval by doing what I command, as my servant David did. I will make you king of Israel and will make sure that your descendants rule after you, just as I have done for David. Because of Solomon's sin I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.' For this reason Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. Jeroboam escaped to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon's death.
Call » To special religious duty » Solomon
He told me: 'Your son Solomon will build my Temple and my courtyards because I have chosen him to be my son. I will be his father.
So be careful, because Jehovah has chosen you to build the Temple as his holy place. Be strong, and do it.
Character » Instances of instability » Solomon
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. read more.
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
Children » Instances of » Solomon
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother. Then she said: I have one small request to make of you. Do not say 'No' to me. The king replied: Speak mother for I will not say no to you.
Solomon loved Jehovah. He followed the instructions of his father David. He also slaughtered animals and offered them as sacrifices on different altars. One time he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most used altar was. He offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past. That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? read more.
Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king.
Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king.
Choice » Wise choice, examples of » Solomon
Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?
Church and state » State superior to religion » Solomon » Building » Temple
Then Hiram sent Solomon the following message: I received your message. I am ready to do what you ask. I will provide the cedars and the pine trees.
Communion » Instances of » Solomon
That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. read more.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life.
That night God appeared to Solomon. He said: What do you want me to I give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David. Now you have allowed me to succeed him as king. O Jehovah my God, fulfill the promise you made to my father David. You have made me king over a people, who are so many that they cannot be counted. read more.
Please give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? God replied to Solomon: You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth, treasure, fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king. For this reason I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again.
Please give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? God replied to Solomon: You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth, treasure, fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king. For this reason I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again.
Concubinage » Laws concerning » Practiced by » Solomon
He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away.
Courage » Solomon
David also told his son Solomon: Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do no be afraid or terrified. Jehovah God, my God, will be with you. He will not abandon you until all the work on Jehovah's Temple is finished.
You will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that Jehovah gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
Dreams » Mentioned in scripture, of » Solomon
That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. read more.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up and was aware that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to Jehovah. Then he gave a feast for all his officials.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up and was aware that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to Jehovah. Then he gave a feast for all his officials.
Filial honour » Examples of » Solomon
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother.
Forgiveness of injuries » Exemplified » Solomon
King Solomon then sent for Adonijah and had him brought down from the altar. Adonijah went to the king and bowed low before him. The king said to him: You may go home.
Fratricide » Instances of » Solomon
King Solomon took an oath by Jehovah, saying: May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life. Now by the living God Jehovah who has given me my throne from David my father. He made me one of a line of kings. He gave me his word. Adonijah will be put to death this day. King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada to attack and kill him.
Heart » Change of » Solomon
He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you.
High places » Built by » Solomon
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon.
Hittites » Intermarriages with, by » Solomon
Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway.
Homicide » Instances of felonious » Solomon
King Solomon took an oath by Jehovah, saying: May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life. Now by the living God Jehovah who has given me my throne from David my father. He made me one of a line of kings. He gave me his word. Adonijah will be put to death this day. King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada to attack and kill him. read more.
The king spoke to Abiathar the priest: Go to your fields at Anathoth. You deserve death. But I will not put you to death now, because you carried the Ark of Jehovah God before David my father. You were with him in all his troubles. Solomon did not allow Abiathar to be priest any longer. So the word of Jehovah came true concerning the sons of Eli in Shiloh. Joab received news of this for Joab had been one of Adonijah's supporters. He was not on Absalom's side. Then Joab went in flight to the Tent of Jehovah and put his hands on the corners of the altar. When King Solomon heard about this he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill him. Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah and told Joab: Come out. Joab said: No! Let me die here. So Benaiah returned to the king and gave him the answer Joab gave him. The king said: Do as he said. Kill him there and bury him in the earth. This will remove the guilt of his senseless murders from my father's family and me. Jehovah will punish Joab for those murders he committed without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah. Jehovah will repay him for the blood Joab shed. The blood will fall on Joab and on his descendants as long as they live. Jehovah will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne. So Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness. The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place. The king sent for Shimei and said to him: Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and do not leave the city. If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will die and it will be your fault. As you say, Your Majesty, Shimei answered. I will do what you say. So he lived in Jerusalem a long time. Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath, he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home. When Solomon heard what Shimei did, he sent for him and said: I made you promise in Jehovah's name not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you that if you ever did, you would die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? Why did you break your promise and disobey my command? You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. Jehovah will punish you for it. But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever. The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control.
The king spoke to Abiathar the priest: Go to your fields at Anathoth. You deserve death. But I will not put you to death now, because you carried the Ark of Jehovah God before David my father. You were with him in all his troubles. Solomon did not allow Abiathar to be priest any longer. So the word of Jehovah came true concerning the sons of Eli in Shiloh. Joab received news of this for Joab had been one of Adonijah's supporters. He was not on Absalom's side. Then Joab went in flight to the Tent of Jehovah and put his hands on the corners of the altar. When King Solomon heard about this he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill him. Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah and told Joab: Come out. Joab said: No! Let me die here. So Benaiah returned to the king and gave him the answer Joab gave him. The king said: Do as he said. Kill him there and bury him in the earth. This will remove the guilt of his senseless murders from my father's family and me. Jehovah will punish Joab for those murders he committed without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah. Jehovah will repay him for the blood Joab shed. The blood will fall on Joab and on his descendants as long as they live. Jehovah will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne. So Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness. The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place. The king sent for Shimei and said to him: Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and do not leave the city. If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will die and it will be your fault. As you say, Your Majesty, Shimei answered. I will do what you say. So he lived in Jerusalem a long time. Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath, he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home. When Solomon heard what Shimei did, he sent for him and said: I made you promise in Jehovah's name not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you that if you ever did, you would die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? Why did you break your promise and disobey my command? You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. Jehovah will punish you for it. But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever. The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control.
Honour » Examples of » Solomon
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother.
Israel » Before » Separation » Two kingdoms » Solomon » death
Everything else that Solomon did, his career, and his wisdom, are all recorded in The History of Solomon. He was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. He died and was buried in David's City. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
Israel » Solomon » Annointed » King
Then King David sent for Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah. When they came in, he said to them: Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him to Gihon Spring, Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon! read more.
Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king. He is the one I have chosen to be the ruler over Israel and Judah. It will be done, answered Benaiah, and may Jehovah your God confirm it! Jehovah has been with Your Majesty. May he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours. So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him. They blew flutes and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground.
Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king. He is the one I have chosen to be the ruler over Israel and Judah. It will be done, answered Benaiah, and may Jehovah your God confirm it! Jehovah has been with Your Majesty. May he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours. So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him. They blew flutes and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground.
Israel » Rehoboam » Succeeds » Solomon » Rebellion
Israel » Solomon » Built » Palace
The tribe of Judah » Remarkable persons of » Solomon
Then King David sent for Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah. When they came in, he said to them: Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him to Gihon Spring, Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon! read more.
Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king. He is the one I have chosen to be the ruler over Israel and Judah. It will be done, answered Benaiah, and may Jehovah your God confirm it! Jehovah has been with Your Majesty. May he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours. So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon!
Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king. He is the one I have chosen to be the ruler over Israel and Judah. It will be done, answered Benaiah, and may Jehovah your God confirm it! Jehovah has been with Your Majesty. May he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours. So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon!
Justice » Exemplified » Solomon
One day two women who were prostitutes came to the king. One of them said: Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there. Two days after my child was born she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house. No one else was there. read more.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother.
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » Solomon
Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him. They blew flutes and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground. Adonijah and all his guests heard this while they were eating. When Joab heard the sound of the horn, he asked: Why all this noise in the city? read more.
He was still speaking when Jonathan, son of the priest Abiathar, arrived. Come in, Adonijah said: You are an honorable man. You must be bringing good news. Not at all, Jonathan answered Adonijah. His Majesty King David has made Solomon king! The king sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him. They placed him on the king's mule. The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anointed him king at Gihon. They came from there celebrating. The city is excited. That is the sound you heard. Solomon is seated on the royal throne. Even the royal officials have come to congratulate His Majesty King David, saying: May your God make Solomon's name more famous than yours and his reign greater than your reign. The king himself bowed down on his bed and prayed: 'Let us praise Jehovah the God of Israel. Today he made one of my descendants succeed me as king.' He let me live to see it! Adonijah's guests were afraid. So they all left. Adonijah, in great fear of Solomon, went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and grabbed hold of the corners of the altar. King Solomon was told that Adonijah was afraid of him and that he was holding on to the corners of the altar. He heard that he said: First, I want King Solomon to swear to me that he will not have me put to death. Solomon replied: If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched. If he is not, he will die. King Solomon then sent for Adonijah and had him brought down from the altar. Adonijah went to the king and bowed low before him. The king said to him: You may go home. David was about to die. He called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions: It is my time to die. I go the way of all people of the earth. Be strong and be a man. Do what Jehovah your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses. That way wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do. If you obey Jehovah he will keep the promise he made when he told me, 'Your descendants will rule Israel as long as they are careful to obey my commands faithfully with all their heart and being.' Remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace. This was revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men. I bear the responsibility for what he did. I suffer the consequences. You know what to do. You must not let him die a natural death. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them. They were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom. There is also Shimei son of Gera, from the town of Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a bitter curse the day I went to Mahanaim. When he met me at the Jordan River, I gave him my solemn promise in the name of Jehovah, saying, 'I will not have you killed by the sword.' However you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do. You must make sure he is put to death. David died and was buried in David's City. He was king of Israel for forty years. He ruled seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. Solomon succeeded his father David as king. His royal power was firmly established. Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. Is this a friendly visit? She asked. Yes, he answered. I have something to discuss with you. He said. What is it? She asked. He said: You know the kingship was mine. All Israel expected me to be their king. But the kingship has been turned over to my brother because Jehovah gave it to him. I have one request to make to you. Do not say no to me. She responded: Tell me. He said: Will you go to Solomon the king for he will not say 'No' to you. And make my request that he give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife? Bathsheba said: Indeed, I will make your request to the king. So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother. Then she said: I have one small request to make of you. Do not say 'No' to me. The king replied: Speak mother for I will not say no to you. She said: Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother for a wife. Then King Solomon answered: Why are you requesting me to give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah? Take the kingdom for him in addition, for he is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab, the son of Zeruiah, are on his side. King Solomon took an oath by Jehovah, saying: May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life. Now by the living God Jehovah who has given me my throne from David my father. He made me one of a line of kings. He gave me his word. Adonijah will be put to death this day. King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada to attack and kill him. The king spoke to Abiathar the priest: Go to your fields at Anathoth. You deserve death. But I will not put you to death now, because you carried the Ark of Jehovah God before David my father. You were with him in all his troubles. Solomon did not allow Abiathar to be priest any longer. So the word of Jehovah came true concerning the sons of Eli in Shiloh. Joab received news of this for Joab had been one of Adonijah's supporters. He was not on Absalom's side. Then Joab went in flight to the Tent of Jehovah and put his hands on the corners of the altar. When King Solomon heard about this he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill him. Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah and told Joab: Come out. Joab said: No! Let me die here. So Benaiah returned to the king and gave him the answer Joab gave him. The king said: Do as he said. Kill him there and bury him in the earth. This will remove the guilt of his senseless murders from my father's family and me. Jehovah will punish Joab for those murders he committed without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah. Jehovah will repay him for the blood Joab shed. The blood will fall on Joab and on his descendants as long as they live. Jehovah will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne. So Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness. The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place. The king sent for Shimei and said to him: Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and do not leave the city. If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will die and it will be your fault. As you say, Your Majesty, Shimei answered. I will do what you say. So he lived in Jerusalem a long time. Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath, he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home. When Solomon heard what Shimei did, he sent for him and said: I made you promise in Jehovah's name not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you that if you ever did, you would die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? Why did you break your promise and disobey my command? You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. Jehovah will punish you for it. But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever. The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control. Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem. A Temple had not yet been built for Jehovah. The people were still offering sacrifices at many different altars. Solomon loved Jehovah. He followed the instructions of his father David. He also slaughtered animals and offered them as sacrifices on different altars. One time he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most used altar was. He offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past. That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up and was aware that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to Jehovah. Then he gave a feast for all his officials. One day two women who were prostitutes came to the king. One of them said: Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there. Two days after my child was born she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house. No one else was there. One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly. Solomon was king over all Israel. His high officials were as follows: The priest: Azariah son of Zadok, the court secretaries: Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha In charge of the records: Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud. Commander of the army: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Priests: Zadok and Abiathar. Chief of the district governors: Azariah son of Nathan Royal Adviser: the priest Zabud son of Nathan. In charge of the palace servants: Ahishar In charge of the forced labor: Adoniram son of Abda. Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land. The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and were very happy. Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life. The supplies Solomon needed each day were one hundred and fifty bushels of fine flour and three hundred bushels of meal. Also needed were ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fowl (cuckoo). Solomon ruled over all the land west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah on the Euphrates as far west as the city of Gaza. All the kings west of the Euphrates were subject to him. He was at peace with all the neighboring countries. As long as he lived, the people throughout Judah and Israel lived in safety. Each family had its own grapevines and fig trees. Solomon had forty thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand cavalry horses. His twelve governors supplied the food King Solomon needed for all who ate in the palace. They always supplied everything needed, each one in the month assigned. Each governor also supplied his share of barley and straw as needed for the chariot horses and the work animals. God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured. Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. He was the wisest of all men. He was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, and the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries. He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon. When King Hiram of Tyre heard that Solomon succeeded his father as king he sent ambassadors to Solomon. He had always been a friend of David's. Solomon sent this message to Hiram: You know my father David could not build a Temple for the worship of Jehovah due to the constant wars he had to fight. There were enemies in countries all around him. First Jehovah had to give him victory over all his enemies. Jehovah my God has given me peace on all my borders. I have no enemies, and there is no danger of attack. Jehovah promised my father David: 'Your son, whom I will make king after you, will build a Temple for me. I have decided to build that Temple for the worship of Jehovah my God.' Send your men to Lebanon to cut down cedars for me. My men will work with them. I will pay your men whatever you decide. You may already know, my men do not know how to cut down trees as well as yours do. Hiram was extremely pleased when he received Solomon's message. He said: Praise Jehovah today for giving David such a wise son to succeed him as king of the great nation of Israel! Then Hiram sent Solomon the following message: I received your message. I am ready to do what you ask. I will provide the cedars and the pine trees. My men will bring the logs from Lebanon to the sea and will tie them together in rafts to float them down the coast to the place you choose. My men will untie them. There your men will take charge of them. On your part, I would like you to supply the food for my men. So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted. Solomon provided Hiram with one hundred thousand bushels of wheat and one hundred and ten thousand gallons of pure olive oil every year to feed his men. Jehovah kept his promise and gave Solomon wisdom. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon for they made a treaty with each other. King Solomon drafted thirty thousand men as forced labor from all over Israel. He appointed Adoniram to be in charge of them. He divided them into three groups of ten thousand men. Each group spent one month in Lebanon and two months back home. Solomon also had eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains. There were seventy thousand men to carry the stones. He placed three thousand three hundred foremen there to supervise their work. King Solomon command that they cut fine large stones for the foundation of the Temple. Solomon's and Hiram's workers and men from the city of Gebal prepared the stones and the timber to build the Temple. Solomon began work on the Temple. It was four hundred and eighty years after the people of Israel left Egypt, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the second month, the month of Ziv. The Temple Solomon built was ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty-five feet high inside. The entrance room was fifteen feet deep and thirty feet wide. It was as wide as the sanctuary. He made windows for the Temple. Their openings were narrower on the outside than on the inside. A third-story annex, seven and one half feet high, was built against the outside walls. It was on the sides and the back of the Temple. Each room in the lowest story was seven and one half feet wide. The middle story was nine feet wide. The top story was ten and one half feet wide. The Temple wall on each floor was thinner than on the floor below, so that the rooms could rest on the wall without having their beams built into it. The stones with which the Temple was built were prepared at the quarry. That way there was no noise made by hammers, axes, or any other iron tools as the Temple was built. The entrance to the lowest story of the annex was on the south side of the Temple. It had stairs leading up to the second and third stories. King Solomon finished building the Temple. He put in a ceiling made of beams and boards of cedar. The three-story annex, each story seven and one half feet high, was built against the outside walls of the Temple. Cedar beams were used to join it to them. Jehovah spoke to Solomon: If you obey all my laws and commands, I will do for you what I promised your father David. I will live among my people Israel in this Temple that you are building. I will never abandon them. Solomon finished building the Temple. The inside walls were covered with cedar panels from the floor to the ceiling. The floor was made of pine. An inner room, called the Most Holy Place, was built in the rear of the Temple. It was thirty feet long and was partitioned off by cedar boards reaching from the floor to the ceiling. The room in front of the Most Holy Place was sixty feet long. The cedar panels were decorated with carvings of gourds and flowers. The entire interior was covered with cedar. The stones of the walls could not be seen. An inner room was built in the rear of the Temple. The Ark of the Covenant was to be placed there. This inner room was thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty feet high, all covered with pure gold. The altar was covered with cedar panels. The inside of the Temple was covered with gold. Gold chains were placed across the entrance of the inner room. The whole interior of the Temple was covered with gold, as well as the altar in the Most Holy Place. Two cherubim made of olive wood were placed in the Most Holy Place. Each one was fifteen feet tall. Each had two wings, each wing was seven and one half feet long. The distance from one wing tip to the other was fifteen feet. The other cherub was fifteen feet tall. Both were the same size and shape. They were placed side by side in the Most Holy Place. Their outstretched wings touched each other in the middle of the room, and the other two wings touched the walls. The two cherubim were covered with gold. The walls of the main room and of the inner room were all decorated with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers. Even the floor was covered with gold. A double door made of olive wood was hung at the entrance of the Most Holy Place. There was a pointed arch on top of the doorway. The doors were decorated with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers. The doors, the cherubim, and the palm trees were covered with gold. A rectangular doorframe of olive wood was made for the entrance to the main room. There were two folding doors made of pine and decorated with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, which were evenly covered with gold. An inner court was built in front of the Temple. They enclosed it with walls that had one layer of cedar beams for every three layers of stone. The foundation of the Temple was laid in the second month, the month of Ziv, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign. In the eighth month, the month of Bul, in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, the Temple was completely finished exactly as it had been planned. It took Solomon seven years to build it. Solomon took thirteen years to build a palace for himself. The Hall of the Forest of Lebanon was one hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. It had three rows of cedar pillars, fifteen in each row, with cedar beams resting on them. The ceiling was of cedar, extending over storerooms, which were supported by the pillars. On each of the two sidewalls there were three rows of windows. All the doors and doorframes were rectangular. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides of the palace. Solomon made the Hall of Pillars seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars. He made the hall for the throne. It was a place where he could sit on his throne and judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling. His own private quarters were in a different location than the hall containing the throne. They were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh's daughter. From the foundation to the roof, all these buildings, including the large courtyard, were built with high-grade stone blocks. The stone blocks were cut to size and trimmed with saws on their inner and outer faces. The foundation was made with large, high-grade expensive stones. Some were twelve feet and others fifteen feet long. Above the foundation were cedar beams and high-grade expensive stone blocks, which were cut to size. The large courtyard had three layers of cut stone blocks and a layer of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of Jehovah's Temple and the entrance hall. King Solomon sent for a man named Huram, a craftsman living in the city of Tyre. Huram was knowledgeable and skilled in making things out of copper. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father had been from Tyre. He went to do all of King Solomon's work. Huram cast two copper columns. Each one was twenty-seven feet tall and eighteen feet in circumference. They were placed at the entrance of the Temple. He also made two copper crowns. Each one was seven and one half feet tall. They were to be placed on top of the columns. The top of each column was decorated with a design of interwoven chains. They had two rows of copper pomegranates. The crowns on the top of the columns were shaped like lilies, six feet tall, and were placed on a rounded section which was above the chain design. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows around each crown. Huram placed these two copper columns in front of the entrance of the Temple. The column on the south side was named Jachin and the one on the north was named Boaz. The lily-shaped copper crowns were on top of the columns. The work on the columns was completed. Hiram made a round tank of copper, seven and one half feet deep, fifteen feet in diameter, and forty-five feet in circumference. All around the outer edge of the rim of the tank were two rows of copper gourds. They were all cast in one piece with the rest of the tank. The tank rested on the backs of twelve copper bulls that faced outward. Three faced in each direction. The sides of the tank were three inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup. It curved outward like the petals of a lily. The tank held about ten thousand gallons. Huram also made ten copper carts. Each cart was six feet long, six feet wide, and four and one half feet high. They were made of square panels set in frames. There were figures of lions, bulls, and cherubim on the panels. And there were spiral relief figures on the frames above and underneath the lions and bulls. Each cart had four copper wheels with copper axles. At the four corners were copper supports for a basin. The supports were decorated with spiral relief figures. There was a circular frame on top for the basin. It projected eighteen inches upward from the top of the cart and seven inches down into it. It had carvings around it. The wheels were under the panels. They were twenty-five inches high. The axles were of one piece with the carts. The wheels were like chariot wheels. Their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of copper. There were four supports at the bottom corners of each cart. They were of one piece with the cart. There was a nine-inch band around the top of each cart. Its supports and the panels were of one piece with the cart. The supports and panels were decorated with figures of cherubim, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was space for them, with spiral figures all around. This is how the carts were made. They were all alike, having the same size and shape. Huram made ten basins, one for each cart. Each basin was six feet in diameter and held two hundred gallons. He placed five of the carts on the south side of the Temple. The other five were placed on the north side. The tank was placed at the southeast corner. Huram made the pots and spades and the basins. Huram finished all the work he did for King Solomon in the house of Jehovah. The two pillars and the two cups of the crowns which were on the tops of the two pillars; and the network covering the two cups of the crowns on the tops of the pillars, The four hundred apples for the network, two lines of apples for every network, covering the two cups of the crowns on the pillars; The ten bases, with the ten washing-vessels on them; The great water-vessel (molten sea) (copper sea), with the twelve oxen under it; And the pots and the spades and the basins; all the vessels which Huram made for King Solomon, for the house of Jehovah, were of polished brass. He made them of liquid metal in the lowland district of the Jordan River. This was at the river crossing at Adama, between Succoth and Zarethan. Solomon did not weigh all the utensils because so much copper was used. No one tried to determine how much the copper weighed. Solomon made all the furnishings for Jehovah's Temple: the gold altar, the gold table on which the bread of the presence was placed, lamps stands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north in front of the inner room, flowers, lamps, gold tongs, dishes, snuffers, bowls, saucers, incense burners of pure gold, the gold sockets for the doors of the inner room (the Most Holy Place), and the doors of the temple. All the work King Solomon did on Jehovah's Temple was finished. He brought the holy things that belonged to his father David: the silver, gold, and utensils and put them in the storerooms of Jehovah's Temple. King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem. They were to take Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant from Zion, David's City, to the Temple. They all assembled during the festival. It was the seventh month, the month of Ethanim. As soon as all the elders gathered, the priests lifted the Ark and carried it to the Temple. The Levites and the priests also moved the Tent of Jehovah's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Ark and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle, too many to count. Then the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the cherubim (angel). Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it was carried by. The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. There was nothing inside the Ark of the Covenant except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when Jehovah made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt. As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud. It shined with the dazzling light of Jehovah's presence. They could not go back in to perform their duties. Solomon prayed: Jehovah, you have placed the sun in the sky, yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness. Now I have built a majestic temple for you, a place for you to live in for a very long time. King Solomon turned to face the people standing there. He asked God's blessing on them. He said: Praise Jehovah the God of Israel! He kept the promise he made to my father David, when he told him: Since the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.' Solomon continued: My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of Jehovah the God of Israel, Jehovah said to him: 'You were right in wanting to build a temple for me. However you will never build it. It is your son who will build my temple.' Now Jehovah has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel. And I have built the Temple for the worship of Jehovah the God of Israel. I also provided a place in the Temple for the Ark of the Covenant containing the stone tablets of the covenant Jehovah made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt. In the presence of the people Solomon stood in front of the altar. He raised his arms and prayed: Jehovah God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. You kept the promise you made to my father David. Every word has been fulfilled. Jehovah, God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. So now, O God of Israel, let your word come true that you promised to my father David, your servant. Can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even heaven or the heaven of heavens is large enough to hold you. How can this Temple I have built be large enough? Jehovah my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer. Grant the requests I make to you today. Watch over this Temple day and night. For this is the place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us. When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, O Jehovah, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one, as he deserves. Justify the one who is innocent. When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness. Listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors. When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you. And when they repent in this Temple, humbly praying to you, listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Jehovah, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession. When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when their enemies attack your people, or when disease or sickness among them destroys the crops, listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, help them and forgive them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person, as he deserves, so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land you gave to our ancestors. When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm. When he comes to pray in this house: Listen to him and give him his desire. Let all the peoples of the earth know about your name. Let them worship you as your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have built is truly named by your name. When your people go to war against their enemies, they pray to you, O Jehovah, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name. Hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. They may sin against you, for everyone sins. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy far or near who takes them to another country as captives. If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrongs when they rebelled against you. Cause those who captured them to have mercy on them. They are your own people. You brought them out of Egypt from the middle of an iron smelter. May your eyes always see my plea and your people Israel's plea so that you will listen to them whenever they call on you. You Jehovah set them apart from all the people of the world. They are your own as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt. When Solomon finished praying this prayer for mercy to Jehovah, he stood in front of Jehovah's altar, where he had been kneeling with his hands stretched out toward heaven. Then he stood and in a loud voice blessed the entire assembly of Israel: THANKS TO JEHOVAH! He has given his people Israel rest, as he has promised. None of the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed to come true. May Jehovah our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he not leave us or abandon us. May he bend our hearts toward him. Then we will follow him and obey his commands, laws, and rules, which he commanded our ancestors to obey. May these words I have prayed to Jehovah be near Jehovah our God day and night. Then he will give his people Israel and me justice every day as it is needed. In this way all the people of the earth may know that Jehovah is God and there is no other god. Let your hearts be committed to Jehovah our God. Then you will live by his laws and keep his commands as you have today. Then the king and all Israel offered sacrifices to Jehovah. Solomon sacrificed twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep as fellowship offerings to Jehovah. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated Jehovah's Temple. On that day the king designated the courtyard in front of Jehovah's Temple as a holy place. He sacrificed the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat from the fellowship offerings because the copper altar in front of Jehovah was too small to hold all of them. At that time Solomon and all Israel celebrated the festival. A large crowd had come from the territory between the border of Hamath and the River of Egypt to be near Jehovah our God for seven days. On the eighth day he dismissed the people. They blessed the king and went to their tents. They rejoiced with cheerful hearts for all the blessings Jehovah had given his servant David and his people Israel. Solomon finished building Jehovah's Temple, the royal palace, and everything else he wanted to build. Jehovah came to him again in a vision just as he had done at Gibeon. Jehovah said: I have heard your prayers and your supplication you made. I have made this house holy. I put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there at all times. As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father did, uprightly and with a true heart, doing what I have given you orders to do, keeping my laws and my decisions; I will make the seat of your rule over Israel certain forever. I gave my word to David your father. I said: You will never be without a man to be king in Israel. But if you turn from my ways, you or your children, and do not keep my orders and my laws which I have put before you, but go and make yourselves servants to other gods and give them worship: I will have Israel cut off from the land I gave them. I will abandon this house even though I have made it holy for myself. I will put you out of my sight. Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples. This house will become a mass of broken walls. Everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds. They will say: Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? The answer will be: 'Because they turned away from Jehovah their God. The one who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt. They took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why Jehovah has sent this evil on them.' It took twenty years for Solomon to build two houses, the Temple of Jehovah and the king's house. Hiram, king of Tyre, had given Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees and gold, as much as he needed. King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. He said: What sort of towns are these you have given me, my brother? So they were named the land of Cabul, to this day. Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talent of gold. King Solomon used forced labor to build the Temple and the palace, to fill in land on the east side of the city, and to build the city wall. He also used it to rebuild the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. The king of Egypt attacked Gezer and captured it. They killed its inhabitants and set fire to the city. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter when she married Solomon. Solomon rebuilt it. Using his forced labor, Solomon also rebuilt Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, Tamar in the wilderness of Judah, the cities where his supplies were kept, the cities for his horses and chariots, and everything else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and elsewhere in his kingdom. Solomon used the descendants of the people of Canaan whom the Israelites had not killed when they took possession of their land as his forced labor. These included Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Their descendants continue to be slaves down to the present time. Solomon did not make slaves of Israelites. They served as his soldiers, officers, commanders, chariot captains, and cavalry. There were five hundred and fifty officials in charge of the forced labor working on Solomon's various building projects. Solomon filled in the land on the east side of the city, after his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt, had moved from David's City to the palace Solomon built for her. Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built to Jehovah. He also burned incense to Jehovah. He finished building the Temple. King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Eziongeber. This is near Elath on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the land of Edom. King Hiram sent experienced sailors from his fleet to serve with Solomon's men. They sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold. The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame. She traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan. The camels carried spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she approached Solomon, she talked about everything she had on her mind (heart). Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king: The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness. She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir. With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all her desire. Whatever she requested in addition to what he gave her freely from the impulse of his heart. She and her servants went back to her country. Each year King Solomon received about twenty-five tons of gold. This was in addition to what came to him from the business of the traders, and from all the kings of the Arabians, and from the rulers of the country. Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold. About fifteen pounds of gold went into each shield. He made three hundred smaller body-covers of hammered gold. Three pounds of gold was in every cover. The king put them in the house of the Woods of Lebanon. The king made a great ivory throne plated with the best gold. There were six steps going up to it. The top of it was round at the back. There were arms on the two sides of the throne and two lions by the side of the arms. Twelve lions were placed on one side and on the other side on the six steps: there was nothing like it in any kingdom. All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold. All the vessels of the house of the Woods of Lebanon were of the best gold. Not one was of silver, for no one gave a thought to silver in the days of King Solomon. For the king had Tarshish-ships at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the Tarshish-ships came with gold and silver and ivory and apes (monkeys) and peacocks. King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom. They came from all over the earth to see Solomon and to listen to his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Everyone took presents such as vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and robes, and coats of metal, and spices, and horses, and beasts of transport, regularly year by year. Solomon gathered war-carriages and horsemen. He had one thousand, four hundred carriages and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he kept, some in the carriage-towns and some with the king at Jerusalem. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and cedars like the sycamore-trees of the lowlands in number. Solomon's string of horses came from Egypt and from Kue. The king's traders got them at a price from Kue. A war-carriage might be obtained from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway. He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away. When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods. Jehovah was angry with Solomon. This is because his heart turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision. Jehovah had given him orders about this very thing that he was not to go after other gods. But he did not obey the orders of Jehovah. So Jehovah said to Solomon: Because you have done this, and have not kept the agreement and laws I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant. I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son. Still I will not take the entire kingdom from him. I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection. Jehovah sent Hadad the Edomite to make trouble for Solomon. He was of the king's seed in Edom. When David had sent destruction on Edom, and Joab, the commander of the army went to bury the dead. They put to death every male in Edom. Joab and all Israel stayed there six months until they had destroyed every male in Edom. Hadad was a young boy at the time. He and some of his father's Edomite servants fled to Egypt. They left Midian and went to Paran. Taking some men from Paran with them, they went to Pharaoh the king of Egypt. Pharaoh gave Hadad a home, a food allowance, and land. Pharaoh approved of Hadad. So he gave Hadad his sister-in-law, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, to be Hadad's wife. Tahpenes' sister had a son named Genubath. Tahpenes presented the boy to Pharaoh in the palace, and Genubath lived in the palace among Pharaoh's children. When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David had died and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to the king: Let me go back to my own country. Why? The king asked. Have I failed to give you something? Is that why you want to go back home? Hadad answered: Just let me go. He went back to his country. As king of Edom, Hadad was an evil, bitter enemy of Israel. God also caused Rezon son of Eliada to turn against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of outlaws. This happened after David defeated Hadadezer and slaughtered his Syrian allies. Rezon and his gang lived in Damascus, where his followers made him king of Syria. He was trouble to Israel all through the days of Solomon. This is the damage Hadad did: he was cruel to Israel while he was ruler over Edom. Jeroboam rebelled against the king. He was the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother was Zeruah, a widow. This is how he rebelled: Solomon was building the Millo (supporting terraces) and making good the damaged parts of the town of his father David. Jeroboam was a capable and responsible man. Solomon saw that he was a good worker and made him overseer of all the work given to the sons of Joseph. When Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite came across him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new robe. They were by themselves in the open country. Ahijah took his new robe in his hands and tore it into twelve pieces. He said to Jeroboam: Take ten of the parts, for this is what Jehovah said: 'I will take the kingdom away from Solomon by force. I will give ten tribes to you. But one tribe will be his because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem. Out of the tribes of Israel he will have the town I have made mine. I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did. I will not take the entire kingdom away from Solomon. I will keep him in power as long as he lives. This I will do for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who obeyed my laws and commands. I will take the kingdom away from Solomon's son and will give you ten tribes. I will let Solomon's son keep one tribe. That way I will always have a descendant of my servant David ruling in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as the place where I am worshiped. Jeroboam, I will make you king of Israel. You will rule over all the territory that you want. If you obey me completely I will always be with you. You must live by my laws, and win my approval by doing what I command, as my servant David did. I will make you king of Israel and will make sure that your descendants rule after you, just as I have done for David. Because of Solomon's sin I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.' For this reason Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. Jeroboam escaped to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon's death. Everything else that Solomon did, his career, and his wisdom, are all recorded in The History of Solomon. He was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. He died and was buried in David's City. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
He was still speaking when Jonathan, son of the priest Abiathar, arrived. Come in, Adonijah said: You are an honorable man. You must be bringing good news. Not at all, Jonathan answered Adonijah. His Majesty King David has made Solomon king! The king sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him. They placed him on the king's mule. The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anointed him king at Gihon. They came from there celebrating. The city is excited. That is the sound you heard. Solomon is seated on the royal throne. Even the royal officials have come to congratulate His Majesty King David, saying: May your God make Solomon's name more famous than yours and his reign greater than your reign. The king himself bowed down on his bed and prayed: 'Let us praise Jehovah the God of Israel. Today he made one of my descendants succeed me as king.' He let me live to see it! Adonijah's guests were afraid. So they all left. Adonijah, in great fear of Solomon, went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and grabbed hold of the corners of the altar. King Solomon was told that Adonijah was afraid of him and that he was holding on to the corners of the altar. He heard that he said: First, I want King Solomon to swear to me that he will not have me put to death. Solomon replied: If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched. If he is not, he will die. King Solomon then sent for Adonijah and had him brought down from the altar. Adonijah went to the king and bowed low before him. The king said to him: You may go home. David was about to die. He called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions: It is my time to die. I go the way of all people of the earth. Be strong and be a man. Do what Jehovah your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses. That way wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do. If you obey Jehovah he will keep the promise he made when he told me, 'Your descendants will rule Israel as long as they are careful to obey my commands faithfully with all their heart and being.' Remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace. This was revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men. I bear the responsibility for what he did. I suffer the consequences. You know what to do. You must not let him die a natural death. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them. They were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom. There is also Shimei son of Gera, from the town of Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a bitter curse the day I went to Mahanaim. When he met me at the Jordan River, I gave him my solemn promise in the name of Jehovah, saying, 'I will not have you killed by the sword.' However you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do. You must make sure he is put to death. David died and was buried in David's City. He was king of Israel for forty years. He ruled seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. Solomon succeeded his father David as king. His royal power was firmly established. Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. Is this a friendly visit? She asked. Yes, he answered. I have something to discuss with you. He said. What is it? She asked. He said: You know the kingship was mine. All Israel expected me to be their king. But the kingship has been turned over to my brother because Jehovah gave it to him. I have one request to make to you. Do not say no to me. She responded: Tell me. He said: Will you go to Solomon the king for he will not say 'No' to you. And make my request that he give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife? Bathsheba said: Indeed, I will make your request to the king. So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother. Then she said: I have one small request to make of you. Do not say 'No' to me. The king replied: Speak mother for I will not say no to you. She said: Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother for a wife. Then King Solomon answered: Why are you requesting me to give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah? Take the kingdom for him in addition, for he is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab, the son of Zeruiah, are on his side. King Solomon took an oath by Jehovah, saying: May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life. Now by the living God Jehovah who has given me my throne from David my father. He made me one of a line of kings. He gave me his word. Adonijah will be put to death this day. King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada to attack and kill him. The king spoke to Abiathar the priest: Go to your fields at Anathoth. You deserve death. But I will not put you to death now, because you carried the Ark of Jehovah God before David my father. You were with him in all his troubles. Solomon did not allow Abiathar to be priest any longer. So the word of Jehovah came true concerning the sons of Eli in Shiloh. Joab received news of this for Joab had been one of Adonijah's supporters. He was not on Absalom's side. Then Joab went in flight to the Tent of Jehovah and put his hands on the corners of the altar. When King Solomon heard about this he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill him. Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah and told Joab: Come out. Joab said: No! Let me die here. So Benaiah returned to the king and gave him the answer Joab gave him. The king said: Do as he said. Kill him there and bury him in the earth. This will remove the guilt of his senseless murders from my father's family and me. Jehovah will punish Joab for those murders he committed without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah. Jehovah will repay him for the blood Joab shed. The blood will fall on Joab and on his descendants as long as they live. Jehovah will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne. So Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness. The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place. The king sent for Shimei and said to him: Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and do not leave the city. If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will die and it will be your fault. As you say, Your Majesty, Shimei answered. I will do what you say. So he lived in Jerusalem a long time. Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath, he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home. When Solomon heard what Shimei did, he sent for him and said: I made you promise in Jehovah's name not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you that if you ever did, you would die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? Why did you break your promise and disobey my command? You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. Jehovah will punish you for it. But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever. The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control. Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem. A Temple had not yet been built for Jehovah. The people were still offering sacrifices at many different altars. Solomon loved Jehovah. He followed the instructions of his father David. He also slaughtered animals and offered them as sacrifices on different altars. One time he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most used altar was. He offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past. That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up and was aware that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to Jehovah. Then he gave a feast for all his officials. One day two women who were prostitutes came to the king. One of them said: Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there. Two days after my child was born she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house. No one else was there. One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly. Solomon was king over all Israel. His high officials were as follows: The priest: Azariah son of Zadok, the court secretaries: Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha In charge of the records: Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud. Commander of the army: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Priests: Zadok and Abiathar. Chief of the district governors: Azariah son of Nathan Royal Adviser: the priest Zabud son of Nathan. In charge of the palace servants: Ahishar In charge of the forced labor: Adoniram son of Abda. Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land. The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and were very happy. Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life. The supplies Solomon needed each day were one hundred and fifty bushels of fine flour and three hundred bushels of meal. Also needed were ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fowl (cuckoo). Solomon ruled over all the land west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah on the Euphrates as far west as the city of Gaza. All the kings west of the Euphrates were subject to him. He was at peace with all the neighboring countries. As long as he lived, the people throughout Judah and Israel lived in safety. Each family had its own grapevines and fig trees. Solomon had forty thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand cavalry horses. His twelve governors supplied the food King Solomon needed for all who ate in the palace. They always supplied everything needed, each one in the month assigned. Each governor also supplied his share of barley and straw as needed for the chariot horses and the work animals. God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured. Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. He was the wisest of all men. He was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, and the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries. He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon. When King Hiram of Tyre heard that Solomon succeeded his father as king he sent ambassadors to Solomon. He had always been a friend of David's. Solomon sent this message to Hiram: You know my father David could not build a Temple for the worship of Jehovah due to the constant wars he had to fight. There were enemies in countries all around him. First Jehovah had to give him victory over all his enemies. Jehovah my God has given me peace on all my borders. I have no enemies, and there is no danger of attack. Jehovah promised my father David: 'Your son, whom I will make king after you, will build a Temple for me. I have decided to build that Temple for the worship of Jehovah my God.' Send your men to Lebanon to cut down cedars for me. My men will work with them. I will pay your men whatever you decide. You may already know, my men do not know how to cut down trees as well as yours do. Hiram was extremely pleased when he received Solomon's message. He said: Praise Jehovah today for giving David such a wise son to succeed him as king of the great nation of Israel! Then Hiram sent Solomon the following message: I received your message. I am ready to do what you ask. I will provide the cedars and the pine trees. My men will bring the logs from Lebanon to the sea and will tie them together in rafts to float them down the coast to the place you choose. My men will untie them. There your men will take charge of them. On your part, I would like you to supply the food for my men. So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted. Solomon provided Hiram with one hundred thousand bushels of wheat and one hundred and ten thousand gallons of pure olive oil every year to feed his men. Jehovah kept his promise and gave Solomon wisdom. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon for they made a treaty with each other. King Solomon drafted thirty thousand men as forced labor from all over Israel. He appointed Adoniram to be in charge of them. He divided them into three groups of ten thousand men. Each group spent one month in Lebanon and two months back home. Solomon also had eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains. There were seventy thousand men to carry the stones. He placed three thousand three hundred foremen there to supervise their work. King Solomon command that they cut fine large stones for the foundation of the Temple. Solomon's and Hiram's workers and men from the city of Gebal prepared the stones and the timber to build the Temple. Solomon began work on the Temple. It was four hundred and eighty years after the people of Israel left Egypt, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the second month, the month of Ziv. The Temple Solomon built was ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty-five feet high inside. The entrance room was fifteen feet deep and thirty feet wide. It was as wide as the sanctuary. He made windows for the Temple. Their openings were narrower on the outside than on the inside. A third-story annex, seven and one half feet high, was built against the outside walls. It was on the sides and the back of the Temple. Each room in the lowest story was seven and one half feet wide. The middle story was nine feet wide. The top story was ten and one half feet wide. The Temple wall on each floor was thinner than on the floor below, so that the rooms could rest on the wall without having their beams built into it. The stones with which the Temple was built were prepared at the quarry. That way there was no noise made by hammers, axes, or any other iron tools as the Temple was built. The entrance to the lowest story of the annex was on the south side of the Temple. It had stairs leading up to the second and third stories. King Solomon finished building the Temple. He put in a ceiling made of beams and boards of cedar. The three-story annex, each story seven and one half feet high, was built against the outside walls of the Temple. Cedar beams were used to join it to them. Jehovah spoke to Solomon: If you obey all my laws and commands, I will do for you what I promised your father David. I will live among my people Israel in this Temple that you are building. I will never abandon them. Solomon finished building the Temple. The inside walls were covered with cedar panels from the floor to the ceiling. The floor was made of pine. An inner room, called the Most Holy Place, was built in the rear of the Temple. It was thirty feet long and was partitioned off by cedar boards reaching from the floor to the ceiling. The room in front of the Most Holy Place was sixty feet long. The cedar panels were decorated with carvings of gourds and flowers. The entire interior was covered with cedar. The stones of the walls could not be seen. An inner room was built in the rear of the Temple. The Ark of the Covenant was to be placed there. This inner room was thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty feet high, all covered with pure gold. The altar was covered with cedar panels. The inside of the Temple was covered with gold. Gold chains were placed across the entrance of the inner room. The whole interior of the Temple was covered with gold, as well as the altar in the Most Holy Place. Two cherubim made of olive wood were placed in the Most Holy Place. Each one was fifteen feet tall. Each had two wings, each wing was seven and one half feet long. The distance from one wing tip to the other was fifteen feet. The other cherub was fifteen feet tall. Both were the same size and shape. They were placed side by side in the Most Holy Place. Their outstretched wings touched each other in the middle of the room, and the other two wings touched the walls. The two cherubim were covered with gold. The walls of the main room and of the inner room were all decorated with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers. Even the floor was covered with gold. A double door made of olive wood was hung at the entrance of the Most Holy Place. There was a pointed arch on top of the doorway. The doors were decorated with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers. The doors, the cherubim, and the palm trees were covered with gold. A rectangular doorframe of olive wood was made for the entrance to the main room. There were two folding doors made of pine and decorated with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, which were evenly covered with gold. An inner court was built in front of the Temple. They enclosed it with walls that had one layer of cedar beams for every three layers of stone. The foundation of the Temple was laid in the second month, the month of Ziv, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign. In the eighth month, the month of Bul, in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, the Temple was completely finished exactly as it had been planned. It took Solomon seven years to build it. Solomon took thirteen years to build a palace for himself. The Hall of the Forest of Lebanon was one hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. It had three rows of cedar pillars, fifteen in each row, with cedar beams resting on them. The ceiling was of cedar, extending over storerooms, which were supported by the pillars. On each of the two sidewalls there were three rows of windows. All the doors and doorframes were rectangular. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides of the palace. Solomon made the Hall of Pillars seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars. He made the hall for the throne. It was a place where he could sit on his throne and judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling. His own private quarters were in a different location than the hall containing the throne. They were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh's daughter. From the foundation to the roof, all these buildings, including the large courtyard, were built with high-grade stone blocks. The stone blocks were cut to size and trimmed with saws on their inner and outer faces. The foundation was made with large, high-grade expensive stones. Some were twelve feet and others fifteen feet long. Above the foundation were cedar beams and high-grade expensive stone blocks, which were cut to size. The large courtyard had three layers of cut stone blocks and a layer of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of Jehovah's Temple and the entrance hall. King Solomon sent for a man named Huram, a craftsman living in the city of Tyre. Huram was knowledgeable and skilled in making things out of copper. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father had been from Tyre. He went to do all of King Solomon's work. Huram cast two copper columns. Each one was twenty-seven feet tall and eighteen feet in circumference. They were placed at the entrance of the Temple. He also made two copper crowns. Each one was seven and one half feet tall. They were to be placed on top of the columns. The top of each column was decorated with a design of interwoven chains. They had two rows of copper pomegranates. The crowns on the top of the columns were shaped like lilies, six feet tall, and were placed on a rounded section which was above the chain design. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows around each crown. Huram placed these two copper columns in front of the entrance of the Temple. The column on the south side was named Jachin and the one on the north was named Boaz. The lily-shaped copper crowns were on top of the columns. The work on the columns was completed. Hiram made a round tank of copper, seven and one half feet deep, fifteen feet in diameter, and forty-five feet in circumference. All around the outer edge of the rim of the tank were two rows of copper gourds. They were all cast in one piece with the rest of the tank. The tank rested on the backs of twelve copper bulls that faced outward. Three faced in each direction. The sides of the tank were three inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup. It curved outward like the petals of a lily. The tank held about ten thousand gallons. Huram also made ten copper carts. Each cart was six feet long, six feet wide, and four and one half feet high. They were made of square panels set in frames. There were figures of lions, bulls, and cherubim on the panels. And there were spiral relief figures on the frames above and underneath the lions and bulls. Each cart had four copper wheels with copper axles. At the four corners were copper supports for a basin. The supports were decorated with spiral relief figures. There was a circular frame on top for the basin. It projected eighteen inches upward from the top of the cart and seven inches down into it. It had carvings around it. The wheels were under the panels. They were twenty-five inches high. The axles were of one piece with the carts. The wheels were like chariot wheels. Their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of copper. There were four supports at the bottom corners of each cart. They were of one piece with the cart. There was a nine-inch band around the top of each cart. Its supports and the panels were of one piece with the cart. The supports and panels were decorated with figures of cherubim, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was space for them, with spiral figures all around. This is how the carts were made. They were all alike, having the same size and shape. Huram made ten basins, one for each cart. Each basin was six feet in diameter and held two hundred gallons. He placed five of the carts on the south side of the Temple. The other five were placed on the north side. The tank was placed at the southeast corner. Huram made the pots and spades and the basins. Huram finished all the work he did for King Solomon in the house of Jehovah. The two pillars and the two cups of the crowns which were on the tops of the two pillars; and the network covering the two cups of the crowns on the tops of the pillars, The four hundred apples for the network, two lines of apples for every network, covering the two cups of the crowns on the pillars; The ten bases, with the ten washing-vessels on them; The great water-vessel (molten sea) (copper sea), with the twelve oxen under it; And the pots and the spades and the basins; all the vessels which Huram made for King Solomon, for the house of Jehovah, were of polished brass. He made them of liquid metal in the lowland district of the Jordan River. This was at the river crossing at Adama, between Succoth and Zarethan. Solomon did not weigh all the utensils because so much copper was used. No one tried to determine how much the copper weighed. Solomon made all the furnishings for Jehovah's Temple: the gold altar, the gold table on which the bread of the presence was placed, lamps stands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north in front of the inner room, flowers, lamps, gold tongs, dishes, snuffers, bowls, saucers, incense burners of pure gold, the gold sockets for the doors of the inner room (the Most Holy Place), and the doors of the temple. All the work King Solomon did on Jehovah's Temple was finished. He brought the holy things that belonged to his father David: the silver, gold, and utensils and put them in the storerooms of Jehovah's Temple. King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem. They were to take Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant from Zion, David's City, to the Temple. They all assembled during the festival. It was the seventh month, the month of Ethanim. As soon as all the elders gathered, the priests lifted the Ark and carried it to the Temple. The Levites and the priests also moved the Tent of Jehovah's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Ark and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle, too many to count. Then the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the cherubim (angel). Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it was carried by. The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. There was nothing inside the Ark of the Covenant except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when Jehovah made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt. As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud. It shined with the dazzling light of Jehovah's presence. They could not go back in to perform their duties. Solomon prayed: Jehovah, you have placed the sun in the sky, yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness. Now I have built a majestic temple for you, a place for you to live in for a very long time. King Solomon turned to face the people standing there. He asked God's blessing on them. He said: Praise Jehovah the God of Israel! He kept the promise he made to my father David, when he told him: Since the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.' Solomon continued: My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of Jehovah the God of Israel, Jehovah said to him: 'You were right in wanting to build a temple for me. However you will never build it. It is your son who will build my temple.' Now Jehovah has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel. And I have built the Temple for the worship of Jehovah the God of Israel. I also provided a place in the Temple for the Ark of the Covenant containing the stone tablets of the covenant Jehovah made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt. In the presence of the people Solomon stood in front of the altar. He raised his arms and prayed: Jehovah God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. You kept the promise you made to my father David. Every word has been fulfilled. Jehovah, God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. So now, O God of Israel, let your word come true that you promised to my father David, your servant. Can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even heaven or the heaven of heavens is large enough to hold you. How can this Temple I have built be large enough? Jehovah my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer. Grant the requests I make to you today. Watch over this Temple day and night. For this is the place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us. When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, O Jehovah, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one, as he deserves. Justify the one who is innocent. When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness. Listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors. When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you. And when they repent in this Temple, humbly praying to you, listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Jehovah, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession. When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when their enemies attack your people, or when disease or sickness among them destroys the crops, listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, help them and forgive them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person, as he deserves, so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land you gave to our ancestors. When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm. When he comes to pray in this house: Listen to him and give him his desire. Let all the peoples of the earth know about your name. Let them worship you as your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have built is truly named by your name. When your people go to war against their enemies, they pray to you, O Jehovah, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name. Hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. They may sin against you, for everyone sins. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy far or near who takes them to another country as captives. If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrongs when they rebelled against you. Cause those who captured them to have mercy on them. They are your own people. You brought them out of Egypt from the middle of an iron smelter. May your eyes always see my plea and your people Israel's plea so that you will listen to them whenever they call on you. You Jehovah set them apart from all the people of the world. They are your own as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt. When Solomon finished praying this prayer for mercy to Jehovah, he stood in front of Jehovah's altar, where he had been kneeling with his hands stretched out toward heaven. Then he stood and in a loud voice blessed the entire assembly of Israel: THANKS TO JEHOVAH! He has given his people Israel rest, as he has promised. None of the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed to come true. May Jehovah our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he not leave us or abandon us. May he bend our hearts toward him. Then we will follow him and obey his commands, laws, and rules, which he commanded our ancestors to obey. May these words I have prayed to Jehovah be near Jehovah our God day and night. Then he will give his people Israel and me justice every day as it is needed. In this way all the people of the earth may know that Jehovah is God and there is no other god. Let your hearts be committed to Jehovah our God. Then you will live by his laws and keep his commands as you have today. Then the king and all Israel offered sacrifices to Jehovah. Solomon sacrificed twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep as fellowship offerings to Jehovah. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated Jehovah's Temple. On that day the king designated the courtyard in front of Jehovah's Temple as a holy place. He sacrificed the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat from the fellowship offerings because the copper altar in front of Jehovah was too small to hold all of them. At that time Solomon and all Israel celebrated the festival. A large crowd had come from the territory between the border of Hamath and the River of Egypt to be near Jehovah our God for seven days. On the eighth day he dismissed the people. They blessed the king and went to their tents. They rejoiced with cheerful hearts for all the blessings Jehovah had given his servant David and his people Israel. Solomon finished building Jehovah's Temple, the royal palace, and everything else he wanted to build. Jehovah came to him again in a vision just as he had done at Gibeon. Jehovah said: I have heard your prayers and your supplication you made. I have made this house holy. I put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there at all times. As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father did, uprightly and with a true heart, doing what I have given you orders to do, keeping my laws and my decisions; I will make the seat of your rule over Israel certain forever. I gave my word to David your father. I said: You will never be without a man to be king in Israel. But if you turn from my ways, you or your children, and do not keep my orders and my laws which I have put before you, but go and make yourselves servants to other gods and give them worship: I will have Israel cut off from the land I gave them. I will abandon this house even though I have made it holy for myself. I will put you out of my sight. Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples. This house will become a mass of broken walls. Everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds. They will say: Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? The answer will be: 'Because they turned away from Jehovah their God. The one who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt. They took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why Jehovah has sent this evil on them.' It took twenty years for Solomon to build two houses, the Temple of Jehovah and the king's house. Hiram, king of Tyre, had given Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees and gold, as much as he needed. King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. He said: What sort of towns are these you have given me, my brother? So they were named the land of Cabul, to this day. Hiram sent the king a hundred and twenty talent of gold. King Solomon used forced labor to build the Temple and the palace, to fill in land on the east side of the city, and to build the city wall. He also used it to rebuild the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. The king of Egypt attacked Gezer and captured it. They killed its inhabitants and set fire to the city. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter when she married Solomon. Solomon rebuilt it. Using his forced labor, Solomon also rebuilt Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, Tamar in the wilderness of Judah, the cities where his supplies were kept, the cities for his horses and chariots, and everything else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and elsewhere in his kingdom. Solomon used the descendants of the people of Canaan whom the Israelites had not killed when they took possession of their land as his forced labor. These included Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Their descendants continue to be slaves down to the present time. Solomon did not make slaves of Israelites. They served as his soldiers, officers, commanders, chariot captains, and cavalry. There were five hundred and fifty officials in charge of the forced labor working on Solomon's various building projects. Solomon filled in the land on the east side of the city, after his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt, had moved from David's City to the palace Solomon built for her. Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built to Jehovah. He also burned incense to Jehovah. He finished building the Temple. King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Eziongeber. This is near Elath on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the land of Edom. King Hiram sent experienced sailors from his fleet to serve with Solomon's men. They sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold. The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame. She traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan. The camels carried spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she approached Solomon, she talked about everything she had on her mind (heart). Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king: The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness. She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir. With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all her desire. Whatever she requested in addition to what he gave her freely from the impulse of his heart. She and her servants went back to her country. Each year King Solomon received about twenty-five tons of gold. This was in addition to what came to him from the business of the traders, and from all the kings of the Arabians, and from the rulers of the country. Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold. About fifteen pounds of gold went into each shield. He made three hundred smaller body-covers of hammered gold. Three pounds of gold was in every cover. The king put them in the house of the Woods of Lebanon. The king made a great ivory throne plated with the best gold. There were six steps going up to it. The top of it was round at the back. There were arms on the two sides of the throne and two lions by the side of the arms. Twelve lions were placed on one side and on the other side on the six steps: there was nothing like it in any kingdom. All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold. All the vessels of the house of the Woods of Lebanon were of the best gold. Not one was of silver, for no one gave a thought to silver in the days of King Solomon. For the king had Tarshish-ships at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the Tarshish-ships came with gold and silver and ivory and apes (monkeys) and peacocks. King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom. They came from all over the earth to see Solomon and to listen to his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Everyone took presents such as vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and robes, and coats of metal, and spices, and horses, and beasts of transport, regularly year by year. Solomon gathered war-carriages and horsemen. He had one thousand, four hundred carriages and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he kept, some in the carriage-towns and some with the king at Jerusalem. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and cedars like the sycamore-trees of the lowlands in number. Solomon's string of horses came from Egypt and from Kue. The king's traders got them at a price from Kue. A war-carriage might be obtained from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway. He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away. When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods. Jehovah was angry with Solomon. This is because his heart turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision. Jehovah had given him orders about this very thing that he was not to go after other gods. But he did not obey the orders of Jehovah. So Jehovah said to Solomon: Because you have done this, and have not kept the agreement and laws I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant. I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son. Still I will not take the entire kingdom from him. I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection. Jehovah sent Hadad the Edomite to make trouble for Solomon. He was of the king's seed in Edom. When David had sent destruction on Edom, and Joab, the commander of the army went to bury the dead. They put to death every male in Edom. Joab and all Israel stayed there six months until they had destroyed every male in Edom. Hadad was a young boy at the time. He and some of his father's Edomite servants fled to Egypt. They left Midian and went to Paran. Taking some men from Paran with them, they went to Pharaoh the king of Egypt. Pharaoh gave Hadad a home, a food allowance, and land. Pharaoh approved of Hadad. So he gave Hadad his sister-in-law, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, to be Hadad's wife. Tahpenes' sister had a son named Genubath. Tahpenes presented the boy to Pharaoh in the palace, and Genubath lived in the palace among Pharaoh's children. When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David had died and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to the king: Let me go back to my own country. Why? The king asked. Have I failed to give you something? Is that why you want to go back home? Hadad answered: Just let me go. He went back to his country. As king of Edom, Hadad was an evil, bitter enemy of Israel. God also caused Rezon son of Eliada to turn against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of outlaws. This happened after David defeated Hadadezer and slaughtered his Syrian allies. Rezon and his gang lived in Damascus, where his followers made him king of Syria. He was trouble to Israel all through the days of Solomon. This is the damage Hadad did: he was cruel to Israel while he was ruler over Edom. Jeroboam rebelled against the king. He was the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother was Zeruah, a widow. This is how he rebelled: Solomon was building the Millo (supporting terraces) and making good the damaged parts of the town of his father David. Jeroboam was a capable and responsible man. Solomon saw that he was a good worker and made him overseer of all the work given to the sons of Joseph. When Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite came across him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new robe. They were by themselves in the open country. Ahijah took his new robe in his hands and tore it into twelve pieces. He said to Jeroboam: Take ten of the parts, for this is what Jehovah said: 'I will take the kingdom away from Solomon by force. I will give ten tribes to you. But one tribe will be his because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem. Out of the tribes of Israel he will have the town I have made mine. I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did. I will not take the entire kingdom away from Solomon. I will keep him in power as long as he lives. This I will do for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who obeyed my laws and commands. I will take the kingdom away from Solomon's son and will give you ten tribes. I will let Solomon's son keep one tribe. That way I will always have a descendant of my servant David ruling in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as the place where I am worshiped. Jeroboam, I will make you king of Israel. You will rule over all the territory that you want. If you obey me completely I will always be with you. You must live by my laws, and win my approval by doing what I command, as my servant David did. I will make you king of Israel and will make sure that your descendants rule after you, just as I have done for David. Because of Solomon's sin I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.' For this reason Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. Jeroboam escaped to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon's death. Everything else that Solomon did, his career, and his wisdom, are all recorded in The History of Solomon. He was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. He died and was buried in David's City. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
Lasciviousness » Instances of » Solomon
Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway. He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away.
Liberality » Instances of » Solomon
All the work King Solomon did on Jehovah's Temple was finished. He brought the holy things that belonged to his father David: the silver, gold, and utensils and put them in the storerooms of Jehovah's Temple.
God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured.
Jehovah my God has given me peace on all my borders. I have no enemies, and there is no danger of attack. Jehovah promised my father David: 'Your son, whom I will make king after you, will build a Temple for me. I have decided to build that Temple for the worship of Jehovah my God.'
Solomon gave orders to begin building the Temple for Jehovah's name and a royal palace for himself. He drafted seventy thousand men to carry heavy loads, eighty thousand to quarry stones in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred foremen. Solomon sent a message to King Hiram of Tyre: Do business with me as you did with my father, King David, when you sold him cedar logs for building his palace. read more.
I am building a Temple to honor Jehovah my God. It will be a holy place where my people and I will worship him by burning incense of fragrant spices. We will present offerings of sacred bread to him continuously, and we will offer burnt offerings every morning and evening, as well as on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days honoring Jehovah our God. He has commanded Israel to do this from generation to generation. I am determined to build a great Temple. This is because our God is greater than all other gods. No one can really build a Temple for God. This is because even all the vastness of heaven cannot contain him. How then can I build a Temple that would be anything more than a place to burn incense to God?
I am building a Temple to honor Jehovah my God. It will be a holy place where my people and I will worship him by burning incense of fragrant spices. We will present offerings of sacred bread to him continuously, and we will offer burnt offerings every morning and evening, as well as on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days honoring Jehovah our God. He has commanded Israel to do this from generation to generation. I am determined to build a great Temple. This is because our God is greater than all other gods. No one can really build a Temple for God. This is because even all the vastness of heaven cannot contain him. How then can I build a Temple that would be anything more than a place to burn incense to God?
Now I have built a majestic temple for you, a place for you to live in for a very long time.
Mercifulness » Solomon
Solomon replied: If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched. If he is not, he will die.
Mothers » Examples of filial honour » Solomon
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother.
Murmuring » Instances of » Solomon
I hated life. Everything under the sun was evil to me. All is vanity and grasping for the wind. I hated all the work I had done under the sun, because I would leave it behind for the man who comes after me.
Ophir » Products of » used by » Solomon
Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir.
They sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold.
Huram sent his own servants and his experienced sailors with ships to Solomon. They went with Solomon's servants to Ophir. There they procured thirty three thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds of gold, and brought it to King Solomon.
Huram's servants and Solomon's servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought sandalwood and precious stones.
Polygamy » Solomon
Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway. He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away. read more.
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
Prayer » Examples of Prayers answered » Solomon
Jehovah said: I have heard your prayers and your supplication you made. I have made this house holy. I put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there at all times.
I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you.
Prayer, answers to » Solomon
Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?
I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you.
Intercessory prayer » Exemplified » Solomon
Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us. When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, O Jehovah, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one, as he deserves. Justify the one who is innocent. read more.
When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness. Listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors. When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you. And when they repent in this Temple, humbly praying to you, listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Jehovah, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession.
When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness. Listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors. When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you. And when they repent in this Temple, humbly praying to you, listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Jehovah, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession.
Probation » Solomon
If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life.
As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father did, uprightly and with a true heart, doing what I have given you orders to do, keeping my laws and my decisions; I will make the seat of your rule over Israel certain forever. I gave my word to David your father. I said: You will never be without a man to be king in Israel. But if you turn from my ways, you or your children, and do not keep my orders and my laws which I have put before you, but go and make yourselves servants to other gods and give them worship: read more.
I will have Israel cut off from the land I gave them. I will abandon this house even though I have made it holy for myself. I will put you out of my sight. Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples. This house will become a mass of broken walls. Everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds. They will say: Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? The answer will be: 'Because they turned away from Jehovah their God. The one who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt. They took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why Jehovah has sent this evil on them.'
I will have Israel cut off from the land I gave them. I will abandon this house even though I have made it holy for myself. I will put you out of my sight. Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples. This house will become a mass of broken walls. Everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds. They will say: Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? The answer will be: 'Because they turned away from Jehovah their God. The one who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt. They took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why Jehovah has sent this evil on them.'
Jehovah was angry with Solomon. This is because his heart turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision. Jehovah had given him orders about this very thing that he was not to go after other gods. But he did not obey the orders of Jehovah. So Jehovah said to Solomon: Because you have done this, and have not kept the agreement and laws I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant. read more.
I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son.
I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son.
Prudence » Exemplified » Solomon
Praise Jehovah the God of Israel, Creator of heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, full of understanding and skill. He now plans to build a Temple for Jehovah and a palace for himself.
Religion » Instances of outstanding religious persons » Solomon
You know my father David could not build a Temple for the worship of Jehovah due to the constant wars he had to fight. There were enemies in countries all around him. First Jehovah had to give him victory over all his enemies. Jehovah my God has given me peace on all my borders. I have no enemies, and there is no danger of attack. Jehovah promised my father David: 'Your son, whom I will make king after you, will build a Temple for me. I have decided to build that Temple for the worship of Jehovah my God.'
Rich, the » Instances of » Solomon
King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom.
Rulers' » Righteous » Instances of » Solomon » Judgment
One day two women who were prostitutes came to the king. One of them said: Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there. Two days after my child was born she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house. No one else was there. read more.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
Rulers' » Righteous » Instances of » Queen of sheba » Testiomey » Solomon
She said to the king: The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. read more.
Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness.
Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness.
Self-indulgence » Instances of » Solomon
Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold joy from my heart. My heart took pleasure in all my work and this was my reward.
Social duties » Mercifulness » Solomon
Solomon replied: If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched. If he is not, he will die.
Solomon » Wisdom and fame of
I said to my heart, I have become great and have acquired more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has seen an abundance of wisdom and knowledge.
Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom.
The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and condemn it. She came from the ends of the earth to hear the Wisdom of Solomon. Someone greater than Solomon is here!
God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured. Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. He was the wisest of all men. He was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, and the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries. read more.
He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon.
He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon.
Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,
King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom. They came from all over the earth to see Solomon and to listen to his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
All the officials and soldiers, and even all of David's other sons, promised to be loyal to Solomon as king. Jehovah made the whole nation stand in awe of Solomon. He made him more glorious than any other king that had ruled Israel.
Solomon answered all her questions. No question was too difficult for Solomon to answer. When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, the palace he built, the food on his table, his officers' seating arrangement, the organization of his officials and the uniforms they wore, his cupbearers and their uniforms, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Jehovah's Temple, she was breathless. read more.
She told the king: What I heard in my country about your words and your wisdom is true! I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom!
She told the king: What I heard in my country about your words and your wisdom is true! I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom!
King Solomon was greater in wealth and wisdom than all the other kings of the world. All the kings of the world wanted to listen to the wisdom that God gave Solomon.
Solomon » Military equipment of
Each governor also supplied his share of barley and straw as needed for the chariot horses and the work animals.
Solomon assembled a force of fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem. The rest he stationed in various other cities.
Solomon had forty thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand cavalry horses.
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand war horses. He stationed some in chariot cities and others with himself in Jerusalem.
Solomon gathered war-carriages and horsemen. He had one thousand, four hundred carriages and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he kept, some in the carriage-towns and some with the king at Jerusalem.
Solomon's string of horses came from Egypt and from Kue. The king's traders got them at a price from Kue.
Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold. About fifteen pounds of gold went into each shield. He made three hundred smaller body-covers of hammered gold. Three pounds of gold was in every cover. The king put them in the house of the Woods of Lebanon.
you shall surely set a king over you whom Jehovah your God chooses. It will be one from among your countrymen. You may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. He must not increase his herd of horses. He must not send the people to return to Egypt to get more horses. For Jehovah said to you: You should never again return that way.
Solomon » Commerce of
Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir. With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day.
For the king had Tarshish-ships at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the Tarshish-ships came with gold and silver and ivory and apes (monkeys) and peacocks.
Solomon's string of horses came from Egypt and from Kue. The king's traders got them at a price from Kue. A war-carriage might be obtained from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
They sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold.
Solomon's merchants bought his string of horses and chariots in the regions of Musri and Kue. They imported each chariot from Egypt for fifteen pounds of silver and each horse for six ounces of silver. For the same price they obtained horses to export to all the Hittite and Syrian kings.
Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all other countries.
Then Solomon went to the coast near Ezion Geber and Elath in Edom. Huram sent his own servants and his experienced sailors with ships to Solomon. They went with Solomon's servants to Ophir. There they procured thirty three thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds of gold, and brought it to King Solomon.
The gold that came to Solomon in one year weighed forty nine thousand nine hundred and fifty pounds, not counting the gold that the merchants and traders brought. All the Arab kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold, using fifteen pounds of gold on each shield. read more.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, using seven and one half pounds of gold on each shield. The king put them in the hall named the Forest of Lebanon. King Solomon also made a large ivory throne and covered it with pure gold. Six steps led to the throne. It had a gold footstool attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat. Two lions stood beside the armrests. Twelve lions stood on six steps, one on each side. Nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon's cups were gold. All the utensils for the hall named the Forest of Lebanon were fine gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's time. The king had ships going to Tarshish with Huram's sailors. Once every three years the Tarshish ships would bring gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. King Solomon was greater in wealth and wisdom than all the other kings of the world.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, using seven and one half pounds of gold on each shield. The king put them in the hall named the Forest of Lebanon. King Solomon also made a large ivory throne and covered it with pure gold. Six steps led to the throne. It had a gold footstool attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat. Two lions stood beside the armrests. Twelve lions stood on six steps, one on each side. Nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon's cups were gold. All the utensils for the hall named the Forest of Lebanon were fine gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's time. The king had ships going to Tarshish with Huram's sailors. Once every three years the Tarshish ships would bring gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. King Solomon was greater in wealth and wisdom than all the other kings of the world.
Solomon » Builds the temple
The copper from the two pillars, the pool, and the twelve copper bulls under the stands that King Solomon had made for Jehovah's Temple could not be weighed.
Solomon finished Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace and completed everything he had in mind for Jehovah's Temple and his own palace.
It took twenty years for Solomon to build two houses, the Temple of Jehovah and the king's house.
Johanan was the father of Azariah. It was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),
Solomon » Wealth of
The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and cedars like the sycamore-trees of the lowlands in number.
During his reign silver and gold became as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah.
I said to my heart, I have become great and have acquired more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has seen an abundance of wisdom and knowledge.
She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.
The queen gave the king nine thousand pounds of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never was there such a large quantity of spices in Israel as those that the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.
Everyone who came brought him gifts such as articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This happened year after year.
The QUEEN OF SHEBA heard about Solomon's reputation. So she came to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She arrived with a large group of servants. They had camels carrying spices, a large quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.
King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom.
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedars as plentiful as fig trees in the foothills.
Each year King Solomon received about twenty-five tons of gold. This was in addition to what came to him from the business of the traders, and from all the kings of the Arabians, and from the rulers of the country.
The gold that came to Solomon in one year weighed forty nine thousand nine hundred and fifty pounds,
Solomon » Prophecies concerning
I will choose one of your sons to be king when you reach the end of your life and are buried in the tomb of your ancestors. I will make him a strong ruler. I will allow no one to take his long lasting kingdom away from him. He will be the one to build a temple for me. I will be his father. He will be my son. When he does wrong I will correct him just as parents correct children. read more.
I will never put an end to my agreement with him. I put an end to my agreement with Saul when he was king before you. I will make sure that one of your descendants will be king for a very long time. Your throne will be established from generation to generation.'
I will never put an end to my agreement with him. I put an end to my agreement with Saul when he was king before you. I will make sure that one of your descendants will be king for a very long time. Your throne will be established from generation to generation.'
When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you. It will be one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me. I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. read more.
I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever! His throne will be established forever.'
I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever! His throne will be established forever.'
Jehovah swore an oath to David: This is a truth he will not take back: I will set one of your own descendants on your throne.
Jehovah was angry with Solomon. This is because his heart turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had twice come to him in a vision. Jehovah had given him orders about this very thing that he was not to go after other gods. But he did not obey the orders of Jehovah. So Jehovah said to Solomon: Because you have done this, and have not kept the agreement and laws I gave you, I will take the kingdom away from you by force and will give it to your servant. read more.
I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son. Still I will not take the entire kingdom from him. I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection.
I will not do it in your lifetime, because of your father David, but I will take it from your son. Still I will not take the entire kingdom from him. I will give one tribe to your son, because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem, the town of my selection.
He told me: 'Your son Solomon will build my Temple and my courtyards because I have chosen him to be my son. I will be his father. I will establish his kingdom for a very long time if he will remain determined to obey my commands and laws, as he is doing today.'
Solomon » The splendor of his court
I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like these.
I became great and increased more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem and my wisdom remained with me.
With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day.
Consider the way the lilies grow. They do not toil and neither do they spin. Yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king: The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. read more.
Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness.
Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness.
When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, the palace he built, the food on his table, his officers' seating arrangement, the organization of his officials and the uniforms they wore, his cupbearers and their uniforms, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Jehovah's Temple, she was breathless. She told the king: What I heard in my country about your words and your wisdom is true! read more.
I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom! I thank Jehovah your God, who is pleased with you. He has put you on his throne to be king on behalf of Jehovah your God. Because of your God's love for the people of Israel, he has established them permanently and made you king over them so that you would maintain justice and righteousness.
I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom! I thank Jehovah your God, who is pleased with you. He has put you on his throne to be king on behalf of Jehovah your God. Because of your God's love for the people of Israel, he has established them permanently and made you king over them so that you would maintain justice and righteousness.
Solomon » Builds his palace
Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem.
Solomon finished Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace and completed everything he had in mind for Jehovah's Temple and his own palace.
It took twenty years for Solomon to build two houses, the Temple of Jehovah and the king's house.
Solomon took thirteen years to build a palace for himself.
His own private quarters were in a different location than the hall containing the throne. They were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh's daughter.
It took Solomon twenty years to build Jehovah's house and his own house.
I made great works. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards for myself.
Solomon » Succeeds david to the throne of israel
When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Then Nathan asked Solomon's mother Bathsheba: Have you heard that Adonijah, Haggith's son, has become king, and our master David does not even know about it? Bathsheba, let me give you some advice about how to save your life and your son's life. Go now to King David and ask him: 'Your Majesty, did you solemnly promise me that my son Solomon would succeed you as king? How is it that Adonijah has become king?' read more.
Nathan added: While you are still talking with King David, I will come in and confirm your story. So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, was taking care of him. Bathsheba bowed low before the king. He asked: What do you want? She answered: Your Majesty, you made me a solemn promise in the name of Jehovah your God that my son Solomon would be king after you. Adonijah has already become king. You do not know anything about it. He has offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited your sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of your army to the feast. However he did not invite your son Solomon. Your Majesty. The people of Israel want you to tell them who is to succeed you as king. If you do not my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors when you die. Nathan arrived at the palace while she spoke. The king was told that the prophet was there. Nathan went in and bowed low before the king. Nathan said: Your Majesty. Did you announce that Adonijah would succeed you as king? This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting: 'Long live King Adonijah!' But he did not invite Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon or me. Did Your Majesty approve all this and not even tell your officials who is to succeed you as king? King David said: Ask Bathsheba to come back in. She came and stood before him. Then he said to her: I promise you by the living God Jehovah (YHWH), who has rescued me from all my troubles, that today I will keep the promise I made to you in the name of Jehovah the God of Israel, that your son Solomon would succeed me as king. Bathsheba bowed low and said: May my lord the king live a very long time! Then King David sent for Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah. When they came in, he said to them: Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him to Gihon Spring, Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon! Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king. He is the one I have chosen to be the ruler over Israel and Judah. It will be done, answered Benaiah, and may Jehovah your God confirm it! Jehovah has been with Your Majesty. May he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours. So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him. They blew flutes and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground. Adonijah and all his guests heard this while they were eating. When Joab heard the sound of the horn, he asked: Why all this noise in the city? He was still speaking when Jonathan, son of the priest Abiathar, arrived. Come in, Adonijah said: You are an honorable man. You must be bringing good news. Not at all, Jonathan answered Adonijah. His Majesty King David has made Solomon king! The king sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him. They placed him on the king's mule. The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anointed him king at Gihon. They came from there celebrating. The city is excited. That is the sound you heard. Solomon is seated on the royal throne. Even the royal officials have come to congratulate His Majesty King David, saying: May your God make Solomon's name more famous than yours and his reign greater than your reign. The king himself bowed down on his bed and prayed: 'Let us praise Jehovah the God of Israel. Today he made one of my descendants succeed me as king.' He let me live to see it!
Nathan added: While you are still talking with King David, I will come in and confirm your story. So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, was taking care of him. Bathsheba bowed low before the king. He asked: What do you want? She answered: Your Majesty, you made me a solemn promise in the name of Jehovah your God that my son Solomon would be king after you. Adonijah has already become king. You do not know anything about it. He has offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited your sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of your army to the feast. However he did not invite your son Solomon. Your Majesty. The people of Israel want you to tell them who is to succeed you as king. If you do not my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors when you die. Nathan arrived at the palace while she spoke. The king was told that the prophet was there. Nathan went in and bowed low before the king. Nathan said: Your Majesty. Did you announce that Adonijah would succeed you as king? This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting: 'Long live King Adonijah!' But he did not invite Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon or me. Did Your Majesty approve all this and not even tell your officials who is to succeed you as king? King David said: Ask Bathsheba to come back in. She came and stood before him. Then he said to her: I promise you by the living God Jehovah (YHWH), who has rescued me from all my troubles, that today I will keep the promise I made to you in the name of Jehovah the God of Israel, that your son Solomon would succeed me as king. Bathsheba bowed low and said: May my lord the king live a very long time! Then King David sent for Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah. When they came in, he said to them: Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him to Gihon Spring, Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon! Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king. He is the one I have chosen to be the ruler over Israel and Judah. It will be done, answered Benaiah, and may Jehovah your God confirm it! Jehovah has been with Your Majesty. May he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours. So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. Zadok took the container of olive oil that he had brought from the Tent of Jehovah's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted: Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him. They blew flutes and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground. Adonijah and all his guests heard this while they were eating. When Joab heard the sound of the horn, he asked: Why all this noise in the city? He was still speaking when Jonathan, son of the priest Abiathar, arrived. Come in, Adonijah said: You are an honorable man. You must be bringing good news. Not at all, Jonathan answered Adonijah. His Majesty King David has made Solomon king! The king sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him. They placed him on the king's mule. The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anointed him king at Gihon. They came from there celebrating. The city is excited. That is the sound you heard. Solomon is seated on the royal throne. Even the royal officials have come to congratulate His Majesty King David, saying: May your God make Solomon's name more famous than yours and his reign greater than your reign. The king himself bowed down on his bed and prayed: 'Let us praise Jehovah the God of Israel. Today he made one of my descendants succeed me as king.' He let me live to see it!
Solomon succeeded his father David as king. His royal power was firmly established.
Solomon » Builds another house for pharaoh's daughter
Then Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the city of David to the house he had built for her. He said: My wife must not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy where the Ark of Jehovah's Covenant has entered.
Solomon filled in the land on the east side of the city, after his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt, had moved from David's City to the palace Solomon built for her.
I made great works. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards for myself.
His own private quarters were in a different location than the hall containing the throne. They were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh's daughter. From the foundation to the roof, all these buildings, including the large courtyard, were built with high-grade stone blocks. The stone blocks were cut to size and trimmed with saws on their inner and outer faces. The foundation was made with large, high-grade expensive stones. Some were twelve feet and others fifteen feet long. read more.
Above the foundation were cedar beams and high-grade expensive stone blocks, which were cut to size. The large courtyard had three layers of cut stone blocks and a layer of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of Jehovah's Temple and the entrance hall.
Above the foundation were cedar beams and high-grade expensive stone blocks, which were cut to size. The large courtyard had three layers of cut stone blocks and a layer of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of Jehovah's Temple and the entrance hall.
Solomon » His folly shown » In marrying heathen women
Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway.
I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab: Their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples. I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair. I made them take an oath by God, saying: You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. read more.
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women.
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women.
Solomon » Extent of his dominions
Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life.
Solomon ruled over all the land west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah on the Euphrates as far west as the city of Gaza. All the kings west of the Euphrates were subject to him. He was at peace with all the neighboring countries.
Then Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Booths. A very large crowd came from the territory between the border of Hamath and the River of Egypt.
He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the country of the Philistines and as far as the Egyptian border.
At that time Solomon and all Israel celebrated the festival. A large crowd had come from the territory between the border of Hamath and the River of Egypt to be near Jehovah our God for seven days.
Solomon » His folly shown » In luxurious living
All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold. All the vessels of the house of the Woods of Lebanon were of the best gold. Not one was of silver, for no one gave a thought to silver in the days of King Solomon.
The supplies Solomon needed each day were one hundred and fifty bushels of fine flour and three hundred bushels of meal. Also needed were ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fowl (cuckoo).
Solomon » His idolatry
The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites.
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women.
Solomon loved Jehovah. He followed the instructions of his father David. He also slaughtered animals and offered them as sacrifices on different altars. One time he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most used altar was. He offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past.
Solomon » Officers of
The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.
Solomon was king over all Israel. His high officials were as follows: The priest: Azariah son of Zadok, the court secretaries: Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha In charge of the records: Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud. read more.
Commander of the army: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Priests: Zadok and Abiathar. Chief of the district governors: Azariah son of Nathan Royal Adviser: the priest Zabud son of Nathan. In charge of the palace servants: Ahishar In charge of the forced labor: Adoniram son of Abda. Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land.
Commander of the army: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Priests: Zadok and Abiathar. Chief of the district governors: Azariah son of Nathan Royal Adviser: the priest Zabud son of Nathan. In charge of the palace servants: Ahishar In charge of the forced labor: Adoniram son of Abda. Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land.
Solomon did not make any of the Israelites slaves for his projects. Instead, they were the soldiers, officers, generals, and commanders of his chariot and cavalry units. These were the officers in charge of King Solomon's projects: two hundred and fifty foremen for the people who did the work.
Solomon » Renews » Priesthood
Get yourselves ready with the family groups of your divisions, which are listed in the records of King David of Israel and the records of his son Solomon.
Solomon offered burnt offerings to Jehovah on the altar of Jehovah he had built before the porch. He did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the Sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths. As Solomon's father David had directed, he set up the divisions of priests for their service and the divisions of Levites for their appointed places. The Levites were to lead in praising Jehovah and to serve beside the priests by doing whatever needed to be done each day. Solomon also set up divisions of doorkeepers at every gate because this was what David, the man of God, had commanded. read more.
No one neglected the king's orders to the priests or the Levites in any matter, including the Temple's finances. All of Solomon's work was carried out from the day the foundation of Jehovah's Temple was laid until it was completed. Jehovah's Temple was now complete.
No one neglected the king's orders to the priests or the Levites in any matter, including the Temple's finances. All of Solomon's work was carried out from the day the foundation of Jehovah's Temple was laid until it was completed. Jehovah's Temple was now complete.
They kept the watch of their God, and were responsible for making things clean. So did the music-makers and the gatekeepers, as David and Solomon his son ordered it.
Solomon » Musicians and musical instruments of his court
I gathered silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, girls of all sorts to be my brides.
With the sandalwood the king made gateways to Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace. They also made lyres and harps for the singers. No one had ever seen anything like them in Judah.
With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day.
Solomon » Son of david by bath-sheba
If you do not my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors when you die.
David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to bed with her, and she later gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon. Jehovah loved the child.
Go now to King David and ask him: 'Your Majesty, did you solemnly promise me that my son Solomon would succeed you as king? How is it that Adonijah has become king?'
She answered: Your Majesty, you made me a solemn promise in the name of Jehovah your God that my son Solomon would be king after you.
Solomon » Presents received by
She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.
The queen gave the king nine thousand pounds of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never was there such a large quantity of spices in Israel as those that the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.
All the kings of the world wanted to listen to the wisdom that God gave Solomon. Everyone who came brought him gifts such as articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This happened year after year.
Solomon » Has seven-hundred wives and three-hundred concubines
He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away.
He must not take many wives or his heart will turn astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
Solomon » Is visited by the queen of sheba
The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame. She traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan. The camels carried spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she approached Solomon, she talked about everything she had on her mind (heart). Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. read more.
When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king: The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness. She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir. With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all her desire. Whatever she requested in addition to what he gave her freely from the impulse of his heart. She and her servants went back to her country.
When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king: The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah's love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness. She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir. With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all her desire. Whatever she requested in addition to what he gave her freely from the impulse of his heart. She and her servants went back to her country.
The QUEEN OF SHEBA heard about Solomon's reputation. So she came to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She arrived with a large group of servants. They had camels carrying spices, a large quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions. No question was too difficult for Solomon to answer. When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, the palace he built, read more.
the food on his table, his officers' seating arrangement, the organization of his officials and the uniforms they wore, his cupbearers and their uniforms, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Jehovah's Temple, she was breathless. She told the king: What I heard in my country about your words and your wisdom is true! I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom! I thank Jehovah your God, who is pleased with you. He has put you on his throne to be king on behalf of Jehovah your God. Because of your God's love for the people of Israel, he has established them permanently and made you king over them so that you would maintain justice and righteousness. The queen gave the king nine thousand pounds of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never was there such a large quantity of spices in Israel as those that the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Huram's servants and Solomon's servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought sandalwood and precious stones. With the sandalwood the king made gateways to Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace. They also made lyres and harps for the singers. No one had ever seen anything like them in Judah. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba anything she wanted. Whatever she asked for, more than what she had brought him. Then she and her servants went back to her country.
the food on his table, his officers' seating arrangement, the organization of his officials and the uniforms they wore, his cupbearers and their uniforms, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Jehovah's Temple, she was breathless. She told the king: What I heard in my country about your words and your wisdom is true! I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom! I thank Jehovah your God, who is pleased with you. He has put you on his throne to be king on behalf of Jehovah your God. Because of your God's love for the people of Israel, he has established them permanently and made you king over them so that you would maintain justice and righteousness. The queen gave the king nine thousand pounds of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never was there such a large quantity of spices in Israel as those that the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. Huram's servants and Solomon's servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought sandalwood and precious stones. With the sandalwood the king made gateways to Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace. They also made lyres and harps for the singers. No one had ever seen anything like them in Judah. King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba anything she wanted. Whatever she asked for, more than what she had brought him. Then she and her servants went back to her country.
Solomon » Receives tribute (taxes)
Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life.
Their descendants continue to be slaves down to the present time.
They had descendants who were still in the land. Solomon drafted them for slave labor. They are still Israel's slaves today.
Solomon » Covenant renewed in a vision after the dedication of the temple
Solomon finished building Jehovah's Temple, the royal palace, and everything else he wanted to build. Jehovah came to him again in a vision just as he had done at Gibeon. Jehovah said: I have heard your prayers and your supplication you made. I have made this house holy. I put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there at all times. read more.
As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father did, uprightly and with a true heart, doing what I have given you orders to do, keeping my laws and my decisions; I will make the seat of your rule over Israel certain forever. I gave my word to David your father. I said: You will never be without a man to be king in Israel. But if you turn from my ways, you or your children, and do not keep my orders and my laws which I have put before you, but go and make yourselves servants to other gods and give them worship: I will have Israel cut off from the land I gave them. I will abandon this house even though I have made it holy for myself. I will put you out of my sight. Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples. This house will become a mass of broken walls. Everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds. They will say: Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? The answer will be: 'Because they turned away from Jehovah their God. The one who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt. They took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why Jehovah has sent this evil on them.'
As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father did, uprightly and with a true heart, doing what I have given you orders to do, keeping my laws and my decisions; I will make the seat of your rule over Israel certain forever. I gave my word to David your father. I said: You will never be without a man to be king in Israel. But if you turn from my ways, you or your children, and do not keep my orders and my laws which I have put before you, but go and make yourselves servants to other gods and give them worship: I will have Israel cut off from the land I gave them. I will abandon this house even though I have made it holy for myself. I will put you out of my sight. Israel will be a public example, and a word of shame among all peoples. This house will become a mass of broken walls. Everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder at it and make whistling sounds. They will say: Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? The answer will be: 'Because they turned away from Jehovah their God. The one who took their fathers out of the land of Egypt. They took for themselves other gods and gave them worship and became their servants: that is why Jehovah has sent this evil on them.'
JEHOVAH APPEARED TO SOLOMON THAT NIGHT. He said to Solomon: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a Temple for sacrifices. I may shut the sky so that there is no rain, or command grasshoppers to devour the countryside, or send an epidemic among my people. However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country. read more.
My eyes will be open! My ears will pay attention to the prayers offered at this place. I have chosen and declared this Temple holy so that my name may be placed there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. If you will be faithful to me as your father David was, do everything I command, and obey my laws and rules, I will establish your royal dynasty just as I said in a promise to your father David, when I said: 'You will never fail to have an heir ruling over Israel.' On the other hand, if you and your descendants turn away from me and abandon my commandments and laws that I gave you, and follow and serve other gods and worship them, I will uproot Israel from the land I gave them. I will reject this Temple that I declared holy for my name. I will make it an example and an object of ridicule for all the people of the world. Everyone passing by this impressive Temple will be appalled. They will ask: Why did Jehovah do these things to this land and to this Temple? They will answer their own question: 'They abandoned Jehovah the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt. They adopted other gods, worshiped, and served them. That is why he brought this disaster on them.'
My eyes will be open! My ears will pay attention to the prayers offered at this place. I have chosen and declared this Temple holy so that my name may be placed there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. If you will be faithful to me as your father David was, do everything I command, and obey my laws and rules, I will establish your royal dynasty just as I said in a promise to your father David, when I said: 'You will never fail to have an heir ruling over Israel.' On the other hand, if you and your descendants turn away from me and abandon my commandments and laws that I gave you, and follow and serve other gods and worship them, I will uproot Israel from the land I gave them. I will reject this Temple that I declared holy for my name. I will make it an example and an object of ridicule for all the people of the world. Everyone passing by this impressive Temple will be appalled. They will ask: Why did Jehovah do these things to this land and to this Temple? They will answer their own question: 'They abandoned Jehovah the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt. They adopted other gods, worshiped, and served them. That is why he brought this disaster on them.'
Solomon » His prayer for wisdom, and his vision
That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. read more.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life.
That night God appeared to Solomon. He said: What do you want me to I give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David. Now you have allowed me to succeed him as king. O Jehovah my God, fulfill the promise you made to my father David. You have made me king over a people, who are so many that they cannot be counted. read more.
Please give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? God replied to Solomon: You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth, treasure, fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king. For this reason I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again.
Please give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? God replied to Solomon: You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth, treasure, fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king. For this reason I will give you wisdom and knowledge. And in addition, I will give you more wealth, treasure, and fame than any king has ever had before or will ever have again.
Solomon » Builds » wall of Jerusalem
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand war horses. He stationed some in chariot cities and others with himself in Jerusalem.
King Solomon used forced labor to build the Temple and the palace, to fill in land on the east side of the city, and to build the city wall. He also used it to rebuild the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. The king of Egypt attacked Gezer and captured it. They killed its inhabitants and set fire to the city. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter when she married Solomon. Solomon rebuilt it. Using his forced labor, Solomon also rebuilt Lower Beth Horon, read more.
Baalath, Tamar in the wilderness of Judah, the cities where his supplies were kept, the cities for his horses and chariots, and everything else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and elsewhere in his kingdom.
Baalath, Tamar in the wilderness of Judah, the cities where his supplies were kept, the cities for his horses and chariots, and everything else he wanted to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and elsewhere in his kingdom.
Solomon » Builds idolatrous temples
Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. Jehovah warned the children of Israel about these nations. He said: You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you. They will certainly turn your hearts to go after their gods. Solomon loved his wives anyway. He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away. read more.
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. He did likewise for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.
The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites.
Solomon » Cedes some inferior cities to hiram
It took twenty years for Solomon to build two houses, the Temple of Jehovah and the king's house. Hiram, king of Tyre, had given Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees and gold, as much as he needed. King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. read more.
He said: What sort of towns are these you have given me, my brother? So they were named the land of Cabul, to this day.
He said: What sort of towns are these you have given me, my brother? So they were named the land of Cabul, to this day.
He rebuilt the cities Huram gave him. He had Israelites live in them.
Solomon » Drinking vessels of his houses
All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold. All the vessels of the house of the Woods of Lebanon were of the best gold. Not one was of silver, for no one gave a thought to silver in the days of King Solomon.
All King Solomon's cups were gold. All the utensils for the hall named the Forest of Lebanon were fine gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's time.
Solomon » Piety of
That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. read more.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up and was aware that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to Jehovah. Then he gave a feast for all his officials.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? Jehovah was pleased that Solomon asked for this. He said to him: Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. If you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up and was aware that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to Jehovah. Then he gave a feast for all his officials.
God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured.
Solomon » Oppressions of
Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects.
Your father made us carry a heavy burden. Reduce the hard work and lighten the heavy burden he put on us. We will serve you.
Solomon » Ivory throne of
He made the hall for the throne. It was a place where he could sit on his throne and judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.
The king made a great ivory throne plated with the best gold. There were six steps going up to it. The top of it was round at the back. There were arms on the two sides of the throne and two lions by the side of the arms. Twelve lions were placed on one side and on the other side on the six steps: there was nothing like it in any kingdom.
Solomon » Divides his kingdom into subsistence departments; the daily, subsistence rate for his court
His twelve governors supplied the food King Solomon needed for all who ate in the palace. They always supplied everything needed, each one in the month assigned. Each governor also supplied his share of barley and straw as needed for the chariot horses and the work animals.
Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, read more.
Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land. The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and were very happy. Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life. The supplies Solomon needed each day were one hundred and fifty bushels of fine flour and three hundred bushels of meal. Also needed were ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fowl (cuckoo).
Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land. The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and were very happy. Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life. The supplies Solomon needed each day were one hundred and fifty bushels of fine flour and three hundred bushels of meal. Also needed were ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fowl (cuckoo).
Solomon » In erection of the temple 1ki 5; 6 » In his prayer of dedication
In the presence of the people Solomon stood in front of the altar. He raised his arms and prayed: Jehovah God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. You kept the promise you made to my father David. Every word has been fulfilled. read more.
Jehovah, God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. So now, O God of Israel, let your word come true that you promised to my father David, your servant. Can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even heaven or the heaven of heavens is large enough to hold you. How can this Temple I have built be large enough? Jehovah my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer. Grant the requests I make to you today. Watch over this Temple day and night. For this is the place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us. When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, O Jehovah, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one, as he deserves. Justify the one who is innocent. When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness. Listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors. When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you. And when they repent in this Temple, humbly praying to you, listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Jehovah, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession. When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when their enemies attack your people, or when disease or sickness among them destroys the crops, listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, help them and forgive them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person, as he deserves, so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land you gave to our ancestors. When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm. When he comes to pray in this house: Listen to him and give him his desire. Let all the peoples of the earth know about your name. Let them worship you as your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have built is truly named by your name. When your people go to war against their enemies, they pray to you, O Jehovah, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name. Hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. They may sin against you, for everyone sins. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy far or near who takes them to another country as captives. If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrongs when they rebelled against you. Cause those who captured them to have mercy on them. They are your own people. You brought them out of Egypt from the middle of an iron smelter. May your eyes always see my plea and your people Israel's plea so that you will listen to them whenever they call on you. You Jehovah set them apart from all the people of the world. They are your own as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.
Jehovah, God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. So now, O God of Israel, let your word come true that you promised to my father David, your servant. Can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even heaven or the heaven of heavens is large enough to hold you. How can this Temple I have built be large enough? Jehovah my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer. Grant the requests I make to you today. Watch over this Temple day and night. For this is the place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us. When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, O Jehovah, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one, as he deserves. Justify the one who is innocent. When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness. Listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors. When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you. And when they repent in this Temple, humbly praying to you, listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Jehovah, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession. When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when their enemies attack your people, or when disease or sickness among them destroys the crops, listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, help them and forgive them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person, as he deserves, so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land you gave to our ancestors. When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm. When he comes to pray in this house: Listen to him and give him his desire. Let all the peoples of the earth know about your name. Let them worship you as your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have built is truly named by your name. When your people go to war against their enemies, they pray to you, O Jehovah, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name. Hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. They may sin against you, for everyone sins. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy far or near who takes them to another country as captives. If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrongs when they rebelled against you. Cause those who captured them to have mercy on them. They are your own people. You brought them out of Egypt from the middle of an iron smelter. May your eyes always see my plea and your people Israel's plea so that you will listen to them whenever they call on you. You Jehovah set them apart from all the people of the world. They are your own as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.
Solomon » His wisdom see » In uttering proverbs and discourses
He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon.
Solomon » His wisdom see » In surpassing other wise men
God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured. Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. He was the wisest of all men. He was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, and the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries.
Solomon » His wisdom see » In judicial insight
One day two women who were prostitutes came to the king. One of them said: Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there. Two days after my child was born she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house. No one else was there. read more.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
Solomon » His folly shown » In sanctioning idolatry
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the eyes of Jehovah. He did not walk in Jehovah's ways with all his heart as David his father did. read more.
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon.
Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain near Jerusalem. And for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon.
Solomon » His wisdom see » In his wise choice
That night Jehovah appeared to him in a dream and asked him: What do you want me to give you? Solomon answered: You always showed great love for my father David, your servant. He was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. You have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. O Jehovah God, you allowed me to succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and do not know how to rule. read more.
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?
I am among the people you have chosen to be your own. They are a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?
Solomon » His folly shown » In oppressing the people
Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects.
Solomon » His folly shown » In excessive sensuality
He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives. His wives influenced his heart to turn away.
Solomon » Named jedidiah, by nathan the prophet
David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to bed with her, and she later gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon. Jehovah loved the child. He sent a message through the prophet Nathan to name the baby Jedidiah (Jehovah's Beloved).
Solomon » Dedicates the temple
Solomon » Provides an armory
Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold. About fifteen pounds of gold went into each shield. He made three hundred smaller body-covers of hammered gold. Three pounds of gold was in every cover. The king put them in the house of the Woods of Lebanon.
Solomon » Justice of, illustrated in his judgment of the two prostitutes
One day two women who were prostitutes came to the king. One of them said: Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby boy at home while she was there. Two days after my child was born she also gave birth to a baby boy. Only the two of us were there in the house. No one else was there. read more.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
One night she accidentally rolled over on her baby and smothered it. She got up during the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She took him to her bed and put the dead child in my bed. The next morning I woke up and was going to nurse my baby. It was dead. I looked at it more closely and saw that it was not my child. The other woman said: The living child is mine, and the dead one is yours! The first woman answered back: The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine! They argued before the king. King Solomon said: Each of you claims that the living child is hers and that the dead child belongs to the other one. He sent for a sword. When it arrived, he said: Cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it. With a heart full of love for her son the real mother said: Please, Your Majesty, do not kill the child! Give it to her! But the other woman said: Do not give it to either of us cut it in two. Then Solomon said: Do not kill the child! Give it to the first woman. She is the real mother. The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
Solomon » Death of
The rest of the acts of Solomon from first to last are written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah from Shiloh, and in Iddo the seer's visions about Jeroboam son of Nebat. Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. Solomon lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
Solomon » Type » Christ
You are the most handsome of men. You are an eloquent speaker. God has blessed you forever. Buckle on your sword, mighty king in your splendor and majesty. Ride on in majesty to victory for the defense of truth, justice and righteousness! Your right hand (strength) will teach you great things! read more.
Your arrows are sharp. The peoples fall under you. Your arrows are in the heart of the King's enemies. God is your throne forever and ever. A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows. All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. Stringed instruments from the ivory palaces have made you glad. Kings' daughters are among your noble ladies. At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. Listen, O daughter, pay attention and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father's house. Then the King will desire your beauty. Bow down to him because he is your Lord. The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift. The rich among the people will seek your favor. The King's daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. She will be led to the King in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, will be brought to you. They will come forward with gladness and rejoicing. They will enter into the King's palace. In place of your fathers will be your sons. You will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples will give you thanks forever and ever.
Your arrows are sharp. The peoples fall under you. Your arrows are in the heart of the King's enemies. God is your throne forever and ever. A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows. All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. Stringed instruments from the ivory palaces have made you glad. Kings' daughters are among your noble ladies. At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. Listen, O daughter, pay attention and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father's house. Then the King will desire your beauty. Bow down to him because he is your Lord. The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift. The rich among the people will seek your favor. The King's daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. She will be led to the King in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, will be brought to you. They will come forward with gladness and rejoicing. They will enter into the King's palace. In place of your fathers will be your sons. You will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples will give you thanks forever and ever.
Solomon » His purveyors
Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel. They provided food from their districts for the king and his household, each man being responsible for one month out of the year. The following are the names of these twelve officers and the districts they were in charge of: Benhur: the mountains of Ephraim, Bendeker: the cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, Elon, and Beth Hanan, read more.
Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land.
Benhesed: the cities of Arubboth and Socoh and all the territory of Hepher, Benabinadab, who was married to Solomon's daughter Taphath: the whole region of Dor. Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam. Bengeber: the city of Ramoth in Gilead, and the villages in Gilead belonging to the clan of Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and the region of Argob in Bashan, sixty large towns in all, fortified with walls and with bronze bars on the gates. Ahinadab son of Iddo: the district of Mahanaim. Ahimaaz, who was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters: the territory of Naphtali. Baana son of Hushai: the region of Asher and the town of Bealoth. Jehoshaphat son of Paruah: the territory of Issachar. Shimei son of Ela: the territory of Benjamin. Geber son of Uri: the region of Gilead, which had been ruled by King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Besides these twelve, there was one governor over all the land.
Solomon » Builds his house, the forest of lebanon
The Hall of the Forest of Lebanon was one hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. It had three rows of cedar pillars, fifteen in each row, with cedar beams resting on them. The ceiling was of cedar, extending over storerooms, which were supported by the pillars. On each of the two sidewalls there were three rows of windows. read more.
All the doors and doorframes were rectangular. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides of the palace. Solomon made the Hall of Pillars seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars. He made the hall for the throne. It was a place where he could sit on his throne and judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.
All the doors and doorframes were rectangular. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides of the palace. Solomon made the Hall of Pillars seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars. He made the hall for the throne. It was a place where he could sit on his throne and judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.
Solomon » Anointed king a second time
That day they were very happy as they ate and drank in the presence of Jehovah. For a second time they proclaimed Solomon king. In the name of Jehovah they anointed him as their ruler and Zadok as priest.
Solomon » Imports apes and peacocks
For the king had Tarshish-ships at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the Tarshish-ships came with gold and silver and ivory and apes (monkeys) and peacocks.
Solomon » Beloved of God
David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to bed with her, and she later gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon. Jehovah loved the child.
Solomon » Plants vineyards and orchards of all kinds of fruit trees; makes pools
I made great works. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards for myself. I made myself parks and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all kinds. I made water pools from which to water the young trees.
Solomon » Their influence over him
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been.
Solomon » Reigns for forty years
Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
Solomon » Marries one of pharaoh's daughters
Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem.
Solomon » Porches of judgment
He made the hall for the throne. It was a place where he could sit on his throne and judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.
Solomon » An ancestor of joseph
Jesse the father of King David. David and Uriah's wife Bath-sheba were the father and mother of Solomon.
Solomon » His rigorous reign
The First Temple » Solomon » Employed all the strangers in preparing for
He drafted seventy thousand men to carry heavy loads, eighty thousand to quarry stones in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred foremen.
Solomon counted all the men who were foreigners in the land of Israel, as his father David had counted them. Solomon counted one hundred and fifty-three thousand and six hundred foreigners. He directed seventy thousand of them carry heavy loads, eighty thousand of them quarry stone in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred of them supervise the work as foremen.
Solomon also had eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains. There were seventy thousand men to carry the stones.
The First Temple » Solomon » Commenced second day of second month of fourth year of solomon
The foundation of the Temple was laid in the second month, the month of Ziv, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign.
Solomon began work on the Temple. It was four hundred and eighty years after the people of Israel left Egypt, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the second month, the month of Ziv.
He began to build on the second day in the second month of the fourth year of his reign. It was in the place David had povided.
The First Temple » Solomon » Applied to hiram for a skilful workman to superintend, &c the building of
I am sending you a wise and skillful master metalworker named Huram (Hiram-abi). He was the son of a woman from the tribe of Dan. His father is a native of Tyre. Huram knows how to work with gold, silver, copper, iron, stone, wood, purple, violet, and dark red cloth, and linen. He also knows how to make all kinds of engravings and follow any set of plans that will be given to him. He can work with your skilled workmen and the skilled workmen of His Majesty David, your father.
Send me a man with skill in engraving, in working gold, silver, copper, and iron, and in making blue, purple, and red cloth. He will work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem whom my father David selected.
The First Temple » Solomon » Contracted with hiram for wood, stone, and labor
I know how skillful your lumbermen are, so send me cedar, cypress, and juniper logs from Lebanon. I am ready to send my men to assist yours. Prepare large quantities of timber, because this Temple I intend to build will be large and magnificent. As provisions for your lumbermen, I will send you one hundred thousand bushels of wheat, one hundred thousand bushels of barley, one hundred and ten thousand gallons of wine, and one hundred and ten thousand gallons of olive oil.
Send your men to Lebanon to cut down cedars for me. My men will work with them. I will pay your men whatever you decide. You may already know, my men do not know how to cut down trees as well as yours do. Hiram was extremely pleased when he received Solomon's message. He said: Praise Jehovah today for giving David such a wise son to succeed him as king of the great nation of Israel! Then Hiram sent Solomon the following message: I received your message. I am ready to do what you ask. I will provide the cedars and the pine trees. read more.
My men will bring the logs from Lebanon to the sea and will tie them together in rafts to float them down the coast to the place you choose. My men will untie them. There your men will take charge of them. On your part, I would like you to supply the food for my men. So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted. Solomon provided Hiram with one hundred thousand bushels of wheat and one hundred and ten thousand gallons of pure olive oil every year to feed his men. Jehovah kept his promise and gave Solomon wisdom. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon for they made a treaty with each other.
My men will bring the logs from Lebanon to the sea and will tie them together in rafts to float them down the coast to the place you choose. My men will untie them. There your men will take charge of them. On your part, I would like you to supply the food for my men. So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted. Solomon provided Hiram with one hundred thousand bushels of wheat and one hundred and ten thousand gallons of pure olive oil every year to feed his men. Jehovah kept his promise and gave Solomon wisdom. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon for they made a treaty with each other.
The First Temple » Solomon » Specially instructed for
This is how Solomon laid the foundation to build God's Temple. It was ninety feet long and thirty feet wide. (They used the old standard measurement.)
The First Temple » Solomon » Determined to build
Solomon gave orders to begin building the Temple for Jehovah's name and a royal palace for himself.
The First Temple » Solomon » Employed thirty thousand israelites in the work
King Solomon drafted thirty thousand men as forced labor from all over Israel. He appointed Adoniram to be in charge of them. He divided them into three groups of ten thousand men. Each group spent one month in Lebanon and two months back home.
The First Temple » Solomon » Built without the noise of hammers, ax, or any tool
The stones with which the Temple was built were prepared at the quarry. That way there was no noise made by hammers, axes, or any other iron tools as the Temple was built.
Temptation » Yielding to temptation » Idolatry » Solomon » Influence » Wives
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women.
When Solomon was old he allowed his heart to be turned away to other gods by his wives. His heart was no longer true to Jehovah his God as the heart of his father David had been.
Types of Christ » Solomon
I will choose one of your sons to be king when you reach the end of your life and are buried in the tomb of your ancestors. I will make him a strong ruler. I will allow no one to take his long lasting kingdom away from him. He will be the one to build a temple for me.
Wise » Choice, examples of » Solomon
Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice. Help me know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?
Wise men » Solomon
God gave Solomon great wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured. Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. He was the wisest of all men. He was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, and the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries. read more.
He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon.
He wrote three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls. He talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon.