King Solomon: biography, rise to power, symbolism. Star of Solomon

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

Coming to reign

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

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

Temple

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

Solomon's reign

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

The country has grown rich, and the well-being of the people has increased to an unprecedented degree. The court of Solomon was not inferior in its splendor to the courts of the greatest and most powerful rulers of the then civilized world. The composition of the government formed by Solomon:

• High priests - Zadok, Aviafar, Azariah;
• Commander of the troops - Vanya;
• Minister of Taxation - Adoniram;
• Court chronicler - Jehoshaphat; also scribes - Elichoreth and Ahia;
• Akhisar - head of the royal administration;
• Zawuf;
• Azaria - the head of the governors;

12 governors: Ben-Hur, Ben-Deker, Ben-Hesed, Ben-Abinadab, Vaana, son of Ahilud, Ben-Gever, Ahinadab, Ahimaas, Vaana, son of Khushai, Jehoshaphat, Shimei, Geber.

Foreign policy

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

Annexation of Saba

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

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

The repressed Bilquis consented to the accession, which thus took place; the state religion of Saba was brought into line with the state religion of the Solomon kingdom.

End of Solomon's reign

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

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

Solomon in Islam

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

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

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Years of life: 1011–928 BC e.

Helpful information

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

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

Legends of Solomon

Judgment of King Solomon

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

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

One of the women exclaimed at these words: “It’s better to give her the baby, but don’t kill him!”

The other, on the contrary, said: "Chop, let neither she nor me get it."

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

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

Ring of Solomon

Despite his wisdom, King Solomon's life was not peaceful. And once King Solomon turned for advice to the court wise man with a request: “Help me - a lot in this life can drive me crazy. I am very subject to passions, and this hinders me!”

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

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

Islamic traditions

It is narrated from the words of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: There were two women with their sons (when suddenly) a wolf came running, carried away the son of one of them, and she said to her friend: "The wolf has carried away your son!" Another (woman) said: “No, it was your son!”, - and then they turned to the judgment of Daud, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who made the decision (to give) him to the eldest.

And then they went to Sulaiman, the son of Dawud, may Allah bless him and welcome him, and told him (about everything), and he said: "Bring me a knife, and I will divide it among them." Then the youngest exclaimed: “Do not do this, may Allah have mercy on you, this is her son!”, after which he decided to give him to the youngest.

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

Image in art

The image of King Solomon inspired many poets and artists:

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

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

Star of Solomon

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

At the same time, medieval mystics called Solomon's seal a pentagram (five-pointed star).

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

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

It is believed that the star of Solomon formed the basis of the Maltese cross of the knights of John.

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

Solomon(Other Hebrew שְׁלֹמֹה, Shlomo; Greek Σαλωμών, Σολωμών in the Septuagint; lat. Salomon in the Vulgate; Arab. سليمان‎ Suleiman in the Koran) - the third Jewish king, the ruler of the united kingdom of Israel in the period of its highest prosperity. The son of King David and Bathsheba (Bat Sheva), co-ruler with David in the first two years of his reign. During the reign of Solomon in Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Temple was built - the main shrine of Judaism.

According to different chronologies, the dates of reign refer to the beginning of the 10th century BC. e., 972-932 BC. e., 960s - ca. 930 BC e., 967-928 BC. e., according to traditional Jewish chronology ca. 874-796 BC e.

Solomon is a character in many legends, in which he acts as the wisest of people and a fair judge, often magical qualities are attributed to him (understanding the language of animals, power over genies).

Traditionally considered the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, as well as some of the Psalms (Ps. 126 (Masoretic text - Ps. 127), Ps. 131 (Masoretic. Ps. 132). Orthodox and Catholic Church is considered the author of the deuterocanonical Book of the Wisdom of Solomon.

The historicity of King Solomon, as well as the historicity of King David, and the historicity of the kingdom of Israel are the subject of scholarly debate.

Historicity of Solomon

The Bible is the main source of information about the life and reign of Solomon. In addition, his name is mentioned in the writings of some authors of antiquity, as Josephus wrote about. Except for biblical stories, no direct historical evidence of his existence has been found. Nevertheless, he is considered to be a historical figure. According to this reign, the Bible has a particularly detailed fact sheet with many personal names and figures. The name of Solomon is associated mainly with the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II, and several cities, the construction of which was also associated with his name.

At the same time, a completely plausible historical outline is adjacent to obvious exaggerations. For the later periods of Jewish history, the reign of Solomon represented a kind of "golden age". As happens in such cases, all the blessings of the world were attributed to the "sun-like" king - wealth, women, a remarkable mind.

Solomon's names

Name Shlomo(Solomon) in Hebrew comes from the root "שלום" ( shalom- "peace", in the meaning of "not war"), as well as "שלם" ( shalem- “perfect”, “whole”. Solomon is also mentioned in the Bible under a number of other names. For example, it is called Yedidia("beloved of God or friend of God") is a symbolic name given to Solomon as a sign of God's favor towards his father David after his deep repentance for adultery with Bathsheba.

In the Haggadah, King Solomon is also credited with names from the Book of Solomon's Proverbs (ch. 30, v. 1 and ch. 31, v. 1) Agur, Bin, Yake, Lemuel, Itiel, and Ukal.

Bible story

The Holy Scripture says that Solomon was born in the capital of the kingdom of Israel - Jerusalem (First Book of Chronicles, ch. 3, article 5). The Bible mentions Solomon's wife Naam the Ammonite (Hebrew - נעמה) (1 Kings 14:22,31) and Solomon's daughters - Tafath (Heb. Tafat טפת), (3 Kings 4:11) and Basemath (Heb. Basemat בשמת), (Third Book of Kings 4:15).

He was succeeded by his son Rehoboam (3 Kings 14:21).

Rise to power

King David intended to pass the throne to Solomon, although he was one of his younger sons. When David became decrepit, his other son, Adonijah, tried to usurp power (1 Kings 1:5). He entered into a conspiracy with the high priest Abiathar and the commander of the troops, Joab, and, taking advantage of David's weakness, announced himself as the successor to the throne, appointing a magnificent coronation.

Solomon's mother, Bathsheba (Hebrew - בת שבע Bat Sheva), as well as the prophet Nathan (Hebrew נתן Nathan) notified David about this. Adonijah fled and hid in the Tabernacle, grabbing "for the horns of the altar"(1 Kings 1:51), after his repentance, Solomon pardoned him. After coming to power, Solomon dealt with other participants in the conspiracy. So, Solomon temporarily removed Abiathar from the priesthood and executed Joab, who tried to hide on the run. The executor of both executions, Vanei, Solomon appointed the new commander of the troops.

God gave Solomon the kingship on the condition that he would not deviate from the service of God. In exchange for this promise, God endowed Solomon with unprecedented wisdom and patience (1 Kings 3:10 - 11)

The composition of the government formed by Solomon:

• High priests - Zadok, Aviafar, Azariah;
• Commander of the troops - Vanya;
• Minister of Taxation - Adoniram;
• Court chronicler - Jehoshaphat; also scribes - Elichoreth and Ahia;
• Akhisar - head of the royal administration;
• Zawuf;
• Azaria - the head of the governors;
• 12 governors:
  • Ben Hur
  • Ben Decker,
  • ben hesed,
  • Ben Abinadab,
  • Vahana, son of Ahilud,
  • Ben Gever,
  • Ahinadab,
  • Ahimaas,
  • Vaana, son of Khushai,
  • Jehoshaphat
  • Shimey,
  • Gever.

Foreign policy

The basis of Solomon's well-being was the trade route from Egypt to Damascus that passed through his possessions. He was not a warlike ruler, although the states of Israel and Judah, united under his rule, occupied a significant territory. Solomon maintained friendly relations with the Phoenician king Hiram. Great building projects left him indebted to Hiram (1 Kings 9:15). To pay off the debt, Solomon was forced to cede to him the villages in the south of his lands.

According to the biblical story, having learned about the wisdom and glory of Solomon, the ruler of the Sabaean kingdom came to Solomon “to test him with riddles” (Third Book of Kings, ch. 10). In response, Solomon also gave gifts to the queen, giving “ everything she wanted and asked for". After this visit, according to the Bible, an unprecedented prosperity began in Israel. In a year, 666 talents of gold came to King Solomon (1 Kings 10:14). Subsequently, the story of the Queen of Sheba acquired numerous legends up to assumptions about her love affair with Solomon. The Christian rulers of Ethiopia considered themselves descended from this connection.

It is believed that Solomon ended the half-thousand-year enmity between the Jews and the Egyptians by taking the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh as his first wife (1 Kings 9:16).

End of reign

According to the Bible, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3), among whom were foreigners. One of them, who by that time had become his beloved wife and had a great influence on the king, convinced Solomon to build a pagan altar and worship the deities of her native land. For this, God was angry with him and promised many hardships to the people of Israel, but after the end of the reign of Solomon (since David was promised the prosperity of the country even with his son). Thus, the whole reign of Solomon passed quite calmly. Solomon died in the fortieth year of his reign. According to legend, this happened while he was overseeing the construction of a new altar. In order to avoid a mistake (assuming that it could be a lethargic dream), the associates did not bury him until the worms began to sharpen his staff. Only then was he officially declared dead and buried.

Huge expenses for the construction of the temple and the palace (the latter was built twice as long as the temple) exhausted the state treasury. Construction service was served not only by captives and slaves, but also by ordinary subjects of the king (The Third Book of Kings, 12:1 - 5). Even during the life of Solomon, uprisings of the conquered peoples (Edomites, Arameans) began; immediately after his death, an uprising broke out, as a result of which a single state broke up into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah). According to the Talmud, Solomon lived for 52 years.

Solomon in Islam

According to the Qur'an, Suleiman was the son of the prophet Dawood. From his father, he learned a lot of knowledge and was chosen by Allah as a prophet, and he was given mystical power over many creatures, including jinn. He ruled over a vast kingdom, which extended to the south as far as Yemen. In the Islamic tradition, Suleiman is known for his wisdom and justice. He is considered a model ruler. It is no coincidence that many Muslim monarchs bore his name. The Islamic tradition has some parallels with Aggadah, where Solomon is presented as "the wisest of people who could talk with animals, and they obeyed him." In the Jewish tradition there is a motif of humility of this proud king.

According to Islamic tradition, Suleiman died at the age of 81.

Symbolism

According to legend, under Solomon, the sign of his father David became the state seal. In Islam, the six-pointed star is called the Star of Solomon. At the same time, medieval mystics called Solomon's seal a pentagram (five-pointed star). It is believed that the star of Solomon formed the basis of the Maltese cross of the knights of John.

In occultism, the pentacle with the name "Star of Solomon" is considered to be the 8-pointed star. Due to the greater number of rays, a circle forms in the center of the star. Often a symbol was inscribed in it. These signs were widely used in magic, alchemy, Kabbalah and other mystical teachings.

Image in art

The image of King Solomon inspired many poets and artists: for example, the German poet of the 18th century. F.-G. Klopstock dedicated a tragedy in verse to him, the artist Raphael created the fresco The Judgment of Solomon, and the artist Rubens painted the painting The Judgment of Solomon, Handel dedicated the oratorio to him, and Gounod the opera.A. I. Kuprin used the image of King Solomon and the motif of the Song of Songs in his story Shulamith (1908).

Based on the relevant legend, the peplum "Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" (1959) was filmed.

King Solomon (Shlomo, in Islam - Suleiman) (1011 - 928 BC) - one of the main characters of the Abrahamic "holy writings".

Solomon in the "holy scripture" is called the great and wise ruler, the bearer of all kinds of virtues (real and imaginary).

The merits of King Solomon are, among other things, the construction of the main (and only) Jewish Temple, located in Jerusalem, and the composition of several books of the biblical canon:

• "Song of Songs";
• "Book of proverbs";
• Some psalms of the "Psalter";
• "Book of Ecclesiastes".

Solomon certainly could not have been the author of the last book mentioned: Ecclesiastes (The Conversation of the Desperate with His Ba) is a classic ancient Egyptian poem based on Egyptian religion and philosophy and echoing another Egyptian poem, the Harper's Song.

The authorship of the other listed works of the biblical canon also remains in question. For Jewish scribes of later times, King Solomon is the personification of an ideal ruler, and his era is a kind of “golden age” of the Hebrew state.

Therefore, it is not surprising that such close attention is paid to his figure.

King's name

The name Shlomo comes from the Hebrew word "shalom" - "peace (absence of war)", as well as from the word "shalem" - "whole, perfect", apparently, these are related words. Solomon is mentioned in the "Bible" under other names, for example - Jedidiah ("beloved of God, friend of God"); so his father, King David, called him when God forgave him for raping Bathsheba and killing her husband.

How did he come to power

Shlomo appears to have been the rightful heir to the Jewish throne, as he was co-ruler with his father in last years his life. When David became very old, his other son, Adonijah, tried to usurp power. He entered into an agreement with the chief priest Aviathar and the commander Joab, announced to the people about his accession and arranged a magnificent celebration on this occasion.

However, Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, and the priest Nathan reported this to David. Adonijah decided to run away and hid in the tabernacle (camping temple). Solomon, who by that time had actually become the heir to the throne, agreed to pardon his brother if he surrendered and repented. He did so. Solomon executed the rest of the conspirators, then forming a new government.

Solomon is reported to have made a deal with God; he gave him great wisdom and patience, as requested by the new king, and Solomon swore to educate the people in fidelity to God.

Relations with other states

As the meaning of his name confirms, Solomon was a peaceful ruler and did not want to wage any wars. Nevertheless, he created a united state of Israel and Judah, which occupied a significant territory. The basis of the wealth of the treasury under Solomon was the trade route from Egypt to Damascus, which passed through its territory; Solomon also traded horses and chariots, carried out intermediary transactions.

Only it was hardly possible to earn such fabulous wealth on this, which is attributed to the legendary king. Archaeologists have found that in the time of Solomon in the kingdom of Israel there were many copper mines and smelting furnaces, apparently, this was the main source of replenishment of the budget.

Solomon was friends with the rulers of neighboring countries, including the Egyptian pharaoh, thus, the centuries-old enmity between Jews and Egyptians ended. To strengthen the friendship, Solomon took Pharaoh's daughter as his first wife. He was also on friendly terms with the Phoenician king Hiram - he was in his debt, in repayment of which he ceded to Hiram some villages on the territory of his country.

The Israeli king did not even dare to deal with Razon, a rebellious Aramean who expelled Jewish representatives from Damascus and declared himself ruler.

Attitude towards one's country

Solomon was an excellent administrator, diplomat, builder and entrepreneur. Having received from his father a not particularly rich state, living in a patriarchal tribal way of life and of little interest to anyone, he made it a real ancient superpower, which neighboring countries were forced to reckon with - even such powerful ones as Egypt.

The kingdom of Israel itself became rich and prosperous, and first of all it concerns Jerusalem - Solomon made it a luxurious metropolis, moreover, the only center of the Jewish religion. Meanwhile, it is not at all necessary to idealize King Solomon. It was a rather powerful ruler who saw only his slaves in his subjects.

The luxury at his court reached madness, and one of the symbols of this luxury was the monstrous size of the harem of Solomon. The king led his country to prosperity with an iron hand, often not caring about ordinary subjects or showing violence against them. Solomon and the Queen of Sheba The famous story was that the queen of the Sabaean state, located on the Arabian Peninsula, once came to Solomon. In the "Bible" their relationship is described vaguely and mysteriously, however, apparently, King Solomon was in love with her.

The real name of King Solomon (Shlomo) is Yedidiah (Beloved by God). Nickname Solomon - Peaceful - he received because, unlike his father, King David, he practically did not fight.

The Holy Scriptures say that Solomon was born in the capital of the kingdom of Israel - Jerusalem.

King David had many wives. According to the Bible, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3). However, polygamy played with Solomon a cruel joke. The wives of Solomon were idolaters, and, indulging them, the king built for them numerous pagan sanctuaries, which he himself regularly visited. For this, it was predicted to him that after his death his kingdom would fall apart.

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

The state of Saba really existed on Arabian Peninsula(There are references to it in Assyrian manuscripts of the 8th century BC).

the most profitable his marriage was to the daughter of a pharaoh, the ruler of powerful Egypt. It is believed that Solomon ended the half-thousand-year enmity between the Jews and the Egyptians by taking the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh as his first wife (1 Kings 9:16).

Solomon is traditionally believed to have been the author three bible books. In his youth, he wrote a love poem - "Song of Songs" (Shir a-Shirim), in maturity - a moralizing collection "Proverbs" (Mishlei), and in his old age - a sad book "Ecclesiastes" (Koelet), beginning with the words: "Vanity of vanities - everything is vanity."

In the Orthodox and Catholic Church is considered the author of the deuterocanonical Book Wisdom of Solomon.

At the decisive moment in the struggle for power, Solomon was supported by the high priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and most importantly, the commander of the capital guard Vanei. According to different chronologies m, the dates of reign refer to the beginning of the tenth century BC. e., 972-932 BC. e., 960s - ca. 930 BC e., 967-928 BC. e., according to traditional Jewish chronology ca. 874-796 BC e.

Kingdom of Israel under Solomon

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

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

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

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

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

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

Solomon's kingdom had so much wealth that silver depreciated and became equivalent to a simple stone. In the Third Book of Kings it is said about this (chapter 10, verse 27): "And the king made silver in Jerusalem equal to simple stones, and cedars, in their multitude, made equal to sycamore trees growing in low places."

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

archaeological finds introduced us to many aspects of the life of that time. In particular, they testify to a rather high standard of living. Countless expensive cosmetic bowls made of alabaster and Ivory, different shapes vials, tweezers, mirrors and hairpins prove that Israeli women of that era cared about their appearance.

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

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

There are a number of important themes in the book of Proverbs that can be divided into three parts:

Man's relation to God;
Man's attitude towards himself;
His attitude towards others.

The most important thing that King Solomon did in his life He built the Temple in Jerusalem.

Supplied from Lebanon Construction Materials: sandstone, cypresses, cedars. The stones were hewn by the masons of both Hiram and Solomon. Copper, necessary for utensils and temple columns, was mined in the copper mines of Idumea, in the south of the Israelite highlands. Almost 200 thousand workers were involved in the construction.

Grandiose constructions and rapid economic development demanded work force"And King Solomon imposed a tax on all Israel; and the tax consisted of thirty thousand people." Solomon divided the country into 12 tax districts, obliging them to support the royal court and the army.

Tribe of Judah from which Solomon and David came, was exempted from taxes, which caused discontent among the representatives of the other Israelite tribes. Solomon's extravagance and craving for luxury led to the fact that he could not pay off King Hiram, with whom he concluded an agreement during the construction of the Temple, and was forced to give him several of his cities on account of his debt.

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

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

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

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

Fact Sheet: website

parables Solomon

AT Holy Scripture there is one biblical character who is shrouded in a whole trail of myths and legends. His image is considered integral to the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions, and his wisdom and justice were sung by entire generations of writers and poets. According to biblical sources, he acts as the wisest of people, a fair judge who knew how to find original solution in the most extraordinary situations. Fantastic qualities were also attributed to this person, such as: power over genies, understanding the language of animals.

And although a number of historians deny his physical existence, arguing that he and his deeds are described only in biblical sources, but in culture different peoples he is referred to as a real person with all his strengths and weaknesses. Pictures from his life and deeds were often depicted on the stained-glass windows of medieval temples, miniatures of Byzantine manuscripts, paintings by artists and in numerous works of writers. And the phrase "Solomon's decision" has existed for many centuries as popular expression. Yes, we are talking about Solomon, the third king of Israel.

Shlomo, Solomon, Suleiman- this name is known to almost every educated person, regardless of his age and attitude to religion. Experts still argue about his biography, but the generally accepted version is that he was one of the younger sons of King David, a former simple warrior who served King Seoul and became famous for his fantastic victory over Goliath. After this brave and resourceful fighter replaced the king of Seoul on the throne of Israel, he began to actively develop his native state. However, like any ruler, David made mistakes. One of them was the sin of adultery, which he committed with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his subordinates, who was subsequently sent to certain death.

A beautiful woman became the wife of David, and from this marriage in 1011 BC. e. a boy was born, to whom happy parents gave the name Shlomo, which literally translates from Hebrew as “peace”. True, the sin committed by David did not pass him in vain: he had powerful ill-wishers, one of whom was Nathan, who is part of the assembly of the prophets, the authors of the Book of Kings. His curse haunted David for a long time, who had to beg for the forgiveness of the Almighty for a long time. The unpredictability of David's actions also affected the principle of succession to the throne. Having a full-fledged successor to the throne of the eldest son Adonijah, he decided to give the kingdom to the youngest - Solomon.

This step provoked a severe crisis in the country, which almost ended in a full-fledged war. Adonijah even managed to form a special detachment of bodyguards, but he did not receive the desired support in the army and in the church environment. The unsuccessful heir had to seek refuge in the Tabernacle, and his closest associates were captured and subjected to punishment in the form of execution or exile. Adonijah himself was pardoned by Solomon, but this only briefly extended his earthly existence. Deciding to marry Abishag the Sunamite, a servant of King David, he crossed the line and was executed.

After the dynastic competitor was eliminated, Solomon became the sole ruler of Israel. He was endowed with remarkable wisdom, did not accept a military solution to conflicts, therefore, among his first actions as a full-fledged king, he made rapprochement with Egypt. Despite the scandalous exodus of Jews from this country, this state was strong and possessed enormous wealth. It is better to have such countries, if not as allies, but as friends, so Solomon suggested that Pharaoh Sheshenq I, then ruling in Egypt, give him his daughter as a wife. Together with the Nile beauty, he received the city of Tel Gezer as a dowry, as well as the opportunity to charge for the passage of trade caravans along the Royal Via Regia road, which stretched from Egypt to Damascus.

The second direction of friendly diplomacy was the Phoenician kingdom. Having established contacts with its ruler Hiram I the Great, who promised to supply the necessary building materials to Israel, he was able to begin the grandiose construction of the temple. As payment for cypress, gold, and workers, Phenicia received wheat and olive oil. In addition, part of the Israeli southern lands went to the Phoenicians.

The legend of his communication with the ruler of Sabaea, the Queen of Sheba, speaks of the remarkable mental abilities of Solomon. A literate and wise woman came to Israel to test Solomon with a series of riddles. The King of Israel passed this test with honor, for which the guest gave the wise ruler great amount gold, precious stones and incense. Contemporaries claimed that Israel became prosperous and wealthy after this visit.

Interestingly, as a flamboyant politician, Solomon rejected forceful solutions to conflicts. Actually, it came from him that the degree of guilt, as well as the amount of punishment of the guilty person, should be determined by the judge - a person absolutely independent of any of the parties to the conflict. Solomon is believed to have been the first such judge, and as an example of his work in this field, the case of two women sharing one child is given. Seeing that both mothers insist that the baby belongs only to them, Solomon made a completely non-trivial decision. He ordered the servants to bring a sword with which he was going to cut the unfortunate baby into two parts, so that each of the women would receive their part of the child. By the reaction of the petitioners to such a cruel decision, he was able to find out which of them was the real mother, and which was an impostor.

Of course, royal life was not calm. But Solomon kept his composure, according to legend, was helped by a magic ring. This little thing, received from the court philosopher, made it possible for the king to find salvation from various passions. On the outside, the ring was engraved with the inscription: “Everything passes”, and inside its continuation: “This too will pass”. Looking at these inscriptions, the king pacified his anger, calmed down, after which he found a witty solution to the most complicated cases.

Solomon is also credited with such an innovation. According to ancient legends, our planet was once hit by a terrible flood that destroyed the powerful civilization of Atlantis. The surviving people formed a new society, and only ancient artifacts remained from the old one, including things that had a technological purpose. Among the leaders of the newly emerged countries, such finds were highly valued, because they gave them an advantage over competitors. All knowledge of this kind is exclusively by oral transmission in order to essential information did not go to hostile neighbors.

Solomon was the first to depart from this practice. He began to record esoteric knowledge in writing. Among the treatises attributed to him are the "Keys of Solomon", in one of the sections of which there is a mention of 72 demons. modern science considers this to be encrypted knowledge about the amount of human hormones. These works have been supplemented for ease of reading information. large quantity diagrams and signs. A significant part of these drawings is used in esotericism to this day. In addition to the Keys of Solomon, his authorship is also attributed to the Books of Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs and the Book of Proverbs.

Unfortunately, even wise authorities find it difficult to resist temptations. Solomon, like his kingdom, which he built for many years, was destroyed by love. Legends say that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. One of the wives whom the king loved very much was a foreigner. A smart woman was able to persuade Solomon to build a pagan altar. Its construction quarreled Solomon with the Almighty, who personally promised the presumptuous ruler and his country to send various misfortunes. And so it happened. From numerous construction projects, the royal treasury was empty, unrest among the Edomites and Aramites began on the outskirts, and Solomon himself died at the age of 52, watching the construction of the ill-fated altar. In the future, the prediction of the Almighty came true: ancient Israel split. And although the Jews still had ups and downs in development, the ancient Jews could not achieve prosperity in the time of Solomon.