Prophet-King Solomon

reigned c. 970 - 931 BC

Also known as Solomon

Son of David, king of Israel, builder of the Temple, and the biblical figure associated with the wisdom writings.

December 14New Calendar

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December 27Old Calendar

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Commemorated as

The Holy Prophet and King Solomon

Life

Solomon was a king of Israel and the son of David, remembered in the Old Testament as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem and as the figure traditionally associated with the wisdom writings of Scripture. By conventional reckoning he ruled the united Kingdom of Israel for some forty years, from about 970 to 931 BC. In the Orthodox Church he is venerated among the holy ancestors of Christ.

His mother was Bathsheba, and on the death of David he was proclaimed king through the prophet Nathan and Bathsheba, succeeding to the throne in place of his older brother Adonijah. His reign is portrayed in the books of Kings as a period of wealth, extensive building, and far-reaching trade, followed by a later spiritual decline attributed to the influence of his foreign wives.

In his own wordsReadHide

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs, 9:10 · King James Version (PD)

Timeline4 momentsReadHide

c. 970 BCAccession to the throne of IsraelOn the death of David, Solomon was proclaimed king through the prophet Nathan and his mother Bathsheba, succeeding to the throne ahead of his elder brother Adonijah.
Early reignThe prayer for wisdomAccording to the account in 1 Kings, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked what he desired; rather than wealth or long life, he asked for wisdom to rule and guide his people.
ReignBuilding of the First TempleSolomon completed the First Temple in Jerusalem as a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant, using materials gathered by David and the assistance of an architect sent by Hiram I of Tyre.
c. 931 BCDeath and the division of the kingdomSolomon died of natural causes after reigning forty years. His son Rehoboam succeeded him, but ten of the tribes refused him, dividing the monarchy into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.

Contributions & Legacy

4 contributionsReadHide

The Temple in Jerusalem

Solomon's most significant achievement, as the biblical narrative records it, was the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem. David had gathered materials for the temple as a permanent dwelling for the Ark of the Covenant, and Solomon brought the work to completion with the help of an architect sent by the Phoenician king Hiram I of Tyre.

The Temple stood at the center of a larger program of construction. Solomon raised an extensive royal palace complex in Jerusalem over a period of thirteen years, founded colonies that doubled as trading posts and outposts, and strengthened cities including Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. His reign was marked by great wealth, including annual tribute of gold, and by a profitable trading relationship with Tyre that sent joint expeditions to Tarshish and Ophir for luxury goods.

Wisdom and the Judgment of the Two Mothers

The books of Kings emphasize Solomon's renowned wisdom, granted in answer to his prayer at the beginning of his reign. The best-known illustration is his judgment between two women who each claimed to be the mother of the same child: he ordered the child divided, and the true mother revealed herself by her compassion in surrendering her claim to spare the child's life.

The fame of his wisdom and wealth is said to have reached the Queen of Sheba, who travelled to visit him bearing gifts of gold, spices, and precious stones.

The Wisdom Writings

Tradition credits Solomon with the authorship of several of the wisdom books of Scripture: the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Some traditions also attribute the Book of Wisdom to him, although scholars date that composition much later, to the 2nd century BC.

Veneration as a Forefather of Christ

In the Orthodox Church Solomon is commemorated among the holy forefathers and ancestors of Christ. The Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, kept on the second Sunday before the Nativity, honors the Old Testament ancestors of Christ — patriarchs and matriarchs, prophets, and the kings and judges of Israel, among them David and Solomon — recognizing the faith and righteousness of those who lived before and under the Law as predecessors in the work of salvation. The biblical account also records a later turning of Solomon's heart toward the gods of his foreign wives, on account of which the kingdom was decreed to be divided after his death.

Works & Further ReadingReadHide

Notable Works

The Book of Proverbs — A collection of wisdom sayings traditionally ascribed to Solomon.
Ecclesiastes — A reflective wisdom book of Scripture traditionally attributed to Solomon.
The Song of Songs — A poetic book of Scripture traditionally attributed to Solomon.
The Book of Wisdom — A wisdom book attributed by some traditions to Solomon, though dated by scholars to the 2nd century BC.

Member ofReadHide

Synaxis of the Holy Forefathers and Foremothers

Synaxis

Family2 relativesShowHide

Father; Solomon succeeded him to the throne of Israel.

Prophet-King David

Mother, through whom Solomon was proclaimed king.

Bathsheba

not commemorated

Companions1 figureShowHide

Court prophet who named Solomon Jedidiah and secured and presided over his anointing.

Prophet Nathan