What You Should Know About King Solomon by Myra Kahn Adams for Town Hall
Q. Who were King Solomon’s parents?
A. Solomon was the second child born to Israel’s King David and his wife, Bathsheba. God orchestrated their first son to die shortly after birth to punish David for the scandalous and immoral circumstances surrounding the baby’s conception. (See Vol. 99.)
Q. When did King Solomon reign? What was his age when he became king?
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A. After the death of King David, and then with the help of Mother Bathsheba, Solomon ascended to the throne between the ages of 12 and 20. He ruled for approximately 40 years between 970 and 931 BC.
Q. What were the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament books written by Solomon?
A. He is credited with Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
Q. For what is King Solomon best known?
A. Two achievements stand out among many accomplished with God’s Hand. First was his wisdom. God endowed Solomon with such an abundance of brain power that today, the phrase “Solomonic wisdom” means someone is “marked by notable wisdom, reasonableness, or discretion especially under trying circumstances,” according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. (More on this below.)
Second, God chose Solomon to build the Temple in Jerusalem after the Lord denied that honor to his father, David. Why? David explained the Lord’s reason to Solomon:
“David said to Solomon: ‘My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. But this word of the Lord came to me: “‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever’” (1 Chronicles 22:7-10).
