Who was Solomon in the Bible?

Son of David and Bathsheba. [Bath-sheba] He reigned forty years over the united kingdom from B.C. 1015 to 975. David when near his death appointed Solomon his son, whom God had chosen to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah, to be his successor, and he began his reign by executing righteous judgement, as Christ will when He comes to reign, followed by a reign of peace. He put to death Adonijah who had usurped the throne, and Joab who had shed innocent blood; and he cast Abiathar out of the priesthood. His marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is symbolical of Christ having the church (mainly Gentiles) with Him when He comes to reign.

Solomon loved the Lord, and worshipped Him at the altar at Gibeon, and there the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and said, "Ask what I shall give thee." Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge the people wisely. The choice pleased God, and He gave him wisdom such as no king before nor since has had, and added to it both riches and honour beyond all others. If he would be obedient God would lengthen his days. His wisdom soon became apparent by his judgement in the case of the two women with the living and dead child. And people came from all the kings of the earth to hear his wisdom. The queen of Sheba came also. This is again symbolical of the reign of Christ during the millennium. It is further exemplified by all dwelling in safety, "every man under his vine and under his fig tree . . . . all the days of Solomon."

He was occupied for seven years in building the temple, for which David had made preparation. He built also his own house and one for Pharaoh's daughter. When the temple was dedicated, Solomon sacrificed and prayed to Jehovah. In answer to which Jehovah appeared to him a second time, and said, He had hallowed the house, had put His name there, and His heart should be there perpetually. God would continue to bless him and establish his house in Israel, on the condition that Solomon was obedient, and turned not to other gods.

After David's death Solomon (hebr. "peace") is the new king in Israel. He is a type of Christ, who is the true king of peace. Together David and Solomon portray Christ in His rejection and in the following glorious reign of peace. After the death of Solomon the kingdom of Israel is divided into two parts. In the north of Palestine arises the ten-tribe-kingdom (Israel) under Jeroboam and in the southern part remain the two tribes Judah and Benjamin with the capital Jerusalem (Judah) under the reign of Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

1 Kings 4 contains an enumeration of the officers who served Solomon, and upheld the glory of his throne; and then, the manner in which the whole country provided for the maintenance of his household, Judah and Israel being multiplied and full of joy The king's authority extends as far as the Euphrates. Peace reigns all around. The wisdom and understanding which God had given him surpassed all that was known in the world; so that from the ends of the earth they came to hear the wisdom of his lips.

His proverbs, his songs, and his knowledge, bore testimony to the excellent spirit with which God had endowed the king His throne is established, and the glory of the son of David abounds. The Gentiles now — the king of Tyre, emblematic of the world and its desirable things — are at Solomon's disposal, and apply themselves joyfully to the fulfilment of the king of Israel's projects, and to his service in building the house of Jehovah.

God bestowed upon Solomon wisdom and knowledge, and very great understanding and largeness of heart, and additionally, riches, wealth, and honor. The wisdom of God was in him to do justice. Kings came to hear his wisdom, for his fame spread to all lands.

The son of David who succeeded him on Israel’s throne made a very good beginning, asking wisdom from the Lord, and praying in a very blessed way at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8). God was pleased with Solomon’s prayer, and appeared to him, promising blessing on obedience to His statutes and judgments, but warning him of the dread consequences of turning from Him to serve other gods (1 Kings 9:1–9).

Although Solomon's wisdom was divinely given, it was natural wisdom, wisdom that was required to rule his kingdom well, to enquire into the realm of nature, and to be displayed before men in all that he accomplished and discovered We see his wisdom displayed in his discovery of the true mother of the living child in 1 Kings 3:16-27, in the "hard questions" that he answered for the queen of Sheba, and in the display of his glory that brought from that royal visitor the words, "It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom … and behold the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard" (1 Kings 10:1-7).

After much fighting David had consolidated his kingdom and handed it to Solomon. Solomon was greatly blessed by God. He gave him wisdom beyond any; he was the favoured instrument for the erection of the temple; his kingdom was at peace, and prosperous. But he allowed his heart to run after strange wives and their gods.

Of all the men, whose lives are recorded in 0ld Testament Scripture, Solomon stands out supreme in his intellectual endowments. If we read 1 Kings 4:29-34, and then glance at the first verse of 1 Kings 10, we shall see that his extraordinary mental powers were given him by God, and that he was not only a literary and poetic genius with great knowledge of all natural history subjects, but that he also had great understanding "concerning the name of the Lord;" and it was the fame spread abroad as to this latter feature, that drew the Queen of Sheba to his presence. He was evidently the wonder of his age.

Solomon, set up as king over Israel, in peace, according to the promises of God to David, fell into idolatry; and the kingdom was divided.

Because of Solomon's serious failure, when he passed off the scene, the kingdom was broken into two parts, with ten tribes separating from Judah and Benjamin (ch.12). Solomon's son continued to reign only over the two tribes, and his descendants succeeded him, while Israel had no such succession of kings, but were under the domination of whatever king could gain power enough to displace one who reigned before him.