When King Solomon was born. Solomon - biography, information, personal life

Solomon... The designated word means peaceful... Solomon was the tenth son of David and was born of Bathsheba, who was first the wife of Uriah, in 1033 BC (). The name of Solomon was given to him by his parents, according to the prophecy of Nathan, as a sign of the return of peace and the mercy of God to them and to commemorate his peaceful reign, in opposition to the warlike reign of David (). The Lord loved the newborn, and so on. Nathan, according to the word of the Lord, named him Jedidia- beloved by God (). On the childhood and youth of the son of Bathsheba, priest. no information is transmitted by the descriptor. Judging by the deep love that David showed to his future successor, and the solemn covenants that he obliged him, transferring royal power to him - the covenants, the implementation of which, undoubtedly, required great intelligence and great learning, one can unmistakably assume that Solomon was fully brought up and taught all the wisdom of Israel at that time, and that his mind, in addition, was deeply watered wisdom from above.

When David got old, entered old years(), Adonijah, his eldest son, made an attempt to ascend to the throne of his father. In this undertaking he was assisted by Joab, the chief commander of the army, and the chief priest. Abiathar, as the head of the church, by his high position, enjoyed great influence among Israel. Joab and Abiathar, of course, were well aware that they were living in transition period and what's coming new order things, in which their power and influence can easily increase. Adonijah suspected the son of Bathsheba, and when he invited the other brothers to the proposed wedding to the kingdom, he did not send an invitation to Solomon: he probably already knew about his father's intention and about the Divine will not in his favor. The prophet Nathan, foreseeing the disasters that could arise from this plan, immediately advised Bathsheba to go to his aged royal husband and remind him of his oath - to make Solomon heir to his throne. The queen went to David, and thanks to her intensified requests, timely measures were taken to destroy Adonijah's treacherous encroachment on the throne. In warning of something like this for the future, David immediately ordered Benaiah, an experienced military leader, Zadok the high priest, Nathan the prophet, to lead Solomon to the stream of Gion, anoint him with peace and proclaim him before the people as the future king of the Israelites. All this was done exactly. And they sounded a trumpet, and all the people cried out, Let King Solomon live. The joyful sounds of trumpets in the city were soon heard by Adonijah and his accomplices, who immediately fled in fear, expressed remorse and swore an oath to the future king. The time drew near for David, and now he, calling Solomon to him, urged him to carefully preserve purity of heart and justice both in his own person and in the management of affairs; gave him detailed instructions regarding the arrangement of the temple to Jehovah, ordered him to punish Joab for the murder of Abner and Amasa, as well as Semey for the cruel curses he once uttered on the head of the king. Soon after, the aged king rested with his fathers, and Solomon became the only king in Israel. Strictly fulfilling his father's will and in order to ensure peace for his kingdom, the young king first of all took the opportunity to free his kingdom from the most powerful enemies: for this purpose, Adonijah, Avisaga, the last concubine in the house of David, Joab and Semey were killed, the high priest. Abiathar was stripped of his dignity and banished to Anafov, the city of refuge, in the tribe of Benjamin. According to Eastern customs, Solomon took the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and brought her into the house of David - an event although former violation law, but celebrated and then with extraordinary luxury (, Ps. XLIV). Solomon considered it necessary to leave for a time the wicked idolatrous services of some of his subjects, who, even to this time, had not yet completely freed themselves from idolatry, but offered sacrifices and incense in the heights. And although he himself loved the Lord and walked according to the ordinance of his father David, but he also offered sacrifices and incense in the heights(). Before the construction of the temple, the shrine, which enjoyed great reverence on the part of the people, was located in Gibeon, where there was a copper altar and an altar made by Moses in the wilderness. Solomon came here during one of the solemn assemblies and here he offered a thousand burnt offerings on this altar to the Lord God. The Lord appeared to him in a dream at night and said to him: ask what to give you? The young tsar, with a deep sense of humility and obedience to the will of God, asked himself only one thing - a rational heart, in order to justly judge and rule the numerous people entrusted to his government. And it was pleasing to the Lord, the sacred descriptor notes, that Solomon asked for this. He was given from the Lord a wise and reasonable heart and, besides, wealth and glory, much more than his predecessors had. Solomon then returned to Jerusalem and brought a thankful sacrifice to the Lord before the Ark of the Covenant. And he made a great feast for all his servants ().

Having fully established himself on the throne and fully prepared for the performance of his arduous duties, the successor of David is now before us the wise ruler of the chosen 12 tribes. Since the deeds of the glorious reign of Solomon, set out in the III book. Kingdoms (III-XI), and II book. Steam. (IX), with a few outstanding exceptions, are fragmentary, then we will make a short sketch in I) - the wisdom of Solomon, II) - his wealth, III) - his reign and his personal character.

I. Solomon's wisdom... Solomon's mind possessed all the principles on which true wisdom is based - that is, sound judgment, an extensive memory, an enormous store of knowledge and skillful application of these to business. A wise solution to a dispute between two mothers regarding a living and dead baby, the dispute that took place in his presence reveals in him a clear and accurate understanding of the feelings of the human heart and deep wisdom (). The sound principles by which he was guided in administrative matters aroused deep respect and fear for such a wise judge. It should be noted, however, that judicial duties at the indicated time constituted one of the most important departments of the tsarist government; and here we read in Bibles that Solomon, already at the beginning of his reign, made a porch with the throne from which he judged, he made a porch for the court(), on which he sat and resolved numerous litigations that arose among his subjects. His various knowledge in various matters was truly amazing. And there was the wisdom of Solomon, notes the priest. descriptor, above the wisdom of all the children of the East, and all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was wiser than all people(IV, 30, 31). He spoke three thousand parables, and his songs were a thousand and five (v. 32). His knowledge was very diverse. According to priest. descriptor, and he spoke of trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; spoke about animals, and about birds, and about reptiles, and about fish(). In addition to this tremendous scholarly knowledge and the above written works, Solomon also compiled the following books: Song of Songs, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, undoubtedly written by him under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The fame of his extraordinary wisdom, naturally, could not be limited to the narrow borders of Judea. Between all the neighboring peoples and far, far, even to the borders of Arabia, various amazing stories were passed on about Solomon. And they came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon(IV, 34). Hearing about the wisdom and glory of Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, or the South, came to Jerusalem with very great wealth to test him with riddles, and talked with him about everything that was in her heart. And Solomon explained to her all her words, and there was nothing unfamiliar to Solomon, which he would not explain to her.(X, 1-3). And now, I was not even half told about the multitude of your wisdom, exclaimed the queen of distant Savea, parting with him, you surpass the rumor that I have heard().

II. The wealth of Solomon... During the reign of Solomon, everything was obviously favorable to the multiplication of his wealth in enormous quantities. Judah and Israel lived carefree under their fig tree. Wars have not yet been known. Tribute from the defeated by him neighboring peoples, the fruits of native activity are agricultural and pastoral, and all the acquisitions that came from the developed great trade, abundantly filled the treasuries of Solomon. From the latter of these sources, the acquisitions were truly enormous. Trade relations were carried out with Tire, Arabia, Egypt, very likely with Babylon and, perhaps, also with India. He had a fleet in the Indian Ocean, which on one sea voyage gave him 400 talents of gold, and another in the Mediterranean Sea, who traded with Tarshish and brought him various precious metals. He also had merchant warehouses in Palmyra and Balbec for overseas trade. The inhabitants of the desert will fall before him, the psalmist exclaims and his enemies will lick the ashes. The kings of Tarshish and the islands will pay tribute to him; the kings of Arabia and Sheba will offer him gifts(Ps. LXXI, 9-10). Large quantities of gold and silver were exported from these various countries and cities, as well as ivory, red and other precious trees, textiles, horses, monkeys and chariots, in addition to spicy plants and other valuable trade items. Another abundant source for the multiplication of wealth was the glory of his wisdom, which he acquired among all other peoples. From all parts of the earth, numerous visitors gathered to him, the wisest of people, and each brought him gifts annually as a sign of his deep respect - namely, silver and gold vessels, and military supplies, and clothes and fragrant spices, horses and mules. And it is very likely that the various marital relationships that Solomon entered with various royal daughters greatly increased his personal wealth. In this way his riches became so great that the silver in Jerusalem was equal to mere stone, and the cedars in their multitude became equal to the sycamore trees. Solomon's household expenses were enormous. His lifestyle for many years was extremely luxurious: 700 wives and 300 concubines with a large retinue of eunuchs and other servants, of course, required enormous daily expenses for their food (). The offerings of oxen and sheep offered by the king to Jehovah on various solemn occasions () could only be made by a person who possessed unlimited amounts of money.

At the same time, we do not mention the great expenses that he made for the construction of various heights, altars for the smoking of incense, etc., to which the heart of a foreign woman's wife inclined him. During his reign, Solomon erected many different beautiful buildings, and the most magnificent of them, of course, was the temple to Jehovah, erected by him on the city of Moriah (see). He also built a magnificent palace for himself - a house made of wood from the Lebanese forest, a porch with a throne for the judgment seat made of ivory and overlaid with pure gold (), and outside the walls of the city of Judah - a palace for Pharaoh's daughter. He also erected many other cities and buildings, smaller in size and not so richly decorated (). The material from which temples and palaces were built was always very valuable, it was sometimes brought from the most distant countries, and the costs used for the construction of these, apparently exceeded all likelihood.

III. Reign of Solomon. And Judah and Israel lived, notes the priest. a descriptor about the reign of Solomon, numerous as sand by the sea, calmly, each under his vineyard and under his fig tree from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon(). Solomon divided this vast territory into 12 regions, which did not correspond, however, to the 12 tribes of Israel, and over each of them he put a special guardian, who in turn were supposed to deliver monthly food supplies for the maintenance of the royal court (). The long-lasting peace during his reign and the unparalleled prosperity of his subjects gained Solomon and his kingdom a special loud glory and fame, mainly before all the kings and kingdoms of the earth. Truly, his reign was considered as a golden age. Jewish history... Unfortunately, next years Solomon's reign did not correspond to the first years of his reign. Forgetting the Heavenly King, he did not properly heed the voice of the Lord, who warned him about the consecration of the temple, was carried away by the external splendor of his kingdom, left or at least deviated from the faith of his fathers, began to serve Astarte, the deity of Sidon, and Milhom, an abomination Ammonite. Unheard of and unparalleled luxury reigned at court, and his harem contained up to 700 wives and 300 concubines, for the most part pagans from the surrounding nations - the Moabites, the Ammonites, etc. In addition, he imposed his heavy yoke on the people, intensified labor. and the attachment of the people to such a sovereign has now become impossible. The people gradually alienated themselves from the house of David, and the seeds of indignation were abundantly sown, which subsequently led to the disastrous division of the kingdom. Moreover, during the life of Solomon, various trials and shocks began to comprehend him. In Idumea, long ago brought into citizenship by David, Ader, the royal family of Edom, was now established. During the conquest of the Edomites by David and beating them by his commander Joab, Ader, while still a youth, with some other Edomites who served with his father, fled to Egypt, here he was favorably received by Pharaoh and won great favor from him. Now, having heard about the death of David and Joab, he asked Pharaoh for his dismissal, returned to his land and established himself in it. Another enemy of Israel in Solomon's day was Razon. He was a subject of Adraazar, the king of Suva, but fled from him and during the defeat of Adraazar by David, having gathered around him a gang of free people, settled in Damascus and ruled there, and with his raids he caused a lot of evil to Israel. But a particularly dangerous enemy for Solomon was his subject Jeroboam. He was from the tribe of Ephraim, from the city of Zartan, temporarily worked on the fortifications that Solomon made in the city of David. Noticing his courage and quickness, Solomon put him overseer over the quitrent from the house of Joseph. Once Jeroboam went out of the city; the prophet Ahijah met him on the road. Taking off from myself new clothes that was on him, Ahijah tore it into 12 pieces and, commanding Jeroboam to take 10 of them, he said to him: Thus says the Lord, Israel: here I am plucking the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I give you 10 tribes because they left me and began to worship Astarte, Chemos, and Milhom. However, I will not take the kingdom away from Solomon himself; while he lives, he will remain king for the sake of David, my servant, whom I have chosen and who kept my commands, but I will take the kingdom out of the hands of his son. I will give you 10 tribes, but I will also leave him one knee, so that the lamp of David, my servant, will remain before me all the days. So, I appoint you to be king over Israel. If you keep everything that I command you, and you obey My commands, like my servant David, then I will be with you and will strengthen your house, like the house of David... Jeroboam did not have so much obedience to the highest election as to leave his future to God's will, and began to seek to take possession of the throne himself; but Solomon, learning about this, sought to destroy him, and he fled to Egypt to Susakim, king of Egypt, and remained there until the death of Solomon (). The reproof from the mouth of the prophet and the various trials of the last time of Solomon's reign could, of course, have a beneficial effect on him. The Lord himself promised David that He would be a father to his son, and if he acts badly, He will punish him with the blows of the sons of men, but He will not take His mercy from him, as He took from Saul (). Book Ecclesiastes written by Solomon in the old years of his life, makes it clear that he really understood now the vanity of everything earthly, all the joys of the world and all earthly labors and human efforts, and therefore he himself sought and taught others only in God and in fulfilling His commandments to seek the true for self-tranquility and happiness (12, 13).

In conclusion about Solomon, let us note here that no matter how great were his falls and delusions, which were the main source of blind passion for women and vanity, but the wisdom of the first years of his reign and his divinely inspired writings will forever remain a school of wisdom and virtue for all people. In addition to the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon left us a book Proverbs and Song of Songs. His name is still on the book Wisdom, but for all its highly instructive content, it belongs to a later time and it is not in the Hebrew language. Book of Song of Songs, by common interpretation Fathers of the Church, mysteriously depicts the love that unites God with man and Christ with and every believing soul. V Proverbs, or allegories and short sayings of his, Solomon teaches youth wisdom, piety, faithful fulfillment of their duties and the happiness of life, believing him in virtue. How many wonderful lessons Solomon has for all ages and conditions! How many wise lessons for kings! How many of the most edifying advice, rules and instructions regarding public office and family life, for husbands and wives, for children and parents, for nobles and servants, for young men and elders, regarding wealth and poverty, purity of heart and frankness, work and rest, piety and piety, justice and justice, moderation and abstinence, thrift and wastefulness, mercy and charity, goodness and meekness, prudence and wisdom, love and compassion for all, compassion for the animals themselves! It is also impossible not to notice that the age of Solomon was the most favorable in general for the sciences and arts. Building art, smelting, engraving art on precious stones, metalworking, gilding, sculptural art received significant improvement. The construction of the temple, royal palaces and their rich decoration, exquisite works, gold, ivory and carved from wood, musical instruments of all kinds - all this encouraged and developed the artistic spirit of the people. Architecture appeared in more graceful and refined forms, consistent with taste. The sciences were also on a high level. Astronomy became a practical science and did not hesitate to make significant advances. Solomon possessed extensive knowledge in medicine. He also wrote treatises on all animals, birds, trees, plants, which, unfortunately, did not reach us, but which at that time should have shed their light on the state of the sciences. Navigation and navigation should have led to different observations and discoveries and also have great importance for geography, astronomy and history, introducing various other peoples and their customs and customs. In the New Testament, the name of Solomon is mentioned repeatedly by Jesus Christ. Thus, speaking of the beauty and splendor of the lily of the field, the Lord said that and Solomon in all his glory did not dress like any of them(). At another time, the Lord, reproaching the scribes and Pharisees who sought signs from Him, reminds them of the extraordinary wisdom of Solomon, known to all, saying: the queen of the south will rise up for judgment with this generation, and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, there is more Solomon here(Matt. CH, 42).

King Solomon - ruler of the Kingdom of Israel in 965-928. BC NS. Prior to that, he was co-regent of his father David for 2 years. He proved himself to be a wise statesman. Under him, the Israeli state achieved the highest wealth and power. At the same time, it should be noted that there is no historical evidence indicating the existence of this person.

Information about Solomon is contained only in biblical stories. Moreover, they are stated 400 years later than his reign. However, many experts believe that this person really lived in the X century BC. NS. The construction is associated with her name Jerusalem temple who was religious center Jewish people up to the 1st century A.D. NS. Until 622 BC NS. it contained the ark of the covenant.

The construction of several cities is also associated with the name of this king. His reign has been described as the "golden age". Vladyka himself is credited with many virtues and a powerful intellect. He is considered the author of such books. Old Testament as "Book of Proverbs of Solomon", "Book of Ecclesiastes or Preacher", "Book of Songs of Solomon".

Briefly about King Solomon

Solomon's father was King David, and Bathsheba's mother. Towards the end of his reign, David fell out of favor with God. The prophet Nathan came to him and advised him to transfer power to Solomon, who had a mentor. At the same time, the 4th son of David, Adonijah, began to covet the royal crown. He entered into a criminal conspiracy with the military leader Joab and the high priest Abiathar. Supported by them proclaimed himself heir to the throne.

The impostor even ordered a coronation, but Nathan and Bathsheba turned the weak and old David against him. Adonijah was forced to flee Jerusalem and soon repented of the excessive pride that gripped him. After that, no one hindered Solomon from taking power into his own hands. He did not touch Adoniji, but executed Joab and stripped Abiathar of the priesthood. On the eve of the coronation, God endowed the young heir with wisdom in exchange for faithful service to him.

Unlike David, King Solomon did not wage wars of conquest. The kingdom of Israel already had a very large territory, so the policy pursued was aimed at friendship with neighbors, and not at the military expansion of nearby lands. In addition, a trade route passed through the lands of Israel, linking Ancient Egypt with the cities of Western Asia. It was a very serious source of income, and therefore the state treasury was never empty.

It was with the money received from the merchants that new cities were built and the Jerusalem Temple was erected. Friendship with the Queen of Sheba played an important role in the prosperity of the state. She ruled the state of Saba. It was located on the Arabian Peninsula in the lands in which Yemen is now located. It should be noted here that to this day it is not known whether this woman actually existed, but her visit to Solomon is described in the Old Testament.

The ruler of the fertile lands was interested clever king, who ruled far in the north, and therefore the Queen of Sheba, who, like any woman, was inherent in curiosity, decided to meet with this man. She arrived in Jerusalem under the pretext of "testing it in riddles." She saw the life of the Israelites with her own eyes and was convinced of the wisdom of Solomon. He "gave the guest everything she wanted."

After this meeting, as stated in the Old Testament, the kingdom of Israel became even more prosperous and prosperous. Apparently the queen played an important role in the Middle East, and therefore her recommendations were attracted to Israel a large number of rich people.

This visit gave rise to the legend of the love affair of King Solomon with the Queen of Sheba. Legend is a legend, but the rulers of Ethiopia who converted to Christianity created the Solomon imperial dynasty. She allegedly descended from Menelik, who was born from the relationship between the king of Israel and the queen of Saba. The boy was born a year after the woman visited Jerusalem. This is an example of the fact that any legend can be clothed in an advantageous for ruling group people an ideological dogma.

Only a few can withstand the test of success and fame. King Solomon did not belong to these units. In the “Third Book of Kings” of the Old Testament, in chapter 11 it is written: “And he had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines; and the wives corrupted his heart. During Solomon's old age, his wives bowed his heart to other gods, and his heart was not completely devoted to the Lord. " It is further said that the king built a pagan temple for Hamos and others pagan gods, who were worshiped by his foreign wives, who had a huge influence on the lord.

It is only natural that God was angry with the king of Israel. He promised a lot of grief to the people of Israel, but only after the end of the reign of Solomon. The point is that the Lord promised prosperity to Israel while the current king is alive.

In the 40th year of his reign, the formidable ruler died. According to legend, he died while watching the construction of a new altar. For many days, the courtiers did not bury the body, as they believed that the king could come to life by the will of God. But when the decomposition process became apparent, the remains were buried. Immediately thereafter, a rapid impoverishment of the prosperous kingdom of Israel began.

After the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam ascended the throne. And immediately popular uprisings swept across the country. The northern regions separated and formed a new kingdom of Israel. And Rehoboam had only the Kingdom of Judah. The new king tried to reunite the lands into a single state, but the prophet Samei explained that this is God's punishment for the sins of his father. Thus ended the history of the mighty Israeli state, which ceased to exist due to the sins of its rulers..

Solomon - the third Jewish king, the legendary ruler of the united kingdom of Israel in 965-928 BC. e., during its peak. The son of King David and Bathsheba (Bat Sheva), his co-ruler in 967-965 BC. NS. During the reign of Solomon, the Jerusalem Temple was built in Jerusalem - the main shrine of Judaism.

The name Shlomo (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. For example, he is called Iedidia ("beloved of God or friend of God") - a symbolic name given to Solomon as a sign of God's favor to his father David after his deep repentance for adultery with Bathsheba.

In Haggad the names Agur, Bin, Yake, Lemuel, Itiel and Ukal are also attributed to King Solomon.

The Bible is the main source that is used to substantiate the historicity of Solomon's existence as a real person. In addition, his name is mentioned in the writings of some authors of antiquity, about which Josephus Flavius ​​wrote.

Apart from the biblical accounts recorded more than 400 years after Solomon's death, no historical evidence of his existence has been found. Nevertheless, he is considered to be a historical figure. There is a particularly detailed factual record of this reign in the Bible, with many personal names and numbers. The name of Solomon is mainly associated with the construction of the Jerusalem Temple, 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 juxtaposed with obvious exaggerations. For later periods In Jewish history, Solomon's reign 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.

King David intended to transfer the throne to Solomon, although he was one of his younger sons. 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, Benaiah, Solomon appointed the new commander of the troops.

God gave Solomon a kingship on the condition that he did not deviate from serving God. In exchange for this promise, God endowed Solomon with unprecedented wisdom and patience.

The basis of Solomon's prosperity 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 Judea united under his rule occupied a significant territory. Solomon maintained friendly relations with the Phoenician king Hiram. Great construction projects left him indebted to Hiram. To pay off the debt, Solomon was forced to cede villages to him in the south of his lands.

According to the biblical story, having learned about the wisdom and glory of Solomon, the ruler of the Sabean kingdom came to Solomon "to test him with riddles." In response, Solomon also gifted 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, King Solomon received 666 talents of gold. Subsequently, the story of the Queen of Sheba was overgrown with numerous legends, up to assumptions about her love affair with Solomon. The Christian rulers of Ethiopia considered themselves to be descended from this connection (see Solomon Dynasty).

It is believed that Solomon ended the half-thousand-year enmity between the Jews and the Egyptians by taking the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh as his first wife.

According to the Bible, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11: 3), some of whom were foreigners. One of them, who by that time had become his beloved wife and had a great influence on the king, persuaded 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 entire reign of Solomon passed quite calmly.

Solomon died in 928 BC. NS. at the age of 62. According to legend, this happened while he was overseeing the construction of the new altar. In order to avoid mistakes (assuming that this could be a lethargic dream), the confidants did not bury him until the worms began to sharpen his staff. Only then was he officially declared dead and buried.

The huge costs of building the temple and palace (the latter took twice as long to build) drained the state treasury. The construction duty was served not only by prisoners and slaves, but also by ordinary subjects of the king. Even during the life of Solomon, uprisings of the conquered peoples began (Edomites, Arameans); immediately after his death, an uprising broke out, as a result of which the single state split into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah).

According to the Koran, Suleiman (Suleiman) was the son of the prophet Daoud. 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 that extended to Yemen in the south. In the Islamic tradition, Suleiman is known for his wisdom and justice. He is considered the model of the ruler. It is no coincidence that many Muslim monarchs bore his name.

The Islamic tradition has some parallels with Haggadah, where Solomon is presented as "the wisest of men who could speak to the beasts, and they obeyed him." In the Jewish tradition, there is a motive of the humility of this proud king.

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. In the same time medieval mystics called Solomon's seal the pentagram (five-pointed star). It is believed that the star of Solomon formed the basis of the Maltese cross of the knights of the Johannites.

In occult teachings (magic, alchemy, Kabbalah, etc.), the 12-pointed star is considered a pentacle with the name "Star of Solomon". Due to the greater number of rays, a circle is formed in the center of the star. Often a symbol was inscribed in it, thanks to which, as expected, the pentacle helped in intellectual work and strengthened talents.

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 to him in verse, the artist Rubens painted the painting "The Judgment of Solomon", Handel dedicated an oratorio to him, and Gounod - an opera. AI Kuprin used the image of Tsar Solomon and the theme of the Song of Songs in his story Shulamith (1908). Based on the corresponding legend, the peplum "Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" (1959) was filmed.

; Arab. سليمان Suleiman in the Qur'an) - the third Jewish king, the legendary ruler of the united kingdom of Israel in -928 BC. NS. , in the period of its highest prosperity. The son of King David and Bathsheba (Bat Sheva), his co-ruler in -965 BC. NS. During the reign of Solomon, the Jerusalem Temple was built in Jerusalem - the main shrine of Judaism.

Solomon's names

Name Shlomo(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. For example, it is called Iedidia("Beloved of God or friend of God") is a symbolic name given to Solomon as a sign of God's favor to his father David after his deep remorse for adultery with Bathsheba. In Haggad the names Agur, Bin, Yake, Lemuel, Itiel and Ukal are also attributed to King Solomon.

Biblical story

The Bible is the main source that is used to substantiate the historicity of Solomon's existence as a real person. In addition, his name is mentioned in the writings of some authors of antiquity, which Josephus wrote about. Excluding Bible stories recorded over 400 years later [ ] after the death of Solomon, no historical evidence of his existence has been found. Nevertheless, he is considered to be a historical figure. There is a particularly detailed factual record of this reign in the Bible, with many personal names and numbers. The name of Solomon is associated mainly with the construction of the Jerusalem temple, 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.

Rise to power

End of the reign

According to the Bible, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings), some of 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 under his son). Thus, the entire 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 the new altar. In order to avoid mistakes (assuming that this could be a lethargic dream), the confidants did not bury him until the worms began to sharpen his staff. Only then was he officially declared dead and buried. The huge costs of building a temple and palace (the latter took twice as long to build) drained the state treasury. The construction duty was served not only by prisoners and slaves, but also by ordinary subjects of the king. Even during the life of Solomon, uprisings of the conquered peoples began (Edomites, Arameans); immediately after his death, an uprising broke out, as a result of which the single state split into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah).

Solomon in Islam

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 to him in verse, the artist Rubens painted the painting "The Judgment of Solomon", Handel dedicated an oratorio to him, and Gounod - an opera. AI Kuprin used the image of Tsar Solomon and the song of the Song of Songs in his story Shulamith (1908). Based on the corresponding legend, the peplum "Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" (1959) was filmed.

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Excerpt from Solomon

Kutuzov, through his spy, received news on November 1, which put the army under his command in an almost hopeless position. The scout reported that the French in huge forces, having crossed the Vienna bridge, headed for the route of communication between Kutuzov and the troops coming from Russia. If Kutuzov had decided to stay in Krems, then Napoleon's 1,500-strong army would cut him off from all communications, surround him with an exhausted 40,000-strong army, and he would be in the position of Mack near Ulm. If Kutuzov had decided to leave the road leading to communications with the troops from Russia, then he had to enter without a road into the unknown lands of the Bohemian
mountains, defending themselves from the superior forces of the enemy, and abandon all hope of communication with Buxgewden. If Kutuzov had decided to retreat on the road from Krems to Olmutz to join forces from Russia, then he risked being warned on this road by the French who crossed the bridge in Vienna, and thus be forced to take battle on a campaign, with all the weights and carts, and dealing with an enemy three times superior to him and surrounding him on both sides.
Kutuzov chose this last way out.
The French, as the spy reported, crossing the bridge in Vienna, marched with a reinforced march to Znaim, which lay on the path of Kutuzov's retreat, more than a hundred miles ahead of him. Reaching Znaim before the French meant getting a lot of hope for the salvation of the army; to let the French warn themselves in Znaim meant probably to expose the entire army to shame, similar to that of Ulm, or to general death. But it was impossible to warn the French with the whole army. The French road from Vienna to Znaim was shorter and better than the Russian road from Krems to Znaim.
On the night of receiving the news, Kutuzov sent the four-thousand-strong vanguard of Bagration to the right in the mountains from the Kremsko Znaim road to the Vienna Znaim road. Bagration had to pass this passage without rest, stop facing Vienna and back to Znaim, and if he could warn the French, he had to delay them as long as he could. Kutuzov himself with all the weights set off to Znaim.
Having passed with hungry, barefoot soldiers, without a road, through the mountains, on a stormy night forty-five miles, having lost a third of the backward, Bagration went to Gollabrun on the Vienna Znaim road several hours before the French, who approached Gollabrun from Vienna. Kutuzov had to march a whole day with his wagons in order to reach Znaim, and therefore, in order to save the army, Bagration had to with four thousand hungry, exhausted soldiers for 24 hours the entire enemy army that met him in Gollabrunn, which was obviously , impossible. But a strange fate made the impossible possible. The success of that deception, which without a fight put the Viennese bridge into the hands of the French, prompted Murat to try to deceive Kutuzov in the same way. Murat, meeting a weak detachment of Bagration on the Znaim road, thought that it was the entire army of Kutuzov. In order to undoubtedly crush this army, he waited for the troops lagging behind on the road from Vienna, and for this purpose he proposed an armistice for three days, with the condition that both troops did not change their positions and did not move. Murat assured that peace negotiations were already under way and that, therefore, avoiding the useless shedding of blood, he was proposing an armistice. The Austrian general Count Nostitz, who was at the outposts, believed the words of the envoy Murat and retreated, opening Bagration's detachment. Another envoy went to the Russian chain to announce the same news of the peace talks and propose an armistice to the Russian troops for three days. Bagration replied that he could not or refuse to accept the truce, and with a report on the proposal made to him, he sent his adjutant to Kutuzov.
The armistice for Kutuzov was the only way to gain time, to give rest to the exhausted detachment of Bagration and skip the carts and gravity (the movement of which was hidden from the French), although there was one extra crossing to Znaim. The armistice proposal offered the only and unexpected opportunity to save the army. Having received this news, Kutuzov immediately sent General Vincengerode, who was with him, to the enemy camp. Vincennerode had to not only accept the truce, but also propose the terms of surrender, and meanwhile Kutuzov sent his adjutants back to rush as far as possible the movement of the convoys of the entire army along the Kremsko Znaim road. The exhausted, hungry detachment of Bagration alone had to, covering this movement of the carts and the entire army, remain motionless in front of the enemy eight times the strongest.
Kutuzov's expectations came true both regarding the fact that the proposals of surrender, which were not binding, could give time for some of the convoys to pass, and about the fact that Murat's mistake was to be revealed very soon. As soon as Bonaparte, who was in Schönbrunn, 25 versts from Gollabrunn, received Murat's report and the draft of an armistice and surrender, he saw the deception and wrote the following letter to Murat:
Au prince Murat. Schoenbrunn, 25 brumaire en 1805 a huit heures du matin.
"II m" est impossible de trouver des termes pour vous exprimer mon mecontentement. Vous ne commandez que mon avant garde et vous n "avez pas le droit de faire d" armistice sans mon ordre. Vous me faites perdre le fruit d "une campagne ... Rompez l "armistice sur le champ et Mariechez a l" ennemi. Vous lui ferez declarer, que le general qui a signe cette capitulation, n "avait pas le droit de le faire, qu" il n "y a que l" Empereur de Russie qui ait ce droit.
"Toutes les fois cependant que l" Empereur de Russie ratifierait la dite convention, je la ratifierai; mais ce n "est qu" une ruse.Mariechez, detruisez l "armee russe ... vous etes en position de prendre son bagage et son artiller.
"L" aide de camp de l "Empereur de Russie est un ... Les officiers ne sont rien quand ils n" ont pas de pouvoirs: celui ci n "en avait point ... Les Autrichiens se sont laisse jouer pour le passage du pont de Vienne , vous vous laissez jouer par un aide de camp de l "Empereur. Napoleon".
[To Prince Murat. Schönbrunn, 25 Brumaire 1805 8 o'clock in the morning.
I cannot find words to express my displeasure to you. You command only my vanguard and have no right to make a truce without my order. You are forcing me to lose the fruits of an entire campaign. Break the truce immediately and head against the enemy. You will announce to him that the general who signed this surrender had no right to do so, and no one has, except for the Russian emperor.