所罗门

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebothareprospectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexpedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerbrotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughbrave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts--andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodespiteheryouthisversedintheuseofhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelpingtheprince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag--butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hopingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingpowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialpriesthoodandalsotherespectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,supportAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone--eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoapotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-experiencedJoabregardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershipthekingdomwouldsoonfallapart.WhentheprophetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconspiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestopassthatpreparationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSpringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamped,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiveprocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandthepeopleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.ThepeoplepromptlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost--forthetimebeing.Humblyheplaceshislifeinhisbrother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisbrotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedployonbehalfofhisbrothertoreclaimthethrone--Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhispoliticalpositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownpower.HehashisbrotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstopresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordappearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom--inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgyptislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitspowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughterofthepharaoh.TheEgyptianprincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforpoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhepreservespeaceforhispeople,andcreatesgreatprosperity.ByallowingthewomentocontinuepracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththepriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofapproval.OneofthemostimportanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTempletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemplesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HeplacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscompleted.Theexpensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenbroughtfromfar-offlands,andthepeopleofIsraelhavepaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomplaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTempleinatriumphantprocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredpossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeoplestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytocelebratethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandbringsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongthepeopleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemplemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,captivatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeeplyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobedeprivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththepassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,skepticaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtorepresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadoptanykindofsteadypolicy,especiallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathofthepriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamappealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghispeople,asimplefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:"Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme."Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfspeakstoSolomonandannouncesthepunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollapseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththepeopleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcompanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversinceaprophetpredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings--hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,andprovokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoparts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Theprophecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.