Sample Essay
The biblical King Solomon, known for his wisdom, wealth and writings became ruler of consolidated Israel in approximately 967 B.C.E. His kingdom extended from the Euphrates River in the north to Egypt in the south (Myers,2006). His crowning achievement was the building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Almost all knowledge of him is derived from the biblical books of Kings I and Chronicles II.
Solomon, David’s second son, succeeded his father to the throne while still a teenager before David’s death. David picked him as his successor, ignoring over the claims of his elder sons. Solomon’s early enthronement was the consequence of David’s eldest surviving son, Adonijah’s, attempt to usurp the kingship (Myers,2006). David’s closest advisors, Joab and the priest Abiathar, sided with Adonijah. Solomon fought and defeated his brother but could not kill him when Adonijah pleaded for forgiveness (Myers,2006). Later, when Adonijah came to Solomon and requested the king’s servant as a wife, Solomon saw that this was a veiled threat to take over his kingdom and sent a messenger to kill Adonijah. He banished Abiathar to the city of Anathoth. Solomon also followed David’s instructions to kill both Joab and Shimei son of Gera (Myers, 2006). Solomon thus overcame the last potential threats to his kingdom. Despite this bloody beginning, the rest of Solomon’s reign is remarkably peaceful until near its close.
Under Solomon Israel became an established and prosperous empire, with a codified system of laws, a governing bureaucracy, and extensive foreign connections. Trade was promoted, mineral wealth was exploited, and the army was enlarged and modernized. The loose tribal confederation that had defined the Jews was replaced by:
- a centralized government located in Jerusalem
- a monarchy passing from father to son
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