SOLOMON
welding
its
disorganized
tribal
divisions
together
Into
a
short-lived
unity,
by
the
power
of
an
Oriental
despotism.
The
subjugation
of
the
Canaanites
was
completed
(9™).
The
position
of
Jerusalem
as
the
capital
was
secured
by
the
building
of
the
Temple
and
palaces
and
by
the
forti-fication
of
Millo
(9"
112').
A
chain
of
garrison
and
store
cities
was
established
(9"),
together
with
a
stand-ing
army
which
included
12,000
horsemen
and
1400
chariots
(4»
10»).
The
extent
of
his
dominions
(42'-
")
may
represent
the
idea
of
a
later
age,
and
Eastern
mon-archs
were
ready
to
claim
suzerainty
where
there
was
but
little
effective
control.
But
inscriptions
show
us
how
kaleidoscopic
were
the
politics
of
the
period;
kingdoms
rose
and
fell
very
quickly,
and
the
surrounding
States
were
all
at
the
time
in
a
state
of
weakness.
It
was
this
that
enabled
his
reign
to
be
a
generation
of
peace.
His
troubles
(11'-")
were
very
few
for
so
long
a
life.
The
hostility
of
Hadad
(v.'<«)
was
a
legacy
from
David,
but
there
is
no
evidence
that
he
became
king
of
Edom.
Rezon
(v.*')
conquered
Damascus
and
founded
a
dynasty,
but
we
hear
nothing
of
any
serious
war.
Nothing
is
known
of
the
Hamath-zobah
which
Solomon
subdued
(2
Ch
8')
.
More
than
any
other
Jewish
king,
he
realized
the
importance
of
foreign
alliances,
which
were
closely
connected
with
his
commercial
policy,
(a)
Early
in
his
reign
he
married
Pharaoh's
daughter
(1
K
3"),
who
brought
as
her
marriage
portion
Gezer
(9").
This
Pharaoh
was
apparently
the
last
of
the
Tanite
(21st)
dynasty
—
a
contused
period
of
which
little
is
known;
we
have
no
other
notice
of
the
connexion
between
Egypt
and
Palestine
at
this
period.
Solomon
was
able
to
control,
and
no
doubt
profited
by,
the
caravan
trade
between
the
Euphrates
and
the
Nile.
The
caravanserai
of
Chimham
(Jer
41";
cf.
2
S
19",
1
K
2')
may
have
been
established
at
this
period
in
cormexion
with
that
trade.
From
Egypt
(unless
a
N.
Syrian
Musri
is
intended)
came
horses
and
chariots
for
Solomon's
own
use,
and
for
the
purposes
of
a
Syrian
trade
(10"-
2»).
The
alliance
was
apparently
not
disapproved
at
the
time
(cf.
Ps
45),
but
it
was
not
continued;
Shishak
protects
Jeroboam
(1
K
11'°).
(6)
The
alliance
with
Hiram
of
Tyre
(according
to
Clem.
Alex.,
Solomon
also
married
his
daughter,
cf.
II'-
')
was
a
continuation
of
the
policy
of
David
[but
unless
this
Hiram
was
the
son
of
David's
ally,
the
building
of
the
palace
in
2
S
5"
is
put
too
early].
This
was
in
connexion
with
his
building
operations
(5'
'2).
Timber
from
Lebanon
was
brought
by
sea
to
Joppa,
together
with
skilled
workmen
from
Tyre,
especially
the
Gebalites
(v.",
ct.
Ezk
27');
Hiram,
a
worker
in
brass,
is
particularly
mentioned
(1
K
7").
The
yearly
payment
consisted
of
agricultural
commodities
(5";
note
exaggerations
in
2
Ch
2'").
A
grant
of
twenty
cities
in
Galilee
was
un-satisfactory
to
Hiram,
though
he
apparently
paid
for
them
(1
K
9"'-").
A
more
substantial
return
was
the
security
which
Solomon
was
able
to
offer
to
Phoenician
trade
with
the
E.,
and,
above
all,
access
to
the
port
of
Ezion-geber
on
the
Red
Sea,
made
possible
by
his
suze-rainty
over
Edom.
Tamar
(1
K
9"
RV
[AV
'
Tadmor
'])
in
S.
Judab
apparently
protected
the
route
to
the
port.
A
lucrative
trade
was
carried
on
by
the
two
kings
in
partnership,
in
gold,
spices,
sandalwood,
apes,
peacocks,
etc.
(9»
10"-
22).
The
extent
of
their
voyages
is
a
mystery,
the
situation
of
both
Ophir
and
Tarshish
being
unknown.
Assuming
that
there
was
only
one
Tarshish,
and
that
in
the
West,
it
is
still
very
doubtful
whether
Solomon
can
have
been
allowed
any
share
in
the
Mediter-ranean
trade;
'
ships
of
Tarshish
'
may
be
only
a
name
for
a
particular
type
of
vessel.
The
Ophir
trade
must
liave
been
connected
with
S.
Arabia;
hence
no
doubt
the
visit
of
the
queen
of
Sheba
(10');
the
'presents'
ex-changed
would
be
really
of
the
nature
of
barter,
as
illus-trated
by
the
Tell
el-Amarna
tablets.
The
Jews
never
took
kindly
to
the
sea,
and,
except
for
the
abortive
attempt
of
Jehoshaphat
(22**),
Solomon's
policy
found
no
imitators.
6.
Internal
condition
of
his
kingdom,
—
The
impression
SOLOMON
is
given
us
of
great
wealth.
Though
the
sums
left
by
David
(1
Ch
22")
are
incredible
(equal
to
a
thousand
million
pounds),
Solomon's
own
revenue
(four
millions,
1
K
10'*)
is
possible
tor
an
exceptional
year.
But
the
gold
was
used
chiefly
in
unproductive
forms
of
display
(v.'™),
and
probably
but
little
was
in
circulation
among
the
people;
he
had
a
difficulty
in
paying
Hiram
(9").
His
passion
for
buildings
was
extravagant;
the
Temple
was
seven
years
in
building
(B's);
his
own
house
thirteen
(7');
there
was
also
the
palace
for
his
wife
(v.s).
He
had
an
enormous
court
(note
list
of
officers
in
42)
and
harem
(11'),
necessitating
a
luxurious
daily
provision
(4«).
The
country
was
divided
into
twelve
parts,
under
twelve
officers,
each
responsible
tor
a
month's
supplies
(v.');
these
did
not
coincide
with
the
tribal
divisions,
and
Judah
was
exempt.
For
the
building
operations
a
mos
or
forced
levy
was
organized
under
Adoram
(5",
ct.
2
S
20^)
with
numerous
sub-ordinates
(5'«
925);
30,000
men
were
sent
to
Lebanon,
10,000
a
month;
there
were
carriers
and
hewers
(5"),
and
the
aborigines
were
used
as
helots
(9™,
Ezr
2^
mentions
their
descendants).
The
mas
was
the
very
word
used
of
the
labour
in
Egypt,
and
beneath
the
apparent
prosperity
(42»-
«)
was
a
growing
discontent
and
jealousy
of
Judah,
which
broke
out
in
the
rebellion
of
Jeroboam.
By
his
personal
popularity
and
extravagant
display
Solomon
won
a
great
'name'
(4"
10'-
'),
and
gave
Israel
a
position
among
the
nations.
His
reign
came
to
be
idealized,
but
his
policy
was
clearly
economically
and
socially
unsound,
and
could
only
lead
to
ruin.
From
the
religious
point
of
view
the
outstanding
feature
is
the
building
of
the
Temple.
It
is
an
anachronism
to
repre-sent
it
as
the
centralization
of
the
worship
of
J"
accord-ing
to
the
standard
of
Deut.,
to
the
exclusion
of
the
'
high
places,'
and
its
effect
was
largely
neutralized
by
the
honour
paid
to
other
gods
(11);
none
the
less
its
elaborate
magnificence
was
a
visible
proof
of
the
triumph
of
J"
over
the
Baal
worship
of
Canaan,
and
of
His
exaltation
as
supreme
God
of
the
nation.
It
cannot
be
maintained
that
the
material
and
local
conception
of
the
Deity
which
it
suggested
made
entirely
for
spiritual
religion
(Is
1",
Jer
7*,
Ac
7");
it
meant
a
concentration
of
power
in
the
hands
of
the
Jerusalem
priesthood
at
the
cost
of
the
prophets,
who
had
no
influence
during
Solomon's
reign
(Nathan
in
4»
is
probably
his
brother),
and
the
attitude
of
Nathan,
Ahijah,
and
Shemaiah
makes
it
probable
that
they
looked
with
suspicion
on
the
new
developments.
It
was,
however,
a
necessary
step
in
the
religious
history
of
the
nation,
and
the
Psalms
prove
that
it
made
Zion
the
centre
of
its
enthusiastic
patriotism.
7.
His
wisdom
was
the
special
gift
of
God
(3«).
His
'
judgment
'
(v."^-)
is
the
typical
instance.
It
presumably
took
place
early
in
hisreign(cf
.
the
contemptuous
laughter
of
the
people
in
Jos.
Ant.
viii.
ii.
2),
and
simply
shows
a
shrewd
knowledge
of
human
nature;
many
parallels
are
quoted.
It
proves
his
fitness
for
judicial
functions,
and
429-34
gives
the
general
idea
of
his
attainments.
He
was
regarded
as
the
father
of
Jewish
proverbial
(or
gnomic)
wisdbm;
'wisdom
books'
existed
in
Egypt
long
before,
but
it
seems
impossible
to
distinguish
in
our
present
'Proverbs'
(c.
b.c.
250)
what
elements
may
be
due
to
him.
Sirach
and
Wis.
have
no
title
to
his
name.
1
K
420.
33
suggest
general
and
poetical
culture,
parables
drawn
from
nature,
rather
than
the
beginnings
of
science.
Ps
72
may
possibly
belong
to
his
age,
but
not
Ps
127
or
Canticles.
Later
tradition
added
much;
the
solving
of
'
riddles
'
held
a
large
place
in
the
wisdom
of
the
East,
and
we
hear
of
the
'hard
questions'
of
the
queen
of
Sheba
(10'),
and
of
a
contest
between
Solomon
and
Hiram
(Jos.
Ant.
viii.
v.
3).
Josephus
also
speaks
of
his
power
over
demons;
Rabbinical
legend
of
his
control
over
beasts
and
birds,
of
his
'magic
carpet,'
and
knowl-edge
of
the
Divine
name.
Examples
of
the
legendary
material
are
accessible
in
Farrar's
Solomon.
8.
Character.
—
Solomon
evidently
began
his
reign
with
high
ideals,
of
which
his
dream
(3')
was
a
natural
