Reign of Solomon. What is King Solomon famous for? Domestic and foreign policy

In the Orthodox world there are many different legends and stories that make a person not only wonder, but also admire. All of them were created, if not during the life of the revered saints, then after their ascension to heaven thanks to prayers to them.

Saint Elijah the Prophet is considered one of the most famous and recognized in the Orthodox world. After all, it is this saint of God who is second after Moses to those chosen ones through whom the Lord addressed earthly people. In addition, this saint is one of the few whom God took to himself, without leaving a single witness to this action. Therefore, it is not surprising that the icons of Elijah the Prophet, photos and descriptions of which are presented in this article, are so revered by believers all over the world. There are images of this saint in many churches. Moreover, not only in monasteries on the territory of our country, but also outside its borders, the icon of the Prophet Elijah is found.

Description

In the old days, icon painters depicted all saints almost identically. They had a beard and long hair, a cloak and a scroll in their hands. Sometimes a cap could also be seen on the prophet’s heads. They distinguished where and which prophet was depicted only by the inscription on the tablet at the top or on the scroll. Of course, today all the images are somewhat modified, but the general meaning and plots are still preserved. This statement also applies to icons that depict Elijah the Prophet. Most often there are two thematic images associated with it. This is the saint’s stay in the desert and the icon “The Fiery Ascension of Elijah the Prophet.” In reality, of course, there are much more stories. However, these two images are found in churches and in the homes of believers more often than others.

Icons depicting the prophet

The very first image of Saint Elijah was painted back in the early Byzantine period. On it, the prophet appears before the believers as a stern man with brown eyes and a piercing gaze, dressed in a woolen cloak. Elijah in this icon has a bushy beard and long hair. Subsequently, the prophet began to be depicted wearing a woolen hat and holding a dagger in his hands. It was believed that in this way the icon painters conveyed to his icon the strength and rage that was addressed to the Gentiles.

Today, there are two radically different options for writing images of this prophet. They are tied to different periods of his earthly existence. Some icon painters depicted him sitting on a stone in the desert, thinking. Ilya looks around, and a tame raven gets food for him. Legend says that at this moment the saint, through the thickness of thoughts and earthly problems, listens to the Divine voice.

Another option shows Elijah the Prophet at the moment of his transition to the Kingdom of Heaven. On such an icon he is depicted floating on a cloud, with his gaze turned to the sky, or looking at the earth he is leaving.

How does the icon of Elijah the Prophet help?

In general, this saint is incredibly popular among the people. Every year on the second of August the day of Elijah is celebrated. Folk traditions represent him as a mighty old man who, riding a chariot across the sky, sends punishing fiery arrows with his hand. The icon “Ilya the Prophet” is no less popular. It is believed that the saint can contribute to the successful outcome of an undertaking, although it is more often believed that the saint helps more in agricultural matters. People turn to him during drought with a request to send rain or, conversely, clear weather during torrential downpours. It is believed that the icon “Ilya the Prophet” helps the supplicant to get rid of various troubling diseases. It also removes the anger from people's hearts. Her presence in the house contributes to a peaceful atmosphere in the family. They pray to this saint, asking for protection for loved ones from bodily ailments and quarrels. The icon “Elijah the Prophet” helps a person in all his endeavors. And unmarried girls have long been asking the saint for a good, worthy husband.

Significance

Images of this saint can often be found in the houses of farmers and military personnel. The airborne troops consider him their intercessor and patron, therefore each military unit has a chapel, the main place in which is occupied by the image of St. Elijah the Prophet. The icon, whose significance is incredibly great for believers, is considered one of the most famous and revered.

The saint in ancient Rus' was considered not only a great miracle worker, but also a thunderer who controls the elements. First of all, this concerned the rain. The icon “Ilya the Prophet” was present in almost every home. When people were worried about the richness of the harvest - so that it would not dry out or, on the contrary, rot, they fervently prayed to the prophet. The icon with his image helped and helps to cope with any difficulties - lack of material goods, mental or physical illnesses. In addition, it is capable of averting sudden death from a person. And judging by the reviews, believers are constantly convinced of this.

Where can you find icons depicting Elijah the Prophet

In our country, the most famous image is the one that can be seen in Moscow in the temple built in honor of this saint on Obydensky Lane. The twenty marks with which the icon of “St. Elijah the Prophet” is decorated contain the most important life moments of this God’s chosen one. In the temple of the same name, it is the most important. There is also another icon, no less revered by the Orthodox, here. Elijah the Prophet is depicted in the desert. This shrine was created for the bicentennial anniversary of the temple, which occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century. The name of this icon sounds like this: “Holy Holy Prophet Elijah in the Desert.”

Two other equally famous icons are located in the Temple of the Prophet Elijah, located in the Novgorod region. One of them was created more than two centuries ago. This image of the saint is carried during the annual religious procession. Another icon, “Elijah the Prophet,” is relatively young: it is not even two decades old. And although it appeared in the year 2000, local residents immediately took a liking to it. Novgorodians love and revere her very much, considering her miraculous.

Icon in the Temple of Elijah the Prophet in Israel

For several centuries now, pilgrims from all over the world have been coming to Mount Carmel to personally touch the shrines associated with the name of this divine guide. The place for the construction of the temple was not chosen by chance. According to legend, it was in one of the caves in this mountain that the prophet Elijah was forced to hide from his pursuers for quite a long time. It was here that he managed to defeat the pagan priest. The temple was built directly above this cave and is shaped like a cross. The small altar located in the courtyard is very similar to the one that Ilya himself created in his time. Next to him stands a neat statue of this prophet, raising his hand with a blade over the head of a pagan priest. When the Arab army fought with the Jews, the Muslims, by cutting it off, believed that they had thereby destroyed the help it provided to Christians.

The temple was built relatively recently: on the day of remembrance of the Holy Prophet Elijah in the first quarter of the twentieth century. Every year thousands of believers flock to him to pray in front of the icon with his image and baptize children in front of it.

Where can I buy an icon

Today, images of Elijah the Prophet in a variety of designs are found on sale everywhere. They can be purchased in church shops or jewelry stores, you can buy them from icon painters, or you can create them yourself, for example, embroider them with beads. The main thing you should know is that the icon must be consecrated, charging it with church power.

How to pray

The image of this saint should be present in every home. You need to put candles in front of it and pray. There are many cases when it is believed that Elijah the Prophet definitely helps. The prayer read in front of his icon must come from the heart. If a person kneels before an image in a temple, he must follow some rules: go to God's abode only with an open heart and good intentions. Donations should be given to those in need before entering. When entering a temple, you need to cross yourself and bow. After this, you should go to the icon of Elijah the Prophet and light a candle in front of his image. Having freed yourself from all extraneous thoughts, you should concentrate on your request. If a person prays at home, then he should place an icon in front of him and light a candle next to him.

Elijah's Day is a holiday that takes place on the second of August. You can read about who the prophet Elijah is, about his life and much more in our article!

Ilyin's Day - holiday August 2

Elijah's Day is celebrated on August 2. This holiday is dedicated to the very first Saint who began to be revered in Rus'. In IX, a cathedral church was built in Kyiv, and Princess Olga erected a temple in the name of the prophet Elijah in the north of Rus', in the village of Vybuty. On Elijah's day they always prayed for deliverance from drought, because in those days it meant hunger and lack of harvest. Elijah's day usually fell on the border of the seasons and was considered the middle of summer, when the time was already approaching winter.

After Ilyin's day we usually did not swim in bodies of water. There was a belief that you could drown. Many still adhere to it. And the girls these days prayed for marriage, since Elijah’s day was accompanied by the traditional period of weddings. The modern Orthodox understanding of the holiday has moved far away from popular beliefs, which are more related to paganism than to the true veneration of the Biblical prophet. We will introduce you to the story of the prophet Elijah, tell you about his life and prophecies. The Holy Prophet Elijah devoted himself to serving God and was taken alive to Heaven. The Scripture speaks of him being “hidden by a whirlwind”; before him, only one person was awarded such an honor in Scripture.

The Prophet Elijah is also mentioned in the New Testament; it is also surprising that he is also revered as a prophet by Muslims. There is a mention in the Koran of a prophet named Ilyasin. In the Muslim holy book, the prophet Elijah was also identified with other people who escaped death and ascended to Heaven alive. This was a sign of the Lord’s special favor and great spiritual merit of which rare righteous people are capable. It is important for Christians not to forget that superstitions and rituals similar to pagan ones do not relate to Ilya’s Day in the Orthodox sense. Ilyin's Day also coincides with a secular holiday - Airborne Forces Day.

Elijah(ancient Hebrew אֵלִיָּהוּ (Eliyahu), אֵלִיָּה (Eliya) - “My God Yahweh”) - (1st half of the 9th century BC), one of the Old Testament prophets.

The name of the prophet Elijah is translated as “My God is the Lord,” which expresses the main content of his ministry (cf. 3 Kings 18.36) - a zealous struggle for the worship of the one God and who demonstrated His power through his deeds.

Life of the Prophet Elijah

The Prophet Elijah is one of the most revered saints of the Old Testament. He was born in Thesbia of Gilead in the tribe of Levi 900 years before the birth of Christ. According to the legend that has come down to us from Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus, when Elijah was born, his father had a mysterious vision: handsome men welcomed the baby, swaddled him with fire and fed him with a fiery flame.

The Holy Prophet Elijah was truly an ardent zealot of faith and piety; from an early age he devoted himself to the One God, lived in the desert, spent time in fasting, prayer and piety. His prophetic ministry occurred during the reign of the most wicked Israeli king, Ahab. Jezebel, Ahab's wife, convinced her husband to accept the pagan religion.

The worship of Baal was cultivated in the country, the people fell away from the true faith of their ancestors in the One God, the prophets of Israel were persecuted and killed. To admonish the king and the Israeli people corrupted by him, the prophet Elijah struck the land with a three-year drought, “closing the heavens with prayer.” After this, in order to avoid the wrath of Jezebel, at the direction of God, he hid at the stream Horath, where ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and evening.

The people at that time suffered from unbearable heat and hunger. The Old Testament legend tells that the Lord, in His mercy, seeing the suffering of people, was ready to spare everyone and send rain to the earth, but did not want to violate the words of the prophet Elijah. It was important for the prophet to turn the hearts of the Israelites to repentance and return them to true worship of God.

Prophecies and miracles of the prophet Elijah

Divine prophet, you, zealous for the Lord Almighty, have closed the heavens with prayer, saying: let rain and dew not fall on the earth except with the words of my mouth.

After some time the stream dried up. Prophet Elijah, according to the word of God, went to Zarephath of Sidon to visit a poor widow. Because she did not spare the last handful of flour and oil, through the prayer of the prophet Elijah, flour and oil have not been exhausted in the widow’s house since then. Here the prophet Elijah performs another miracle: he revived the widow’s suddenly ill and dead son, sympathizing with the woman’s grief.

In the third year of drought, the prophet Elijah returned to Ahab. The prophet Elijah proposed a contest with the priests of Baal to find out whose god was the true one. Having gathered the people on Mount Carmel, the prophet Elijah proposed to build two altars: one from the priests of Baal, the other from the prophet Elijah to serve the True God. “On which of them fire falls from heaven, that will be an indication whose God is true,” said the prophet Elijah, “and everyone will have to worship Him, and those who do not recognize Him will be put to death.”

The priests of Baal danced, prayed and stabbed themselves with knives all day, but nothing happened. In the evening, the holy prophet Elijah erected his altar of 12 stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, laid the sacrifice on the firewood, ordered a ditch to be dug around the altar, and ordered to water the sacrifice and firewood with water. When the ditch was filled with water, the fiery prophet turned to God with a fervent prayer and petition, so that the Lord would send fire from heaven to admonish the erring and embittered Israeli people and turn their hearts to Himself. Fire fell from the sky and ignited the sacrifice of the prophet Elijah.

The people shouted: “Truly the Lord is One God and there is no other God besides Him!” Then, by order of the prophet Elijah, the priests were killed. Through the prayer of the prophet Elijah, the Lord sent abundant rain to the earth, and the drought ended.

Divine prophet, you, through prayer and mercy, again open the heavens, and richly grant rain to thirsty people.

However, despite the miracles and great signs that happened through the prayer of the prophet, Jezebel wanted to kill him because he put the priests of Baal to death. Persecution and persecution begin again. Ilya runs into the desert. This stern and unyielding zealot of the true faith fell into despair for the first time - it seemed to him that only he remained faithful to the true God, that there was no one left on earth to whom he could convey and preserve the faith of the fathers in the One God.

And on Mount Harib, this great prophet was honored, as far as is possible for a person, to contemplate God face to face. The Lord consoled him, saying that there were still people on earth who had never worshiped idols, and pointed Elijah to Elisha, whom He chose as a prophet after Elijah. Such a striking event in the life of the prophet Elijah showed him how merciful the Lord is, that He is not only a formidable punishing judge. Elisha became a disciple of the prophet Elijah and witnessed his ascent to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Ascension

Elijah was taken to Heaven alive: " suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared, and separated them both, and Elijah rushed in a whirlwind to Heaven"(2 Kings 2:11). According to the Bible, before him, only Enoch, who lived before the Flood, was taken alive into heaven (Gen. 5:24).

The Apocryphal Book of Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach describes this event as follows: “ Elijah was hidden by a whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit"(Sirach.48:12). According to it, Elijah left his outer clothing (“mantle”) for the prophet Elisha, throwing it off the fiery chariot.

Elijah the wondrous prophet, having enlightened his mind to the dawn, became all divine: and the king of the wicked is indignant at the unrighteous judgment in vain, and he also sends renunciation to the judgment of God: likewise the queen, who is unmerciful and a lover of gold, was betrayed to the judgment of God. But through the prayers, Christ, of Your prophet Elijah, save us all, for You are merciful.

What can we learn from the life of the prophet Elijah?

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev)

Today the Church celebrates the memory of the holy prophet of God Elijah. In the Third and Fourth Books of Kings we read about the great deeds of the prophet, about the miracles that he performed in front of the people of Israel. We read about how, in order to prove the existence of the true God, he calls four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and makes sacrifices to the Lord, and they make sacrifices to their gods; and the sacrifice of the prophet, through his prayer, is consumed by Divine fire, but the victims of false prophets are not touched by fire.

We read about how Elijah comes to the house of a poor widow and resurrects her son, about how the prophet flees from the wrath of the wicked queen Jezebel into the desert and, no longer finding the strength in himself for prophetic service, in despair calls out to God: “Enough already, Lord; take my soul." But God consoles him, not only sending him water and bread, but also mysteriously, in an extraordinary way, appearing to him “in the quiet breath of the wind.” Feeling this light breath, Elijah understands that the Lord appeared to him not in menacing natural phenomena - not in a storm, not in an earthquake, not in fire - but precisely in a light breath of spiritual wind. With this breath of the Holy Spirit, God consoles the prophet and gives him new strength.

Finally, we see Elijah walking with his disciple the prophet Elisha, and Elisha learns that his teacher will be taken from him that day. Elijah says: “Ask what you can do before I am taken from you.” And Elisha answers: “Let the spirit that is in you be doubly on me.” Elijah said: “You are asking a difficult thing. If you see how I will be taken from you, then so be it for you.” Soon a fiery chariot appeared, and a whirlwind carried Elijah to heaven. This was a man who raised the dead during his lifetime, this was a prophet who did not see death, but was exalted by God into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The life of the prophet Elijah teaches us what true prophets were like, called by God for a special service, for a special mission - to proclaim to people about God. The prophets were persecuted, and we heard today in the Gospel reading the words of Christ: “A prophet has no honor in his own country” (John 4:44), that is, where he preaches, he is not understood. All prophets had enemies and ill-wishers, people who wished them death. Like all people, prophets had their weaknesses, and they were not always able to carry out the incredibly difficult mission that was entrusted to them - to testify about God to people who did not want to hear this testimony.

As we read about the lives of other prophets, we learn that when the Lord called them, some of them refused. One said that he was too young, the other - Jonah - completely fled from the Face of God, realizing that he did not have the strength to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by God. The prophet Elijah in despair asked God for death. But the prophets were always supported by the grace of God; in their ministry they came into direct contact with God, meeting Him in personal spiritual experience.

These meetings were different. Sometimes the Lord came in a light breath of wind, that is, in some kind of hidden spiritual consolation, as was the case with the prophet Elijah. But it also happened that not only the prophet, but also the entire people witnessed the appearance of God, when, for example, the same Elijah, with the help of fire, decided to show whether the Lord or Baal should be the God of Israel. At different periods of human history, God sent prophets to people so that people would hear the word of truth from them, so that they would testify with miracles to the presence of God and the power of God. And in all eras, prophets were weak people - just like you and me. Their prophetic mission far exceeded their natural human strength, and they, not relying on their own strength, sought help from God. They asked God for spiritual reinforcement in difficult moments, when they were abandoned by people, persecuted, when enemies sought their death. And the Lord mysteriously strengthened them with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

And we learn one more thing from the life of the prophet Elijah - that every prophet left behind spiritual descendants. The prophets were not people who, like the celebrities of this world, flash brightly and disappear. The prophets left disciples behind them, so the work they served did not die even after their death. When Elijah was carried into heaven by the chariot of God, Elisha took his mantle, that is, his cloak, and struck the water with it, and the water parted, and Elisha realized that the spiritual heritage of the prophet Elijah had passed to him. It often happened that students turned out to be higher than the teacher, because the spirit that was on one prophet passed on to another and acted through him with even greater force. So spiritual succession passed from one prophet to another, right up to the last of the prophets and the first of the apostles - John the Baptist. Then it passed from one apostle to another, then to bishops, to priests and to all the people of God, who also passed on this gracious testimony about God from generation to generation; it has reached us, and now we are its owners.

Therefore, when we remember the Old Testament prophets, we remember not some people who lived in ancient times and three thousand years ago became famous for their great deeds, but the saints, whose spiritual heritage continues to live on in our Church. Remembering them and praying to them, we hope to be at least to a small extent imbued with the spirit by which they lived, and to receive at least a particle of that grace of God, which was given to them not for their own sake, but in order to help them carry out the difficult mission of witnessing to God before people, that cross, under the weight of which we sometimes bend, not finding the strength to bear it.

Sometimes we say: Lord, this is impossible, this cross is too heavy for me. And then the grace of God comes in the “breath of a quiet wind,” and its refreshing and strengthening breath gives us new strength.

The Human Face of God. M., 2000.

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. So, sometimes he is called Jedidiah (“beloved of God”) - a symbolic name given to Solomon as a sign of God’s favor to his father David, after his deep repentance in the story of Bathsheba.

The name of King Solomon is associated with many myths and legends, let's look at some of them.

Queen of Sheba.
Having heard about the wisdom and fabulous wealth of King Solomon, the legendary Queen of Sheba visited him to test his wisdom and make sure of his wealth (according to other sources, Solomon himself ordered her to come to him, having heard about the wonderful and rich country of Saba). The queen brought with her numerous gifts.
The state of Saba actually existed on the Arabian Peninsula (it is mentioned in Assyrian manuscripts of the 8th century BC). It flourished through the cultivation and trade of spices and incense. At that time, spices were worth their weight in gold and Saba successfully traded them with many states.
Trade routes passed through the territory of Solomon's kingdom and the passage of caravans depended on the will and disposition of the king. This was the real reason for the visit of the Queen of Sheba.
There is an opinion that she was only a “delegate”, “ambassador” of the country and was not a dynastic queen. But only someone equal in status could speak to the king, so the envoys were “given” temporary status for negotiations.
In later Muslim legends, the name of the queen is revealed - Bilqis. Folk legends gave a romantic touch to this visit. King Solomon, struck by the beauty of Bilqis, was inflamed with passion for her, she reciprocated his feelings, all questions about the progress of the caravans were settled and, upon returning home, in due time Bilqis gave birth to a boy named Menelik. The Ethiopians claim that their imperial dynasty descends from him.

Eastern legend telling about the Portrait of Solomon
The Queen of Sheba, amazed by the wisdom, gift of prophecy and personality of Solomon, decided to reveal the secret of his magical powers. Having set a goal, she sent her best painter to Solomon. When the painter returned with the portrait, the queen of Arabia gathered the best of the best sages and soothsayers, skilled in the science of physiognomy, and asked them to determine the source of Solomon's wisdom and strength.

The queen, answered the sages, is a portrait of a cruel, arrogant, greedy person, obsessed with the desire for power and all the vices that exist in the world.
The queen did not believe it, and a dispute arose between the painter and the sages: the sages argued. That they could not have been mistaken and the portrait was probably painted inaccurately, while the painter claimed the opposite. Seeing the contradictions that arose, the Queen of Sheba decided to go to Solomon herself and resolve the doubts that tormented her.
Arriving at Solomon, she was convinced at first glance that the artist had painted the portrait with impeccable accuracy. Kneeling before the great man, the queen of Arabia asked him to clarify the contradictions:
- At first, until I saw you, I thought that the artist had made a mistake, for my sages are the most knowledgeable in the science of physiognomy. Now I am convinced that they are completely unworthy people and their wisdom is empty.
“This is not so,” answered Solomon, “the wise men are right, for all the vices that they listed were indeed given to me by nature and even to a greater extent than they saw in the portrait.” However, I fought against them, gradually overcoming and dissolving them, until everything to the contrary became second nature to me. And this is my strength and greatest pride...

Another legend. King Solomon had heard that the Queen of Sheba had goat hooves, that is, the devil was hidden under the image of a beautiful woman. To do this, he built a palace, the floor of which was made transparent, and he put fish there. When he invited the queen to enter, she instinctively lifted the hem of her dress, afraid to get it wet, thereby showing the king her legs. She had no hooves, but her legs were covered with thick hair. Solomon said, “Your beauty is the beauty of a woman, and your hair is the hair of a man. In a man it is beautiful, but in a woman it is considered a flaw.”

King Solomon's ring.
This is one version of the parable of Solomon's ring.
Despite his wisdom, King Solomon's life was not calm. And one day King Solomon turned to the court sage for advice with the request: “Help me - a lot in this life can make me angry.
I am very subject to passions, and this bothers me!" To which the sage replied: "I know how to help you. Put this ring on and the phrase “This shall pass!” is engraved on it. When strong anger or strong joy surges, look at this inscription, and it will sober you up. In this you will find salvation from passions!"
Solomon followed the advice of the sage and found peace. But the moment came when, looking, as usual, at the ring, he did not calm down, but on the contrary, he lost his temper even more. He tore the ring off his finger and wanted to throw it further into the pond, but suddenly noticed that there was some kind of inscription on the inside of the ring. He took a closer look and read: “This too shall pass...”

Another version of the legend:
One day, King Solomon was sitting in his palace and saw a man walking down the street dressed from head to toe in golden robes. Solomon called this man to him and asked: “Are you not a robber?” To which he replied that he was a jeweler: “And Jerusalem is a famous city, many wealthy people, kings and princes come here.” Then the king asked how much the jeweler earns from this? And he proudly answered that there was a lot. Then the king grinned and said that if this jeweler is so smart, then let him make a ring that makes the sad people happy and the happy people sad. And if in three days the ring is not ready, he orders the jeweler to be executed. No matter how talented the jeweler was, on the third day he went to the king with fear with a ring for him. At the threshold of the palace he met Rahabam, the son of Solomon, and thought: “The son of a sage is half a sage.” And he told Rahavam about his trouble. To which he grinned, took a nail and scratched three Hebrew letters on three sides of the ring - Gimel, Zain and Yod. And he said that with this you can safely go to the king. Solomon turned the ring and immediately understood the meaning of the letters on three sides of the ring in his own way - and their meaning is the abbreviation גם זו יעבור “This too shall pass.” And just as the ring spins, and all the time different letters appear at the top, so the world spins, and the fate of a person spins in the same way. And thinking that now he was sitting on a high throne, surrounded by all the splendors, and that this would pass, he immediately became sad. And when Ashmodai threw him to the ends of the world and Solomon had to wander for three years, looking at the ring, he realized that this too would pass, and he felt happy.

Third version of the legend:
In his youth, King Solomon was given a ring with the words that when it is very difficult, sad, or scary for him, let him remember the ring and hold it in his hands. Solomon's wealth was immeasurable, one more ring - will it greatly increase it? ...
Once upon a time, there was a crop failure in the kingdom of Solomon. Pestilence and famine arose: not only children and women died, even warriors were exhausted. The king opened all his bins. He sent merchants to sell valuables from his treasury in order to buy bread and feed the people. Solomon was confused - and suddenly he remembered the ring. The king took out the ring, held it in his hands... Nothing happened. Suddenly he noticed that there was an inscription on the ring. What is this? Ancient signs... Solomon knew this forgotten language. “EVERYTHING WILL PASS,” he read. ... Many years passed ... King Solomon became known as a wise ruler. He got married and lived happily. His wife became his most sensitive and closest assistant and adviser. And suddenly she died. Grief and melancholy overwhelmed the king. Neither the dancers and singers, nor the wrestling competitions amused him... Sadness and loneliness. Approaching old age. How to live with this? He took the ring: “Everything passes”? Melancholy squeezed his heart. The king did not want to put up with these words: out of frustration he threw the ring, it rolled - and something flashed on the inner surface. The king picked up the ring and held it in his hands. For some reason, he had never seen such an inscription before: “THIS WILL PASS.” ... Many more years have passed. Solomon turned into an ancient old man. The king understood that his days were numbered and while he still had some strength, he needed to give the last orders, have time to say goodbye to everyone, and bless his successors and children. “Everything passes,” “This too will pass,” he remembered and grinned: that’s all passed. Now the king did not part with the ring. It has already worn out, the previous inscriptions have disappeared. With weakening eyes, he noticed something appeared on the edge of the ring. What are these, some letters again? The king exposed the edge of the ring to the setting rays of the sun - the letters flashed on the edge: “NOTHING PASSES” - read Solomon...

King Solomon's Mines.
After the publication of King Solomon's Mines by Henry Rider Haggard in 1885, many adventurers lost their peace and went in search of treasures. Haggard believed that King Solomon owned diamond and gold mines.
From the Old Testament we know that King Solomon possessed enormous wealth. It is said that every three years he sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back gold, mahogany, precious stones, monkeys and peacocks. Scientists have tried to find out what Solomon took to Ophir in exchange for these riches and where this country is located. The location of the mysterious country has not yet been clarified. It is believed that this could be India, Madagascar, Somalia.
Most archaeologists are confident that King Solomon mined copper ore in his mines. “The real mines of King Solomon” periodically appeared in different places. In the 1930s it was suggested that the Solomon mines were located in southern Jordan. And only at the beginning of this century, archaeologists found evidence that, indeed, copper mines discovered on the territory of Jordan in the town of Khirbat en-Nahas could be the legendary mines of King Solomon.
Obviously, Solomon had a monopoly on copper production, which gave him the opportunity to make huge profits.

Solomon(ancient Hebrew שְׁלֹמֹה, Shlomo; Greek Σαλωμών, Σολωμών in the Septuagint; lat. Salomon in the Vulgate; Arab. سليمان‎ Suleiman in the Koran) - the third Jewish king, the ruler of the united kingdom of Israel during the period of its greatest prosperity. The son of King David and Bathsheba (Batsheba), David's co-ruler in the first two years of his reign. During the reign of Solomon, the Temple of Jerusalem was built in Jerusalem - the main shrine of Judaism.

According to different chronologies, the dates of reign date back to the beginning of the 10th century BC. e., 972-932 BC e., 960s - approx. 930 BC e., 967-928 BC e., according to traditional Jewish chronology ca. 874-796 BC e.

Solomon is a character in many legends, in which he appears as the wisest of people and a fair judge; magical qualities are often attributed to him (understanding the language of animals, power over genies).

Traditionally considered the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the book Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, as well as some psalms (Ps. 126 (Masoretic text - Ps. 127), Ps. 131 (Masoretic Ps. 132). Orthodox and Catholic churches are considered the author of the deuterocanonical Book of the Wisdom of Solomon.

The historicity of King Solomon, as well as the historicity of King David, and the historicity of the Kingdom of Israel is the subject of scientific debate.

Historicity of Solomon

The Bible is the main source of information about the life and reign of Solomon. In addition, his name is mentioned in the works of some authors of antiquity, as Josephus wrote about. Apart from biblical stories, direct historical evidence of his existence has not been found. Nevertheless, he is generally considered a historical figure. There is particularly detailed factual information on 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 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, remarkable intelligence.

Names of Solomon

Name Shlomo(Solomon) in Hebrew comes from the root "שלום" ( shalom- “peace”, meaning “not war”), as well as “שלם” ( shawl- “perfect”, “whole”). Solomon is also mentioned in the Bible under a number of other names. For example, it is called Yedidia("beloved of God or friend of God") - a symbolic name given to Solomon as a sign of God's favor towards his father David after his deep repentance regarding his adultery with Bathsheba.

In the Haggadah, King Solomon is also credited with names from the Book of Proverbs of Solomon (chapter 30, v. 1 and ch. 31, v. 1) Agur, Bin, Yake, Lemuel, Itiel and Ukal.

Biblical narrative

The Holy Scripture says that Solomon was born in the capital of the Kingdom of Israel - Jerusalem (First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 3, Art. 5). The Bible mentions Solomon's wife Naamah the Ammonite (Hebrew - נעמה) (Third Book of Kings, 14: 22,31) and Solomon's daughters - Tafat (Hebrew Tafat טפת), (Third Book of Kings 4:11) and Basematha (Hebrew. Basemat בשמת), (3 Kings 4:15).

He was succeeded by his son Rehoboam (3 Kings 14:21).

Coming to power

King David intended to transfer the throne to Solomon, although he was one of his youngest sons. When David became decrepit, his other son, Adonijah, tried to usurp power (1 Kings 1:5). He entered into a conspiracy with the high priest Abiathar and the commander of the troops Joab, and, taking advantage of David’s weakness, declared himself the successor to the throne, scheduling a magnificent coronation.

Solomon's mother, Bathsheba (Hebrew - בת שבע Bat Sheva), as well as the prophet Nathan (Hebrew: נתן Nathan) notified David about this. Adonijah fled and hid in the Tabernacle, grabbing "by the horns of the altar"(1 Kings 1:51), after his repentance, Solomon pardoned him. After coming to power, Solomon dealt with the 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, was appointed by Solomon as the new commander of the troops.

God gave Solomon kingship on the condition that he would not deviate from serving God. In exchange for this promise, God endowed Solomon with unprecedented wisdom and patience (1 Kings 3:10 - 11)

Composition of the government formed by Solomon:

High priests - Zadok, Abiathar, Azariah;
Commander of the troops - Vanya;
Minister of Taxation - Adoniram;
Court Chronicler - Jehoshaphat; also scribes - Elichoreth and Ahijah;
Akhisar - head of the royal administration;
Zawuf;
Azariah - chief of governors;
12 governors:
- Ben Hur,
- Ben-Decker,
- Ben Hesed,
- Ben Avinadav,
- Vahana, son of Ahilud,
- Ben-Gever,
- Ahinadav,
- Ahimaas,
- Bahana, son of Hushai,
- Jehoshaphat,
- Shimei,
- Gever.

Foreign policy

The basis of Solomon's wealth was the trade route from Egypt to Damascus that passed through his domain. He was not a warlike ruler, although the states of Israel and Judah, united under his rule, occupied a significant territory. Solomon maintained friendly relations with the Phoenician king Hiram. Great building projects left him in debt to Hiram (1 Kings 9:15). To pay off the debt, Solomon was forced to cede to him villages in the south of his lands.

According to the biblical narrative, having learned about the wisdom and glory of Solomon, the ruler of the Sabaean kingdom came to Solomon “to test him with riddles” (Third Book of Kings, Chapter 10). In response, Solomon also gifted the queen, giving “ everything she wanted and asked for" After this visit, according to the Bible, unprecedented prosperity began in Israel. 666 talents of gold came to King Solomon per year (3rd Book of Kings, 10:14). Subsequently, the story of the Queen of Sheba became overgrown with numerous legends, including speculation about her love affair with Solomon. The Christian rulers of Ethiopia considered themselves descended from this connection.

It is believed that Solomon ended half a thousand years of hostility between Jews and Egyptians by taking the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh as his first wife (Third Book of Kings, 9:16).

End of the reign

According to the Bible, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3), among whom were foreigners. One of them, who by that time had become his beloved wife and had 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 Solomon’s reign (since David was promised the prosperity of the country even 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 a new altar. To avoid a mistake (assuming that this could be a lethargic dream), those close to him did not bury him until the worms began to sharpen his staff. Only then was he officially declared dead and buried.

The enormous costs of building the temple and palace (the latter took twice as long to build as the temple) depleted the state treasury. Not only captives and slaves, but also ordinary subjects of the king served construction duty (Third Book of Kings, 12:1 - 5). Even during Solomon’s lifetime, uprisings of the conquered peoples (Edomites, Arameans) began; 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 Talmud, Solomon lived 52 years.

Solomon in Islam

According to the Koran, Suleiman was the son of the prophet Davud. 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 a huge kingdom that extended to Yemen in the south. In Islamic tradition, Suleiman is known for his wisdom and justice. He is considered a model ruler. It is no coincidence that many Muslim monarchs bore his name. The Islamic tradition has some parallels with the Haggadah, where Solomon is presented as “the wisest of men who could speak to beasts, and they obeyed him.” In the Jewish tradition there is a motif of humility of this proud king.

According to Islamic tradition, Suleiman died at the age of 81.

Symbolism

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. At the same time, medieval mystics called the pentagram (five-pointed star) the Seal of Solomon. It is believed that the Star of Solomon formed the basis of the Maltese cross of the Knights of St. John.

In occultism, the pentacle with the name “Star of Solomon” is considered to be an 8-pointed star. Due to the larger number of rays, a circle is formed in the center of the star. Often a symbol was inscribed in it. These signs were widely used in magic, alchemy, Kabbalah and other mystical teachings.

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 in verse to him, the artist Raphael created the fresco "The Judgment of Solomon", and the artist Rubens painted the painting "The Judgment of Solomon", Handel dedicated an oratorio to him, and Gounod - an opera.A. I. Kuprin used the image of King Solomon and the motif 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.

It is difficult to find at least one ruler or simply significant historical figure whose life would be shrouded in so many legends and secrets as the life of King Solomon. His name became synonymous with wisdom throughout the centuries, and the period of his reign became the “Golden Age,” the heyday of the Kingdom of Israel.

Solomon was born in 1011 BC. in Jerusalem. His parents were the powerful King of Israel David and the beautiful Bathsheba. The only source in which one can find confirmation of the real existence of the legendary ruler of the united kingdom of Israel is the Torah. Therefore, from a scientific point of view, to this day it is difficult to say for sure whether Solomon is a historical figure.

This is what the Holy Scripture tells about the story of the birth of the future King Solomon: “One evening, David, getting out of bed, was walking on the roof of the king’s house and saw a woman bathing from the roof; and that woman was very beautiful. And David sent to find out who this woman was? And they said to him, This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David sent servants to take her; and she came to him, and he slept with her.". In order to get rid of the beauty's husband, King David ordered him to be sent on a military campaign and, so that the warrior would certainly not return home, gave instructions: “Place Uriah where the strongest battle will be and retreat from him so that he will be defeated and die.”. When Uriah died, the king was able to marry Bathsheba, and in due course they had a son.

As you know, sooner or later everything secret becomes clear, and the treacherous act of the king is no exception. A scandal broke out in Jerusalem. The prophet Nathan openly cursed the house of David, dooming it to fratricidal strife. In addition, he predicted that the baby born to Bathsheba would die. And so it happened. David then repented before the Lord, and Nathan declared that he was forgiven. Soon, the beautiful Bathsheba gave birth to a second son, who was named Solomon (Shlomo), that is, “peacemaker.” The second name was given to him at birth by the prophet Nathan: Jedidiah - “favorite of God.”

By the time Solomon was born, forty-year-old King David already had two dozen offspring from different wives. Naturally, they received the news about the appearance of another heir without enthusiasm, and they did not treat each other like brothers.

David's two eldest sons, Amnon and Absalom, died in fratricidal internecine conflicts. The next oldest was Adonijah. Formalities required that he should ascend to the throne of Israel after David, but the great ruler had already promised Bathsheba that he would make Solomon his successor. Distressed by his father's injustice, Adonijah found support in the military commander Joav and the high priest Evyatar, who also believed that Adonijah had a greater right to the throne than Solomon. Adonijah, already confident of his own victory, arranged a luxurious feast in honor of his coronation. However, Bathsheba entered the king’s chambers and reminded him of the promise given to her: “Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying: “Your son Solomon will be king after me”? Why did Adonijah reign?" And David appointed 18-year-old Solomon as his successor. Having learned about his failure and the failure of his intrigues, Adonijah ran, fearing reprisals, to the temple and grabbed the horns of the altar in the form of a bull's head - this meant that he was asking for protection from G-d. Solomon came to Adonijah and promised that he would not kill him if he behaved with dignity from now on.

Soon David died, and Adonijah again tried to make his way to power. He decided to marry Abishag, King David's handmaiden at the end of his life. Solomon saw in this Adonijah’s claim to the throne, since, according to custom, the right to the throne is the one who gets the king’s wife or concubine, and ordered Adonijah to be killed.

After this execution, Solomon decided to once and for all get rid of the remaining “well-wishers” - the adherent of Adonijah Yoav and the long-time enemy of the Davidic dynasty Shimi, a relative of the first king Shaul. Solomon was not driven by a blind thirst for revenge, and there are no documents in history confirming the use of the death penalty by the king. In relation to Yoav and Shimi, Solomon only fulfilled David's will.

Solomon ruled the kingdom of Israel from 967 to 928 BC. As already mentioned, the king was unusually wise. One day, before the construction of the Temple, G-d appeared to Solomon in a dream and promised to fulfill his every desire. Solomon asks: “Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and discern between what is good and what is evil.”

“And God said to him: because you asked for this, and did not ask for a long life, did not ask for wealth, did not ask for the souls of your enemies, but asked for understanding, so that you could judge - behold, I will do according to to your word: Behold, I give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was no one like you before you, and after you there will not arise one like you; There will be one like you among kings all your days; and if you walk in My way, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, I will also prolong your days.”(Kings).

Having decided to unite his people with a common cause, one task, King Solomon built the main shrine of Judaism - the First Temple of Jerusalem on Mount Zion. The Ark of the Covenant (aron ha-brit) was placed in this Temple - the greatest shrine, inside of which were kept the tablets received by Moses from the Lord himself.

David also wanted to build a worthy container for the Ark, but did not have time. Solomon continued the work begun by his father. He made a deal with the king of Phoenician Tire, Hiram, in whose country the Lebanese cedars, famous throughout the Middle East, grew.
According to the agreement, in exchange for cedar wood, Solomon agreed to supply Hiram with large quantities of oil, meat and grain every year. 30 thousand people were sent to Tire to harvest wood; another 150 thousand residents of Israel mined stones in the mountains and transported them to Jerusalem. Almost all healthy men were forced to build the temple. The construction lasted 7 years, and is associated with the famous legend about the chief mason, whose name was Hiram according to some sources, and Adoniram according to others. He refused to reveal the secrets of his craft, and for this he was killed. Hiram's heirs allegedly founded the brotherhood of “free masons” (Masons) to protect the secret, making its emblems a compass, a square and a plumb line.

The erected Temple was a huge building that could accommodate up to 50 thousand worshipers. In the center of the Temple was the “Holy of Holies” (Davir), where the Ark was installed on a stone pedestal, guarded by gilded statues of cherubs. The temple was destroyed in 586 BC. Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, but before that the ark mysteriously disappeared. Mystery lovers are still looking for it.

Many still consider Solomon to be the personification of wisdom, and there is even a saying: “He who sees Solomon in a dream can hope to become wise” (Berachot 57 b).

No matter how atypical it may sound for those times, King Solomon was a peaceful ruler and, unlike his father, waged virtually no wars. At the same time, he managed to expand the territory of Israel from the Nile to the Euphrates. It was under this ruler that the Kingdom of Israel became a significant and quite influential state in Asia.

Solomon began to build the foreign policy strategy of the Kingdom of Israel by establishing and strengthening friendly relations with its neighbors. At the beginning of his reign, he put an end to the age-old enmity between the Egyptians and the Jews by marrying the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh and thereby strengthening the southern borders of the state. Most likely, it was precisely in order to get closer to neighboring peoples and strengthen his power that Solomon took as wives Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites who belonged to the noble families of these peoples.

King Solomon was a good diplomat, builder and trader. He transformed an agricultural country into a strong, economically developed state that had great influence in the international arena. He rebuilt and strengthened Jerusalem and other cities of his kingdom, for the first time introduced cavalry and chariots into the Jewish army, built a merchant fleet, developed crafts and in every possible way supported trade with other countries.

The new government of King Solomon consisted of a high priest, a commander of the troops, a minister of taxation, the head of the royal administration and the head of 12 governors, as well as several court chroniclers.

During excavations in Jerusalem, many cups for cosmetics, mirrors, hairpins, and jugs for imported incense were found - this proves that the ladies of the court vigilantly followed fashion. The king established the mining and smelting of copper, and also built a large fleet, which sailed to the country of Ophir every three years, bringing gold and valuable wood from there.

Henry Rider Haggard's book King Solomon's Mines, published in 1885, inspired many adventurers to go in search of treasures. Haggard believed that Solomon owned diamond and gold mines. Most archaeologists are confident that the king mined copper ore in his mines. In the 1930s it was suggested that the Solomon mines were located in southern Jordan. And only at the beginning of the 21st century did archaeologists find evidence that, indeed, the copper mines discovered in Jordan in the town of Khirbat en-Nahas may be the legendary mines of King Solomon. Obviously, Solomon had a monopolist in the copper production market, which gave him the opportunity to receive super-profits. Ambassadors from various countries arrived in Jerusalem to conclude peace and trade agreements with Israel, and brought rich gifts.

One of the hallmarks of Solomon's reign was extraordinary luxury everywhere: "And the king made the silver in Jerusalem equal in value to common stones". The king's throne deserves special attention. In the Second Targum to the Book of Esther it is said that 12 golden lions and the same number of golden eagles sat opposite each other on the steps of the throne of the king of Israel. On the top of the throne is a golden image of a dove. There was also a golden candlestick with fourteen candle cups, seven of which were engraved with the names of Adam, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job, and seven others with the names of Levi, Kehat, Amram, Moshe, Aaron, Eldad and Hura. As stated in the Targum, when the king ascended the throne, the lions, using a mechanical device, extended their paws so that Solomon could lean on them. In addition, the throne itself moved at the request of the king. When Solomon, ascending to the throne, reached the last step, the eagles lifted him up and seated him on a chair.

Understanding the importance of education, realizing the influence of education on the future of the state, wanting to spread the Torah throughout the country, Solomon built synagogues and schools. However, the king was not distinguished by arrogance: when it was necessary to determine a leap year, he invited 7 learned elders to his place, "in whose presence he remained silent"(Shemot Rabbah 15, 20).

There are legends about the king's wisdom. One day Solomon turned to the court sage with a request: “Help me - a lot in this life can make me angry. I am very susceptible to passions, and this bothers me!” To which the sage replied: “I know how to help you. Put on this ring - the phrase is carved on it: “This will pass!” When strong anger or strong joy surges, look at this inscription, and it will sober you up. In this you will find salvation from passions!"

Solomon followed the advice of the sage and found peace. But the moment came when, looking, as usual, at the ring, he did not calm down, but on the contrary, he lost his temper even more. He tore the ring off his finger and wanted to throw it further into the pond, but suddenly noticed that there was some kind of inscription on the inside of the ring. He took a closer look and read: “This too shall pass...” According to another legend, the engraved ring, a source of wisdom and peace, was made for Solomon by a first-class jeweler, who faced the death penalty if the job was unsuccessful.

There is another famous story that testifies to the foresight and intelligence of the great king. Once, two women came to the king for trial, who could not divide the baby between them - both claimed that the child belonged to her. Solomon, without thinking twice, ordered the baby to be cut in half so that each woman would get a piece. When one of the women screamed in horror: “Better give it to her, but don’t kill him!” Solomon made a decision in favor of this woman - she was the mother of the child...

King Solomon's Court

Legends say that all animals and birds obeyed Solomon. Precious stones were delivered to Solomon's palace by demons, and angels guarded them. With the help of a magical ring on which the name of God was engraved, Solomon learned many secrets about the world from the angels.

Having learned about the wisdom and fabulous wealth of King Solomon, the legendary Queen of Sheba from the country of Saba in what is now Yemen visited him to test his wisdom and verify his wealth. The queen brought with her numerous gifts. The state of Saba successfully traded spices and incense with neighboring countries. Trade routes crossed the territory of Solomon's kingdom, and the passage of caravans depended on the will and disposition of the king, which was the real reason for the visit of the Queen of Sheba. There is an opinion that she was just a “delegate”, an “ambassador” of the country and was not a dynastic queen. But only someone equal in status could speak to the king, so the envoys were “assigned” temporary status for negotiations. Folk legends gave a romantic touch to this visit. Blinded by the beauty of the Queen of Sheba, Solomon was inflamed with passion for her, she reciprocated his feelings, all questions about the advancement of the caravans were settled. Returning home, the queen gave birth to a boy named Menelik. The Ethiopians claim that their imperial dynasty descends from him. In Ethiopia, the queen is considered their countrywoman.

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba in a fresco by Piero della Francesca from the Basilica of San Francesco

During his reign, Solomon also made mistakes, which became the catalyst for the collapse of the state after his death. Time passed, and the king’s income ceased to cover his expenses. Grandiose construction and rapid economic development required labor: “and King Solomon imposed duties on all Israel; the duty consisted of thirty thousand people.”

Solomon divided the country into 12 tax districts, which were required to support the royal court and army. The tribe of Yehuda, from which Solomon and David were from, was exempt from taxes, which caused discontent and increased the degree of social tension in society. Jeroboam from the tribe of Ephraim, who held a prominent position in the royal administration, rebelled, and then fled to Egypt, where he was hospitably received by Pharaoh Shusakim. Another threat was the bandit Razon, who captured Damascus and became king there, constantly attacking the northern lands of Israel.

Solomon's extravagance and craving for luxury led him to lose his solvency. Solomon was unable to pay off King Hiram, and was forced to give him about twenty of his cities as debt.

The priests also had reasons for dissatisfaction. The king had many wives of various races and religions. Solomon allowed them to worship their gods, built temples for them, and at the end of his life he himself began to participate in pagan cults.

King Solomon in old age. Engraving by Gustav Dore

King Solomon is credited with the authorship of many books and literary works. He is believed to have written the book Ecclesiastes, but scholars have found Persian and Aramaic words in it that prove the book was written centuries later. The Song of Songs (Shir Ha-shirim), a great book about love, is also attributed to Solomon’s pen.

Already in the Middle Ages, many other works were attributed to Solomon - mostly occult and magical. Astrologers and alchemists, in order not to be accused of heresy, declared the king, recognized as a saint, as their patron.

At the end of his life, G-d appeared to Solomon and said: “Because this is done with you, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant; but in your days I will not do this for the sake of David your father; I will pluck him out of the hand of your son"(Kings).

According to most sources, King Solomon's reign lasted about 37 years, and he died at the age of 52 while overseeing the construction of a new altar. Those close to the king did not immediately bury him in the hope that the ruler simply fell into a lethargic sleep. When the worms began to sharpen the royal staff, Solomon was finally declared dead and buried with full honors.

After the death of King Solomon, as a result of numerous uprisings, his kingdom split into two weak states - Israel and Judah, which were mired in constant internecine wars.

Solomon himself, looking at the disappointing results of his reign, could well have uttered the sad words put into his mouth by the author of the book of Ecclesiastes: “I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and stupidity: I learned that this too is vexation of the spirit; For in much wisdom there is much sorrow, and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.”