| King Solomon | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Other Names |
Solomon, Jedidiah |
|
Reign |
Estimated 970 to 931 BCE |
Origin[]
King Solomon, also called Jedidiah, was a Jewish monarch of ancient Israel and the son and successor of King David, according to the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. He is described as having been the penultimate ruler of an amalgamated Israel and Judah. The hypothesized dates of Solomon's reign are from 970 to 931 BCE. After his death, his son and successor Rehoboam would adopt a harsh policy towards the northern tribes, eventually leading to the splitting of the Israelites between the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Following the split, his patrilineal descendants ruled over Judah alone.
The Bible says Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem, dedicating the temple to Yahweh, or God. Solomon is portrayed as wealthy, wise and powerful, and as one of the 48 Jewish prophets. He is also the subject of many later references and legends, most notably in the Testament of Solomon (part of first-century biblical apocrypha).
The life of Solomon is primarily described in 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. His two names are traditionally taken to mean "peaceful" and "friend of God", both considered "predictive of the character of his reign".
In the Hebrew Bible, it also describes how the fame of Solomon's wisdom and wealth reached even the far-off Queen of Sheba. The queen is described as visiting with gifts including gold, spices and precious stones. When Solomon gave her "all her desire, whatsoever she asked", she left satisfied (1 Kings 10:13).
The Kebra Nagast, or The Glory of the Kings, is a 14th-century national epic of Ethiopia, tells how the Queen of Sheba (Queen Makeda of Ethiopia) met King Solomon and about how the Ark of the Covenant came to Ethiopia with their son Menelik I (Menyelek). It also discusses the conversion of Ethiopians from the worship of the Sun, Moon, and stars to that of the "Lord God of Israel".
Public Domain Appearances[]
Literary Appearances[]
All published appearances of and references to King Solomon before Janurary 1, 1929 are in the public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
- The Bible
- The Divine Comedy
- Kebra Nagast (The Glory of the Kings)
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
- King Solomon’s Mines (1885)
- Just So Stories (1902)
- The Gift of the Magi (1905)
Theatrical and Musical Appearances[]
- The Sweet Girl Graduate (play), by Carolyn Wells (May 1921)
Comic Appearances[]
- Whiz Comics #57
- Four Color #1070
- Hit Comics #28
- King Solomon's Mines #1
- Sheena, Queen of the Jungle #5
- Blue Bolt v1 #6-7
- The First Christmas #1
- Judge (1881 Series) #2302, 2306, 2476, 2570
Notes[]
- When Billy Batson transformed into Captain Marvel he would gain the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. The wizard Shazam, Captain Marvel Jr., and the Lieutenant Marvels also possess the same powers.
- Solar the Master of Magic's powers came from a diamond that originated from the Mines of King Solomon.
- Lady Doom possessed a mysterious and ancient "Death Wheel," that may have once belonged to King Solomon.