所罗门

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebotharerosectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts--andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodesiteheryouthisversedintheuseofhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelingtherince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag--butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hoingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialriesthoodandalsotheresectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,suortAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone--eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoaotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-exeriencedJoaegardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershithekingdomwouldsoonfallaart.WhentherohetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconsiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestoassthatrearationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamed,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiverocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandtheeoleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.TheeoleromtlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost--forthetimebeing.Humblyhelaceshislifeinhisother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedloyonbehalfofhisothertoreclaimthethrone--Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhisoliticalositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownower.HehashisotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstoresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordaearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom--inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgytislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitsowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughteroftheharaoh.TheEgytianrincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhereserveseaceforhiseole,andcreatesgreatroserity.ByallowingthewomentocontinueracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththeriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofaroval.OneofthemostimortanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTemletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemlesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HelacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscomleted.Theexensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenoughtfromfar-offlands,andtheeoleofIsraelhaveaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomlaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTemleinatriumhantrocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeolestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytoceleatethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandingsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongtheeoleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemlemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,cativatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeelyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobederivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththeassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,sketicaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtoreresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadotanykindofsteadyolicy,eseciallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathoftheriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamaealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghiseole,asimlefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:quot;Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme.quot;Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfseakstoSolomonandannouncestheunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollaseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththeeoleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcomanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversincearohetredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings--hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,androvokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoarts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Therohecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.