King Solomon was the ruler of ancient Israel who reigned from 961-922 BC (8). He is the son of David and Bathsheba. Solomon succeeded his father as king and his territory extended from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. With his wealth he built the great Temple of Jerusalem. In 950 BCE Solomon's household included 700 wives and 300 other mistresses (1). To insure the future peace and security of his kingdom, Solomon yielded to the custom of the times and made many domestic alliances with subject races and tribes by marrying foreign women.

An able administrator, Solomon kept the kingdom of Israel largely intact, strengthened its protection, and made alliances with several surrounding nations. He united his already strong position and even extended his influence by skillful diplomacy rather than war (8). International commerce and a large copper-mining industr

11) The Encyclopedia of Jewish Religion. 378-9. 1965.

One of the main sources of the enormous revenue required to support Solomon's brilliant reign was direct taxation in the form of money, goods, or unpaid labor that furnished for his building projects. Besides taxes in money and produce, Solomon required large donations of free labor from the poor whom he practically pushed into slavery.

12) The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. Volume 9, 636-7. New York: KTAV Publishing House inc., 1969.

It is unclear where it was discovered and how it made its way into the antiquities market and later to London collector Shlomo Moussaieff. But extensive testing has convinced several scholars of its authenticity.

Ancient pottery lends credence to Bible, King Solomon's Temple

Although very interesting, it is hard to find hard core evidence of King Solomon's adventures, buildings, and wisdom. Many scholars believe that most of the books and stories of Solomon are greatly exaggerated. He is mentioned in the Bible more than any king is, other than his father David. That is probably why scholars have difficulty believing in him. Whoever the author or authors, Solomon's writings are full of wisdom, and his creation of the Temple of Jerusalem will forever be known.

10) Texas Studies in Lit. and Lang. A Journal of the Humanities. Volume 18, 362-80.1976.

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