David and Solomon
King David proved to be a wise and effective leader for Israel. However, it can be said that his son, Solomon, made several mistakes during his reign. Many of his problems originated from his Temple, a structure that was conceptualized by his father to be a deterrent against the paganism, which infested the land. This temple was a big factor in the book of Kings. Yet, it seemed as if several of Solomon's policies actually encouraged paganism rather than deter it. King David, a member of the tribe of Judah was chosen by God to lead his people. As everyone knows, he proved by his wise choices to be a very effective leader. As a great military strategist David united the tribes and extended the national boundaries so that in his time Israel enjoyed a greater fraction of the land promised to Abraham than has ever since been the case. David ruled as king for seven years and Hebron, then established his throne in Jerusalem after overcoming the ancient Jebusite community there. His reign continued there in Jerusalem for the next 32 years. Secure on his throne and dwelling in a magnificent palace of cedar and stone, David began to be concerned that he, the visible king, dwelled in a magnificent house, but the invisible King of kings
Attempts to end the pagan worship would finally be assumed by kings such as Josiah and Hezekiah, who undertook to clear away all pagan objects and practices. Alt, A. "The Monarachy in the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah." Essays on Old Albright, William Foxwell . Archeology and the religion of Israel . Baltimore : John's After the magnificent reign of King David, which laid the foundation for a centralized cult, the reign of Solomon stimulated a regression back to pagan beliefs and practices. The temple was built for aesthetic and personal reasons, it seemed, while its religious significance was compromised. The implications of this compromise was that it triggered relapses into paganism and also a sense of religious synchretism which lasted roughly two generations. This period of religious uncertainty was finally ended by reformist kings, such as Hezekiah and Josiah, that implemented policies that would purge the land of paganism and centralize the cult.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1119
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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