By Randy Hawley, DCC6, "Literature of the Israelite Kingdom",

As we study the Scriptures we are confronted with the various ways and means that God communicates with, and acts through, various peoples, cultures and nations. We must also recognize that God in His omniscience may choose to use people and means that we do not fully understand. Such is the case with Rahab the harlot (Josh 2:1-21), in which God not only uses someone outside the chosen the race, but a woman of questionable character. God choosing to use the unlikely candidate of a prostitute to achieve His promise to the Israelites, the promise of occupying a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). In this paper we will see that God, in spite of what Solomon does or does not do, will achieve His plans and purposes for the nation Israel.

Our first look into the character of Solomon is found in the first chapter of I Kings and unfortunately it is one that does nothing to give us any clear impressions as to the character of Solomon. As we see the story unfolding and the characters being introduced, Solomon is very much in the background, almost a hiding figure, if you wish. With others such as Nathan

6. I. Provan, "Why Barzillai of Gilead (I Kings 2:7)? Narrative Art and the Hermeneutics of Suspicion in 1 Kings 1-2." Tyndale Bulletin 46.1 (1995) 103-16

Hebrew Bible." Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 45 (1989) 61-86

This whole episode with Nathan and Bathsheba once again causes us to bring into question the character of Solomon, as well as perhaps that of Nathan and Bathsheba. Why is it that it is Solomon's mother and a prophet of God speaking to the king, and not Solomon himself? Are we to ascertain that Solomon is quit content to stay in the background and let others do for him that which he does not want to do, or is unable to do for himself? We must remember however that Bathsheba has also been replaced with Abishag by the king's side (I Kings 1:3), and she is perhaps fearful of loosing her full status as Queen Mom, and even her life. Therefore, if she is to maintain a hold on the kingdom, she will need to have her son sitting on the throne. Devries says it like this, "With him she will be exalted or demoted."4 This is perhaps the fuel that convinces her to play along with Nathan as they come before king David. Nonetheless, the character of Solomon is called into question by the shear fact that it is not 'he' who approaches the king, but his mother and Nathan the prophet, with what we might say are questionable motives.

1. J.T.Walsh, 1 Kings. (Berit Olam; Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1996). 34

9. S. Lasine, "The Riddle of Solomon's Judgment and the Riddle of Human Nature in the

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