King+Solomon

__ King Solomon __

Although Ecclesiastes is not written by King Solomon is strongly based on his wisdom so it is important to understand who King Solomon was as well as some of his pro's and con's.

During King Solomon’s reign as king over Israel there were no wars and Solomon gave Israel a period of peace. Solomon was known for his great wisdom and abundant wealth.

Pros: · He built the first temple. · Encouraged culture. · Extended Israel’s trade. · He improved the administration of the country and was able to fortify many cities.

Cons: · He antagonized the north. · Had heavy taxes. · He endangered Israel’s faith through foreign marriages.

Wright, C. (1984). //User's guide to the Bible//. Belleville, Mich.: Lion Pub..

To get a better understanding of the wisdom of King Solomon, there is a legendary story located in the book of (Kings 1 3:16 – 28).

The story tells of a situation where King Solomon was presented with a baby from two prostitutes, who both claimed the baby as their own.

King Solomon asked his servant to bring forward his sword and he shall cut the baby in two so that each woman could have half.

Solomon knew that the real mother would not let this happen and her compassion would reveal her. One of the prostitutes leaped forward and said no let the other woman have the baby please do not kill him. This revealed enough to King Solomon and gave the baby to the woman who would rather give up the baby then see any harm come to it, revealing the true mother.