Editing Books of Kings (section)

====Solomon in all his glory (3:1–11:43)====
=====Solomon the sage (3:1–4:34)=====
Solomon makes an alliance with [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] and marries the [[Pharaoh's daughter (wife of Solomon)|Pharaoh's daughter]]. After this, he continues the ancient practice of travelling between the [[high place]]s and offering sacrifices. When he is at [[Gibeon (ancient city)|Gibeon]], God speaks to him in a dream and offers him anything he asks for. Solomon, being young, asks for "an understanding heart to judge" (שָׁפַט).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8199.htm |website=Strong's Hebrew Concordance |title=8199. shaphat |quote=Judges people 1 Kings 3:9 (twice in verse)}}</ref><ref>Rendered "govern" in the [[New Revised Standard Version]] {{cite book |last=Auld |first= A. Graeme |title=I & II Kings |date=1986 |publisher=The Saint Andrew Press |location=Edinburgh, Scotland |page=23 |quote=The hardest terms to translate in the whole passage are the related Hebrew verb and noun rendered "govern" (1 Kings 3:9) and right (v. 11) The Hebrew word ''shaphat'' has overtones of both ruling and judging.}}</ref> God is pleased and grants him not only "a wise...heart" ([[Hakham|חכם]]),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2450.htm |website=Strong's Hebrew Concordance |title=2450. chakam}}</ref> but also wealth, honor, and longevity, on the condition that Solomon is righteous like his father David. Solomon returns to Jerusalem and holds a feast for his servants in front of the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

After the [[Judgement of Solomon|Judgment of Solomon]] amazes the Israelites, he appoints a cabinet and reorganizes the governance of Israel at a local level. The nation of Israel prospers and Solomon's provisions increase.

=====Solomon the builder (5:1–9:25)=====
Over a period of seven years, Solomon works to fulfill David's vow of building [[Temple of Solomon|a temple to God]] with wood provided by the king of [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]], [[Hiram I]], an old friend of David's. He also builds himself a palace, which takes him thirteen years. Once the Temple is finished, Solomon hires a Tyrian half-[[Tribe of Naphtali|Naphtalite]] named [[Hiram Abiff|Huram]] to create the furnishings.

When finished, the things which David prepared for the Temple are brought in, and Solomon organizes a ceremony during which the priests carry the [[Ark of the Covenant]] into the Temple. A cloud fills the Temple, preventing the priests from continuing the ceremony. Solomon explains that this is the presence of God, and takes the opportunity to make a [[Prayer of Solomon|dedication speech]]. The dedication is completed with sacrifices, and a celebration is held for fourteen days. God speaks to Solomon and accepts his prayer, re-affirming his vow to David that his House will be kings forever unless they begin worshipping idols.

Solomon gives twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram as thanks for his help, but they are virtually worthless. He begins building and improvement works in various cities in addition to his major projects in Jerusalem and puts the remaining [[Canaan]]ites into slavery.

=====Solomon the trader (9:26–10:29)=====
Solomon builds a navy.

The [[Queen of Sheba]] hears of Solomon's wisdom and travels to Jerusalem to meet him. Upon arriving, she praises him, saying she did not fully believe the stories about Solomon until she came to see him. The Queen gives Solomon 120 talents and a large amount of spices and precious stones, prompting Hiram to send a large amount of valuable wood and precious stones in response. Solomon also gives the Queen gifts and she returns to her country. Solomon by now has 666 talents of gold, and decides to forge shields and cups. He also maintains trading relations with Hiram, from whose country he receives many exotic goods. Overall, Israel becomes a net exporter of golden goods.

=====His decline (11:1–43)=====
Solomon amasses 700 wives and 300 concubines, many from foreign countries, including from countries God told the Israelites not to intermarry with. Solomon begins to adopt elements from their religions, and builds shrines in Jerusalem to foreign deities. God informs Solomon that because he has broken his commandments, the entire kingdom except one tribe will be taken away from his son.

At the same time, Solomon begins to amass enemies. A young prince named [[Hadad the Edomite|Hadad]] who managed to escape Joab's attempted genocide of the Edomites, hears Joab and David are dead, and returns to [[Edom]] to lead his people. Meanwhile, to the north, the Syrian king [[Rezon the Syrian|Rezon]], whose [[Zobah]]ite army was defeated by David, allies himself with Hadad and causes havoc for Israel from his base in [[Damascus]].

On the home front, [[Jeroboam]], who supervised the building of Solomon's palace terraces and the reconstruction of the city walls, encounters the prophet [[Ahijah the Shilonite]] on the road out of Jerusalem. Ahijah tears his cloak into twelve parts and gives ten of them to Jeroboam, saying that Jeroboam will rule over ten tribes of Israel upon Solomon's death as punishment for Solomon's idol worship. In response, Solomon tries to kill Jeroboam, but he flees to Egypt. Solomon dies after having reigned for forty years and is succeeded by his son [[Rehoboam]].