The Bronze Age in Europe
In the Bronze Age "this always consists of geometrical figures, and we rarely, if ever, find upon them representations of animals and plants, while on the ornamented shields, etc., described by Homer, as well as in the decoration of Solomon's Temple, animals and plants were abundantly represented." The cuts on p.
"In the third place, the Phœnicians, so far as we know them, were well acquainted with the use of iron; in Homer we find the warriors already armed with iron weapons, and the tools used in preparing the materials for Solomon's Temple were of this metal."
The Question of Complexion
The Wisdom of Solomon refers to this custom: "The carpenter carved it elegantly, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the shape of a man, or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint, coloring it red, and covering every spot therein."
Decoding the Kabbalah Tree
He highlights significant periods of "explosion" in Kabbalistic thought, such as during the reign of King Solomon.
The Alpha Omega symbol
In May 2018, Robert Edward Grant visited Israel, where he ventured into Zedekiah's Cave, also known as Solomon's Quarry, located beneath the Dome of the Rock.
40 Representing the full transformation
1 Kings 11:42: Solomon reigned for 40 years in Jerusalem.
Canaanites
1 Kings 9:15 – "And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the LORD and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer."
Chronological Nations and Tribes
Heroes: Moses, David, Solomon
Shebans (Queen of Sheba's people): A kingdom in Southern Arabia, interacted with Israel during Solomon's reign.
Ophir, Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sabteca: Tribes associated with distant lands, involved in trade with Israel, especially during the time of Solomon.
Yahweh was replaced by a human king
They added negative glosses and comments to stories involving Asherah, such as when Solomon built a temple to her, to make her seem less favorable compared to Yahweh.
Atlantis in the Old Testament
Song of Solomon (also known as Song of Songs)
Wisdom Literature: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Reason: Many proverbs are attributed to Solomon, David’s son, and reflect wisdom literature from the early monarchy.
The Island Tarshish
Context: This passage describes King Solomon's extensive trade network.
The "ships of Tarshish" indicate large, sea-going vessels capable of long voyages, bringing wealth and exotic goods, signifying prosperity and international trade relations during Solomon's reign.
Context: Similar to the account in 1 Kings, this verse emphasizes the wealth and trade connections of King Solomon, highlighting the importance and richness associated with Tarshish.
Context: This psalm, attributed to Solomon, expresses a prayer for the king's dominion and the respect of foreign nations.
Samson’s Birth and Blessing
He clarifies that Samson's story takes place long before the reign of David and Solomon, and the biblical texts were likely written or rewritten centuries later, around the 6th or 5th century BCE.
The Riddle of Samson
These were typically local struggles until Israel eventually united under figures like Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon, establishing a kingdom.
Mines in the Bible
The location of Ophir is not definitively known, but it was renowned for its gold, which was brought to King Solomon.
Source: The Bible, 1 Kings 9:28: "And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon."
The mines in the Wadi Faynan area are believed to have been active during the reign of King Solomon.
Ark of Covenant and Solomon
5 When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the Lord YHWH was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and gold and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of God’s temple.
2 Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord YHWH’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. 3 And all the Israelites came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.
The Levitical priests carried them up; 6 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.
Asherah
King Solomon and Asherah:
King Solomon is said to have built high places for Asherah and other deities due to the influence of his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:5).
Atlantean legacy – the Arc of Covenant
The end of the African Humid Period, the decline of Egypt, and the prosperity of Jerusalem under Solomon’s rule all align with this theory.
Solomon's Temple and Beyond:
The Ark eventually found a permanent home in the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple.
Yahwistic Religion and Its Influence on Abrahamic Religions
The distinct Yahwistic identity began to take shape during the period of the Judges and the early monarchy, particularly under kings like David and Solomon, who centralized worship in Jerusalem.
King David
David's era marks a significant period in the history of ancient Israel, during which he united the tribes of Israel, established Jerusalem as his capital, and laid the foundations for the kingdom that his son Solomon would expand.
Excavations in Jerusalem and other sites have uncovered artifacts and structures that align with the biblical descriptions of the United Monarchy period, which includes the reigns of David and his son Solomon.
For example, in 1 Kings 11:7, King Solomon is criticized for building a high place for Chemosh on a hill east of Jerusalem, as part of his accommodation of the foreign gods worshipped by his wives.
The Bible mentions the construction of high places for these deities, such as Solomon building high places for Chemosh and Milcom (1 Kings 11:7).
Adam and Eve were created by the god Sakla out of the earth
The fourth kingdom believes that he came from a virgin who was sought by Solomon and his armies.
Golden objects
Used by King Solomon's army (1 Kings 10:16-17) and later by King Rehoboam, although Rehoboam's were eventually replaced with bronze shields (1 Kings 14:26-28).
Used by kings, including Solomon's impressive throne described in 1 Kings 10:18-20.
In allegorical or symbolic descriptions, such as in the Song of Solomon, gold is used to describe the beauty of hair (Song of Solomon 4:1, 7:1).
In descriptions of Solomon's Temple and other structures, gold may be used to describe ornate pillars or columns (1 Kings 7:21, 2 Chronicles 3:4).
The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.
16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield.
Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. 22 The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram.
23 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.
26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.[g] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.
Moloch
Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the detestation of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestation of the children of Ammon.
Solomon
Solomon
Solomon, gifted with a luminous ring from the angel Gabriel, gains dominion over winds, animals, birds, and even the jinn.
One day, Solomon learns of Bilqis, the striking and powerful ruler of Saba, from a hoopoe bird.
Bilqis, curious about Solomon's wisdom and divine connection, visits and stays to explore more about him.
To uncover the truth, Solomon devises a clever test involving a deceptive glass floor over water, making it appear like a pond.
When Bilqis attempts to cross, lifting her skirts to avoid getting wet, Solomon sees her legs but remains tactful about his observation.
Despite the revelation, Solomon assists Bilqis in embracing a monotheistic faith, leading to their marriage and the birth of their son, Rehoboam, who is marked by long arms, a sign of leadership.
Bilqis lives with Solomon for several years before passing away.
Solomon buries her in Palmyra, Syria, a city with mystical connections to jinn and supposedly built on Solomon's command.
Early adherents of the Kabbalah portray Solomon as having sailed through the air on a throne of light placed on an eagle, which brought him near the heavenly gates as well as to the dark mountains behind which the fallen angels Uzza and Azzazel were chained; the eagle would rest on the chains, and Solomon, using the magic ring, would compel the two angels to reveal every mystery he desired to know.
1 Kings 1-11: This is the primary source of information about Solomon's reign.
1 Kings 1: Solomon's accession to the throne.
1 Kings 2: David's final instructions to Solomon and his establishment of the kingdom.
1 Kings 3: Solomon asks God for wisdom and demonstrates his wise judgment.
1 Kings 4: Solomon's officials and daily provisions.
1 Kings 7: Building of Solomon's palace and other constructions.
1 Kings 9: God's covenant with Solomon and Solomon's other achievements.
1 Kings 10: Visit of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon's wealth and splendor.
1 Kings 11: Solomon's wives and idolatry, leading to his downfall.
2 Chronicles 1-9: Parallel account to 1 Kings, emphasizing Solomon's wisdom, wealth, and construction projects.
2 Chronicles 1: Solomon's request for wisdom.
2 Chronicles 6: Solomon's prayer of dedication.
2 Chronicles 8: Solomon's other activities.
2 Chronicles 9: Queen of Sheba's visit and Solomon's wealth.
Proverbs: Traditionally attributed to Solomon, offering insights into his wisdom.
Proverbs 1:1: "The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel."
Various sayings and teachings throughout the book are ascribed to Solomon.
Ecclesiastes: Often attributed to Solomon, reflecting on the meaning of life and the human experience.
Song of Solomon (also known as Song of Songs): A collection of love poems, traditionally attributed to Solomon.
Song of Solomon 1:1: "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s."
"Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."
"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here."
"But it was Solomon who built a house for him."
These references provide a comprehensive view of Solomon's life, his wisdom, his achievements, and his ultimate downfall.
The arc of the covenant
The Ark was housed in the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctum of the Tabernacle, and later in Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
Central Role in Worship: Placed in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and later in Solomon's Temple, central to Israelite worship and sacrificial system (Exodus 26:33-34, I Kings 8:6).
When Solomon built the Temple and sought to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies, the gates clung together and could not be opened.
Solomon uttered twenty-four songs of praise, as in his prayer there are twenty-four expressions of prayer, song, etc.
Levi said: When Solomon brought the ark into the Temple, all the trees and cedars there came to life and bore fruit, as it is said: Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God (Ps.
Ancient Mines
This is a biblical and historical term referring to mines supposedly owned or worked by King Solomon in the ancient world.