{"id":61491,"date":"2019-08-20T11:03:11","date_gmt":"2019-08-20T08:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=61491"},"modified":"2023-03-21T08:50:43","modified_gmt":"2023-03-21T06:50:43","slug":"the-emperor-solomon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-emperor-solomon\/","title":{"rendered":"The Emperor Solomon"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[533,363,909,838,778],"acf":{"old_id":"61491","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33692,"related_cahpter":"294","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"His house took more years to build than the Temple (but is described in far fewer verses\u2026)","content":"

It took seven years to build the Temple, but thirteen for royal palace (6:37-7:1) \u2014 why did Solomon spend almost twice as long on his own compound as he spent constructing the Temple?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pesikta Rabbati suggests that the disparity between the periods of construction is to Solomon’s credit: He expedites the building of the Temple, enthused to complete the project,\u00a0 but builds his own residence at a more relaxed pace. This is evidence that Solomon had his priorities correctly ordered.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But there is a contrary perspective, expressed by a dramatic reading of Psalms 24 in Shabbat 30a: At the inauguration of the Temple, Solomon seeks entry into the Holy of Holies to install the Ark of the Covenant, but the gates are mysteriously locked. He commands them to open so that “the King of Glory may come in.” Of course, this is a reference to God. However, the gates perceive that Solomon is referring to himself as the “king of glory,” and they threaten to consume him. The gates then challenge him with the next line in that chapter of Psalms: “Who is the King of Glory?” to which Solomon is forced to profess that God is the true King.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This powerful midrash articulates certain reservations concerning Solomon. Why is his house depicted in the same styler as the Temple? Does the fact that he builds his house for thirteen years suggest that his palace is more splendid than the Temple? How does Solomon \u2013 a king who has become an emperor \u2013 perceive himself? Most important, does he view the Temple as his house or God\u2019s? The gates accuse Solomon of perceiving himself as a god, of failing to correctly assess God\u2019s supremacy. The gates are skeptical, and we too feel some apprehension regarding Solomon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet when all is said and done, the thrust of the story remains highly positive. The section that deals with the Temple totals 133 verses; the interjections and royal compound (6:11-13; 7:1-12) that raise questions about Solomon’s motives constitute fourteen verses in total. With that sort of ratio, we may conclude that the overwhelming textual momentum supports the king.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, the book of Psalms repeatedly praises the beauty of Jerusalem as acclaiming God’s majesty. The royal palaces, the city itself is an accolade to the Almighty.\u00a0 It is the city of Jerusalem, not the Temple alone, that broadcasts a message of God.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Walk around Zion; circle it,<\/span>
\n<\/span>Count its towers.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Take note of its ramparts,<\/span>
\n<\/span>Go through its palaces,<\/span>
\n<\/span>That you may recount to a future age.<\/span>
\n<\/span>For God \u2013 He is our God forever;<\/span>
\n<\/span>He will lead us evermore. (Ps. 48:13\u201315)<\/span><\/p>\n

If God’s majesty is enhanced and highlighted through Jerusalem’s magnificent royal buildings, if God’s ethic is manifest in the administrational culture and moral governance of the nation, then there is no dissonance whatsoever.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex Israel, 1 Kings: Torn in Two<\/em>, Maggid Books, 2013, Majestic Buildings\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":61437,"id":61437,"title":"alex israel - kings 1","filename":"alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/adonijahs-scheme-to-ascend-the-throne\/alex-israel-kings-1\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"alex-israel-kings-1","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":61414,"date":"2019-08-19 12:13:44","modified":"2019-08-19 12:13:53","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1020,"height":1304,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-235x300.jpg","medium-width":235,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-768x982.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":982,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-801x1024.jpg","large-width":801,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1020,"1536x1536-height":1304,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1020,"2048x2048-height":1304,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-939x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":939,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/alex-israel-kings-1-329x420.jpg","home_baner-width":329,"home_baner-height":420}},"embedded_video":"","video_duration":"","show_fb_comments":true,"credit_media":""},"tile":{"top_caption":"Excerpts from: 1 Kings - 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