Solomon definition

Solomon





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6 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Solomon \Sol"o*mon\, n.
     One of the kings of Israel, noted for his superior wisdom and
     magnificent reign; hence, a very wise man. -- {Sol`o*mon"ic},
     a.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     {Solomon's seal} (Bot.), a perennial liliaceous plant of the
        genus {Polygonatum}, having simple erect or curving stems
        rising from thick and knotted rootstocks, and with white
        or greenish nodding flowers. The commonest European
        species is {Polygonatum multiflorum}. {Polygonatum
        biflorum} and {Polygonatum giganteum} are common in the
        Eastern United States. See Illust. of {Rootstock}.
  
     {False Solomon's seal} (Bot.), any plant of the liliaceous
        genus {Smilacina} having small whitish flowers in terminal
        racemes or panicles.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Solomon
       n : (Old Testament) son of David and king of Israel noted for
           his wisdom (10th century BC)

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Solomon
     peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David's second son by Bathsheba,
     i.e., the first after their legal marriage (2 Sam. 12). He was
     probably born about B.C. 1035 (1 Chr. 22:5; 29:1). He succeeded
     his father on the throne in early manhood, probably about
     sixteen or eighteen years of age. Nathan, to whom his education
     was intrusted, called him Jedidiah, i.e., "beloved of the Lord"
     (2 Sam. 12:24, 25). He was the first king of Israel "born in the
     purple." His father chose him as his successor, passing over the
     claims of his elder sons: "Assuredly Solomon my son shall reign
     after me." His history is recorded in 1 Kings 1-11 and 2 Chr.
     1-9. His elevation to the throne took place before his father's
     death, and was hastened on mainly by Nathan and Bathsheba, in
     consequence of the rebellion of Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5-40).
     During his long reign of forty years the Hebrew monarchy gained
     its highest splendour. This period has well been called the
     "Augustan age" of the Jewish annals. The first half of his reign
     was, however, by far the brighter and more prosperous; the
     latter half was clouded by the idolatries into which he fell,
     mainly from his heathen intermarriages (1 Kings 11:1-8; 14:21,
     31).
     
       Before his death David gave parting instructions to his son (1
     Kings 2:1-9; 1 Chr. 22:7-16; 28). As soon as he had settled
     himself in his kingdom, and arranged the affairs of his
     extensive empire, he entered into an alliance with Egypt by the
     marriage of the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Kings 3:1), of whom,
     however, nothing further is recorded. He surrounded himself with
     all the luxuries and the external grandeur of an Eastern
     monarch, and his government prospered. He entered into an
     alliance with Hiram, king of Tyre, who in many ways greatly
     assisted him in his numerous undertakings. (See {HIRAM}.)
     
       For some years before his death David was engaged in the
     active work of collecting materials (1 Chr. 29:6-9; 2 Chr.
     2:3-7) for building a temple in Jerusalem as a permanent abode
     for the ark of the covenant. He was not permitted to build the
     house of God (1 Chr. 22:8); that honour was reserved to his son
     Solomon. (See {TEMPLE}.)
     
       After the completion of the temple, Solomon engaged in the
     erection of many other buildings of importance in Jerusalem and
     in other parts of his kingdom. For the long space of thirteen
     years he was engaged in the erection of a royal palace on Ophel
     (1 Kings 7:1-12). It was 100 cubits long, 50 broad, and 30 high.
     Its lofty roof was supported by forty-five cedar pillars, so
     that the hall was like a forest of cedar wood, and hence
     probably it received the name of "The House of the Forest of
     Lebanon." In front of this "house" was another building, which
     was called the Porch of Pillars, and in front of this again was
     the "Hall of Judgment," or Throne-room (1 Kings 7:7; 10:18-20; 2
     Chr. 9:17-19), "the King's Gate," where he administered justice
     and gave audience to his people. This palace was a building of
     great magnificence and beauty. A portion of it was set apart as
     the residence of the queen consort, the daughter of Pharaoh.
     From the palace there was a private staircase of red and scented
     sandal wood which led up to the temple.
     
       Solomon also constructed great works for the purpose of
     securing a plentiful supply of water for the city (Eccl. 2:4-6).
     He then built Millo (LXX., "Acra") for the defence of the city,
     completing a line of ramparts around it (1 Kings 9:15, 24;
     11:27). He erected also many other fortifications for the
     defence of his kingdom at various points where it was exposed to
     the assault of enemies (1 Kings 9:15-19; 2 Chr. 8:2-6). Among
     his great undertakings must also be mentioned the building of
     Tadmor (q.v.) in the wilderness as a commercial depot, as well
     as a military outpost.
     
       During his reign Palestine enjoyed great commercial
     prosperity. Extensive traffic was carried on by land with Tyre
     and Egypt and Arabia, and by sea with Spain and India and the
     coasts of Africa, by which Solomon accumulated vast stores of
     wealth and of the produce of all nations (1 Kings 9:26-28;
     10:11, 12; 2 Chr. 8:17, 18; 9:21). This was the "golden age" of
     Israel. The royal magnificence and splendour of Solomon's court
     were unrivalled. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred
     concubines, an evidence at once of his pride, his wealth, and
     his sensuality. The maintenance of his household involved
     immense expenditure. The provision required for one day was
     "thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
     ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an
     hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallow-deer, and
     fatted fowl" (1 Kings 4:22, 23).
     
       Solomon's reign was not only a period of great material
     prosperity, but was equally remarkable for its intellectual
     activity. He was the leader of his people also in this uprising
     amongst them of new intellectual life. "He spake three thousand
     proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake
     of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the
     hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts,
     and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes" (1 Kings
     4:32, 33).
     
       His fame was spread abroad through all lands, and men came
     from far and near "to hear the wisdom of Solomon." Among others
     thus attracted to Jerusalem was "the queen of the south" (Matt.
     12:42), the queen of Sheba, a country in Arabia Felix. "Deep,
     indeed, must have been her yearning, and great his fame, which
     induced a secluded Arabian queen to break through the immemorial
     custom of her dreamy land, and to put forth the energy required
     for braving the burdens and perils of so long a journey across a
     wilderness. Yet this she undertook, and carried it out with
     safety." (1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chr. 9:1-12.) She was filled with
     amazement by all she saw and heard: "there was no more spirit in
     her." After an interchange of presents she returned to her
     native land.
     
       But that golden age of Jewish history passed away. The bright
     day of Solomon's glory ended in clouds and darkness. His decline
     and fall from his high estate is a sad record. Chief among the
     causes of his decline were his polygamy and his great wealth.
     "As he grew older he spent more of his time among his
     favourites. The idle king living among these idle women, for
     1,000 women, with all their idle and mischievous attendants,
     filled the palaces and pleasure-houses which he had built (1
     Kings 11:3), learned first to tolerate and then to imitate their
     heathenish ways. He did not, indeed, cease to believe in the God
     of Israel with his mind. He did not cease to offer the usual
     sacrifices in the temple at the great feasts. But his heart was
     not right with God; his worship became merely formal; his soul,
     left empty by the dying out of true religious fervour, sought to
     be filled with any religious excitement which offered itself.
     Now for the first time a worship was publicly set up amongst the
     people of the Lord which was not simply irregular or forbidden,
     like that of Gideon (Judg. 8:27), or the Danites (Judg. 18:30,
     31), but was downright idolatrous." (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings
     23:13.)
     
       This brought upon him the divine displeasure. His enemies
     prevailed against him (1 Kings 11:14-22, 23-25, 26-40), and one
     judgment after another fell upon the land. And now the end of
     all came, and he died, after a reign of forty years, and was
     buried in the city of David, and "with him was buried the
     short-lived glory and unity of Israel." "He leaves behind him
     but one weak and worthless son, to dismember his kingdom and
     disgrace his name."
     
       "The kingdom of Solomon," says Rawlinson, "is one of the most
     striking facts in the Biblical history. A petty nation, which
     for hundreds of years has with difficulty maintained a separate
     existence in the midst of warlike tribes, each of which has in
     turn exercised dominion over it and oppressed it, is suddenly
     raised by the genius of a soldier-monarch to glory and
     greatness. An empire is established which extends from the
     Euphrates to the borders of Egypt, a distance of 450 miles; and
     this empire, rapidly constructed, enters almost immediately on a
     period of peace which lasts for half a century. Wealth,
     grandeur, architectural magnificence, artistic excellence,
     commercial enterprise, a position of dignity among the great
     nations of the earth, are enjoyed during this space, at the end
     of which there is a sudden collapse. The ruling nation is split
     in twain, the subject-races fall off, the pre-eminence lately
     gained being wholly lost, the scene of struggle, strife,
     oppression, recovery, inglorious submission, and desperate
     effort, re-commences.", Historical Illustrations.
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Solomon, peaceable; perfect; one who recompenses
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Solomon, KS (city, FIPS 66275)
    Location: 38.91971 N, 97.37142 W
    Population (1990): 939 (438 housing units)
    Area: 1.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
    Zip code(s): 67480

From U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000) [gaz-place]:

  Solomon, KS -- U.S. city in Kansas
     Population (2000):    1072
     Housing Units (2000): 452
     Land area (2000):     0.655733 sq. miles (1.698341 sq. km)
     Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
     Total area (2000):    0.655733 sq. miles (1.698341 sq. km)
     FIPS code:            66275
     Located within:       Kansas (KS), FIPS 20
     Location:             38.918578 N, 97.369665 W
     ZIP Codes (1990):     67480
     Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
     Headwords:
      Solomon, KS
      Solomon
  

















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