St. Joseph of the Lakes

King David, reflecting the culture of his time, had eight named wives and an uncounted number of concubines who also bore him children. He had 19 sons by his named wives; there is no count of the children he had by his concubines. As his sons grew into their adulthood there arises several stories of the sons seeking to claim the kingship before their father has died. David manages to keep his position into his old age, but even in his last days the sons continue to posture themselves as the new king of Israel. Adonijah sets himself up with a grand banquet and planned to have it announced that he was now the King. Nathan, the prophet, and Bathsheba one of the wives of David and mother of Solomon, hear of this and they conspire to force David to pick Solomon as his successor. David gives in to their pressure and instructs Nathan (prophet) and Zadok (priest) to take Solomon to the town of Gihon and there anoint him king of Israel (1Kings 1:28-37) Even though Solomon gains the throne through subterfuge he actually has a heart for assuming this role.

We hear in the first reading how God asks Solomon to request whatever he wishes, and He will grant it to him. Solomon requests wisdom so that he can be a good ruler of God’s people. The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:

"Because you have asked for this— not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right— I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you."

We have three different books within the scriptures that we attribute to Solomon: Wisdom, Proverbs, and the Song of Songs. He reigns for 40 years and during his time his kingdom grows rich. He makes alliances with many of the surrounding kingdoms through marriage. Yet, with all of his wisdom he does not perceive that those alliances will work to his and Israel’s destruction. As the “foreign” queens take up their abode in Jerusalem they have temples built for their gods. Solomon supports this and has resources given for the construction of these temples of idolatry. 

Solomon begins his reign with the construction of the one temple where the true God would dwell. There is a great celebration when the priests bring the ark of the covenant into the newly constructed temple and the cloud of holiness filled the temple. Yet several years later as Solomon consolidates his kingdom and begins to make alliances through marriage, he has seven hundred wives of royal rank and three hundred concubines. He becomes a follower of Astarte (god of the Canaanites and Phoenicians). He moves from the glory of his youthful wisdom to the overindulgence of his passions.