THE PROPHET SOLOMON (pbuh)

PROPHET SOLOMON (PBUH) IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Throughout this book, we have been considering Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) wealth, artistic understanding, and some of his other characteristics. We have spoken of his magnificent palace, which left everyone who saw it in awe, and of the works of art he commanded the jinns and demons under his command to create. We have related that some of them were builders and divers and knew how to make high arches, statues, huge dishes like cisterns, and great built-in cooking vats.

Earlier, we mentioned that Prophet Solomon (pbuh), just like his father Prophet David (pbuh), was sent to the Tribe of Israel. He warned them and invited them to live a good moral life. For this reason, there is much information about Prophet Solomon (pbuh) in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament contains the Torah revealed to Prophet Moses (pbuh), the Psalms given to Prophet David (pbuh), and other books believed either to have been written by various Jewish prophets or telling of their lives. Jews believe in the entire Old Testament, whereas Christians accept the Old Testament [but not the religious ritual and legal life that it commands all Jews to obey] with the added New Testament, which contains the four Gospels that recount a few incidents of Prophet Jesus' life, some letters written by St. Paul to the young Christian communities, and the letters of other early Christian figures.

The Qur'an reveals that the earlier revealed books were corrupted. However, a number of rules and practices belonging to the true religion have been preserved in these books. The Muslims' only guides to determining which elements in the religions revealed before Islam belong to the true religion, as well as those that have been corrupted, are those that are found in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of our Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace).

The Old Testament contains many stories about Prophet Solomon (pbuh), especially his power, superior wisdom, and strong belief. These stories are all in perfect conformity with what is said in the Qur'an. The Old Testament mentions that Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) kingdom consisted of all the land between the Nile and the Euphrates rivers. To possess such a vast territory in Mesopotamia, the region's cultural and economic center at that time, and to have the strength to govern surrounding nations, as in the case of Saba, is indeed an indication of great political power.

Besides this, the information given in the Old Testament about Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) wealth, his temple's construction, the people who helped him, the materials he used, and its size.

Solomon (pbuh) Built A Great Temple Because God Willed It

Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God … The temple I am going to build will be great… (2 Chronicles 2:4-5)

… My men will work with yours to provide me with plenty of lumber, because the temple I build must be large and magnificent. (2 Chronicles 2:8-9)

He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high. (That is, about 30 feet [about 9 meters] long and wide, and about 15 feet [about 4.5 meters] high). (2 Chronicles 4:1)

The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty wide, and thirty high. The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits, and projected ten cubits from the front of the temple. He made narrow clerestory windows in the temple. Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary, he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms. The lowest floor was five cubits wide, the middle floor six cubits, and the third floor seven. He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls. (1 Kings 6:2-6)

Skilled Workmen Worked on the Temple

"Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled craftsmen, whom my father David provided. Send me also cedar, pine, and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are skilled in cutting timber there..." (2 Chronicles 2:7-8)

In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel, or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built. The entrance to the lowest floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and, from there, to the third. So he built the temple and completed it, roofing it with beams and cedar planks. And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar. (1 Kings 6:7-10)

A painting of the cedars of Lebanon.

In the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits-ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. The height of each cherub was ten cubits. He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. He overlaid the cherubim with gold. (1 Kings 6:23-28)

On the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold. For the entrance of the inner sanctuary, he made doors of olive wood with five-sided jambs. And on the two olive wood doors he carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with beaten gold. In the same way, he made four-sided jambs of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall. He also made two pine doors, each having two leaves that turned in sockets. He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings. And he built the inner courtyard of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams. (1 Kings 6:29-36)

It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace. He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide, and thirty high, with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams. It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns-forty-five beams, fifteen to a row. Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other. All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other. He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide. In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof. He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge, and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling. And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design… (1 Kings 7:1-8)

Tens of Thousands of People Worked for Him

Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were in Israel, after the census his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. He assigned 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working. (2 Chronicles 2:17-18)

King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel-thirty thousand men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, as well as thirty-three hundred foremen who supervised the project and directed the workmen. At the king's command, they removed from the quarry large blocks of quality stone to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. (1 Kings 5:13-17)

The Temple's Foundation

The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard). The portico at the front of the temple was twenty cubits long across the width of the building and twenty cubits high... (2 Chronicles 3:3-4)

Some faces on that Day will be radiant, well-pleased with their efforts, in an elevated Garden. (Qur’an, 88:8-10)

He overlaid the inside with pure gold. He paneled the main hall with pine, covered it with fine gold, and decorated it with palm tree and chain designs. He adorned the temple with precious stones. And the gold he used was gold of Parvaim. He overlaid the ceiling beams, doorframes, walls, and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls. He built the Most Holy Place, its length corresponding to the width of the temple-twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold. The gold nails weighed fifty shekels. He also overlaid the upper parts with gold. (2 Chronicles 3:4-9)

Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary. (1 Kings 6:21-22)

With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God-gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble-all of these in large quantities. Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen… (1 Chronicles 29:2-5)

Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God's temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence; the lamp stands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; the gold floral work, lamps, and tongs (they were solid gold); the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall. (2 Chronicles 4:19-22)

They desire to extinguish God’s Light with their mouths. But God will perfect His Light, even though the unbelievers hate it. (Qur’an, 61:8)

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 Chronicles 5:1)

All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and trimmed with a saw on their inner and outer faces. The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits and some eight. Above were high-grade stones, cut to size, and cedar beams. The great courtyard was surrounded by a wall of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as was the inner courtyard of the temple of the Lord with its portico. (1 Kings 7:9-12)

He also made ten movable stands of bronze; each was four cubits long, four wide and three high. This is how the stands were made: They had side panels attached to uprights. On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls, and cherubim-and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work. Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and each had a basin resting on four supports, cast with wreaths on each side. On the inside of the stand there was an opening that had a circular frame one cubit deep. This opening was round, and with its basework it measured a cubit and a half. Around its opening there was engraving. The panels of the stands were square, not round. The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half. The wheels were made like chariot wheels; the axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal. Each stand had four handles, one on each corner, projecting from the stand. At the top of the stand there was a circular band half a cubit deep. The supports and panels were attached to the top of the stand. He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and on the panels, in every available space, with wreaths all around. This is the way he made the ten stands. They were all cast in the same molds and were identical in size and shape. (1 Kings 7:27-37)

In the Most Holy Place he made a pair of sculptured cherubim and overlaid them with gold. The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the temple wall, while its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub. Similarly one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub. The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall. He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it. (2 Chronicles 3:10-14)

He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the sea was to be used by the priests for washing. (2 Chronicles 4:6)

He made ten gold lamp stands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls. He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. He placed the sea on the south side, at the southeast corner. (2 Chronicles 4:7-10)

He then made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths (about 880 liters) and measuring four cubits across, one basin to go on each of the ten stands. He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north. He placed the sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple. (1 Kings 7:38-39)

Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred bekas (about 3.5 kilograms) of hammered gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred bekas [3 minas] (about 1.7 kilograms) of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. (2 Chronicles 9:14-16; 1 Kings 10:16-17)

Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) Throne

Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. (2 Chronicles 9:17-19, 1 Kings 10:18-20). [According to 1 Kings 10:18-20, "its back had a rounded top."]

King Solomon made for himself the carriage; he made it of wood from Lebanon. Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple… (Song of Prophet Solomon 3:9-10)

Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) Table

All of 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 day. (2 Chronicles 9:20)

Solomon's daily provisions were thirty cors (about 6.6 kiloliters) of fine flour and sixty cors (about 13.2 kiloliters) of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl. (1 Kings 4:22-23)

The district officers, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king's table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. (1 Kings 4:27)

When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. (1 Kings 10:4-5)

Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) Horses

Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. He ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees in the foothills. Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries. (2 Chronicles 9:25-28)

Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses. (1 Kings 4:26)

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. The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees in the foothills. Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue-the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans. (2 Chronicles 1:14-17)

Explanations from the Book of Proverbs

As previously stated, a detailed examination of the Old Testament shows that many rules and practices that are compatible with Qur'anic moral values have been preserved. However, some beliefs have been distorted. Muslims must take the Qur'an and the Sunnah as their only guides when determining whether certain beliefs have been corrupted or not. This section contains certain Old Testament passages that are compatible with Qur'anic moral values.

But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. (Proverbs 1:24-33)

Good Morals

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow," when you now have it with you. Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the Lord detests a perverse man… The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools He holds up to shame. (Proverbs 3:27-35)

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9)

A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord condemns a crafty man. (Proverbs 12:2)

The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful. (Proverbs 12:5)

Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm. (Proverbs 12:7)

No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. (Proverbs 12:21)

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. (Proverbs 12:25)

Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10)

He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. (Proverbs 13:13)

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. (Proverbs 16:20)

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:1-2)

Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life. In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them. (Proverbs 22:4-5)

He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich-both come to poverty. Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart… (Proverbs 22:16-18)

My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear [and awe] of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. (Proverbs 23:15-19)

Listen to your father … and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:22-23)

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked. (Proverbs 24:19)

I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. (Proverbs 24:32)

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears [and respects] the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. (Proverbs 28:13-14)

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. (Proverbs 28:26-27)

Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright. A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. (Proverbs 29:10-11)

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)

Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. (Proverbs 19:20)

The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are His delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Wealth is worthless on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. The righteous man is rescued from trouble… (Proverbs 11:1-8)

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked … (Proverbs 2:10-15)

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. (Proverbs 4:14-16)

The Way of the Righteous

Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it. (Proverbs 2:20-22)

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:18-19)

Trusting Only in God

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear [and respect] the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing … (Proverbs 3:5-10)

The Importance of Wisdom

Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all humanity. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. To fear [and respect] the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power. By Me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; by Me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on Earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek Me find me. With Me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love Me and making their treasuries full. (Proverbs 8:1-21)

The fear [and respect] of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. (Proverbs 9:10-12)

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