Judges through Poets- 8a Solomon and the Seperation of Israel and Judah
The Reign of Solomon
2 Sam 12:24-25
David names his son Solomon. Solomon comes from Shalom meaning peace.
‘Now the LORD loved him’ The word love is used three times in the accounts of Samuel: 2 Sam 12:24 (YHWH loved Solomon, 1 Kings 3:3 (Solomon loved YHWH), 1 Kings 11:1 (Solomon loves many foreign women).
‘Jedidiah’ = ‘Beloved of YHWH’
This could have been Solomon’s throne or royal name.
1 Kings 1
Adonijah wants the throne
2 Kings 1:7
A new king was recognised by riding a mule
1 Kings 3:11-13
Solomon primary aim was to make the government strong. He made Israel into 12 districts. He was concerned about the internal aspect of Israel. David was more concerned about the external issues of Israel.
The districts are found in 1 Kings 4
Judah is left out of this list
Solomon constructed a magnificent temple and built fortresses.
The period of Solomon’s reign was a prosperous time for the nation.
He organised economic expeditions.
Nationally Israel was doing well.
What problems did Solomon have?
1 Kings 3:1
Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall all around Jerusalem.
Solomon sins in marrying a non-Israelite. Solomon married and covenanted with an Egyptian lady. Solomon is acting like the pagan kings.
1 Kings 11:1-2
But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.
The foreign women cause him to stumble spiritually.
Solomon clung to these in love. The word ‘clung’ here is the same word used in Gen 2:24 about marriage.
11:7-8
Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. 8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
Solomon became syncretistic to the god’s of his wives.
1 Kings 6:38-7:1 we see Solomon’s priority in building his own house
The Separation of Israel and Judah
The separation of Judah and Israel did not begin at the death of Solomon. Rather this event was an out growth of the historical division between the tribes.
Isaiah 11:13- Isaiah speaks of Judah’s harassment of Ephraim.
Gen 48:14 Jacob calls Joseph to bring his two sons to him to bless the firstborn. Ephraim takes the place of the first born (symbolised by the crossing over of the hands).
Gen 49:22-26 Ephraim (Joseph’s first born) is a privileged tribe
Judah gets the first allotment in Joshua
In Joshua 16:5 Ephraim gets the 2nd allotment
Joshua 18:5 And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north.
2 Sam 12:24-25
David names his son Solomon. Solomon comes from Shalom meaning peace.
‘Now the LORD loved him’ The word love is used three times in the accounts of Samuel: 2 Sam 12:24 (YHWH loved Solomon, 1 Kings 3:3 (Solomon loved YHWH), 1 Kings 11:1 (Solomon loves many foreign women).
‘Jedidiah’ = ‘Beloved of YHWH’
This could have been Solomon’s throne or royal name.
1 Kings 1
Adonijah wants the throne
2 Kings 1:7
A new king was recognised by riding a mule
1 Kings 3:11-13
Solomon primary aim was to make the government strong. He made Israel into 12 districts. He was concerned about the internal aspect of Israel. David was more concerned about the external issues of Israel.
The districts are found in 1 Kings 4
Judah is left out of this list
Solomon constructed a magnificent temple and built fortresses.
The period of Solomon’s reign was a prosperous time for the nation.
He organised economic expeditions.
Nationally Israel was doing well.
What problems did Solomon have?
1 Kings 3:1
Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall all around Jerusalem.
Solomon sins in marrying a non-Israelite. Solomon married and covenanted with an Egyptian lady. Solomon is acting like the pagan kings.
1 Kings 11:1-2
But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.
The foreign women cause him to stumble spiritually.
Solomon clung to these in love. The word ‘clung’ here is the same word used in Gen 2:24 about marriage.
11:7-8
Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. 8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
Solomon became syncretistic to the god’s of his wives.
1 Kings 6:38-7:1 we see Solomon’s priority in building his own house
The Separation of Israel and Judah
The separation of Judah and Israel did not begin at the death of Solomon. Rather this event was an out growth of the historical division between the tribes.
Isaiah 11:13- Isaiah speaks of Judah’s harassment of Ephraim.
Gen 48:14 Jacob calls Joseph to bring his two sons to him to bless the firstborn. Ephraim takes the place of the first born (symbolised by the crossing over of the hands).
Gen 49:22-26 Ephraim (Joseph’s first born) is a privileged tribe
Judah gets the first allotment in Joshua
In Joshua 16:5 Ephraim gets the 2nd allotment
Joshua 18:5 And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north.
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