Solomon and Solomonic LiteratureConway, Moncure Daniel
History
Solomon and Solomonic Literature
Conway, Moncure Daniel
Hebrew literature -- History and criticism; Solomon, King of Israel
With reference to the seventh son Visakha (all-potential) and
his all-wise bride Visakha, a notable parallelism is found in the
substantial identity of "Solomon" and "the Shunnamite," on account
of whom he slew his brother Adonijah. Shunnamite is equivalent to
Shulamite, substantially the same as Solomon (peaceful), but here
probably meaning that she was a "Solomoness," a very wise woman. That
such was her reputation appears by the "Song of Songs."
An equally striking comparison may be made between the naming of
Solomon and the naming of Mahaushadha, the Tibetan "Solomon" already
mentioned as having married a wise Visakha. Among the many proofs of
wisdom given by this village-born youth was the discovery of the real
husband of a woman claimed by two men. One of the men being much the
weaker, there could be no such trial as that proposed in the child's
case by Visakha. Mahaushadha questioned the two men as to what they
had last eaten, then made them vomit, and so found out which had
told the truth. Let us compare this Tibetan minister's birth with
that of Solomon:
"When the boy came into the world and his birth-feast was
celebrated, the name of Mahaushadha (Great Remedy) was given
to him at the request of his mother, inasmuch as she, who
had long suffered from illness, and had been unable to obtain
relief from the time of the boy's conception, had been cured by
him." (Tib. Tales, p. 133)
"And Jahveh struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David,
and ... on the seventh day [it was the seventh son] the child
died.... And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto
her, and lay with her; and she bare a son, and she called his name
Solomon. And Jahveh loved him; and he sent by the hand of Nathan
the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah [Beloved of Jah]
for Jahveh's sake." (2 Sam. xii.)
In the Revised Version "she called" is given in the margin as "another
reading," but that it is the right reading appears by the context: it
was she that was "comforted," and in her babe she found "rest"--which
"Solomon" strictly means. Among the Hebrews the naming of a child
was an act of authority, and it is difficult to believe that in any
purely Hebrew narrative a woman would be described as setting aside
the name given by Jahveh himself. But the high position of woman in
the Iranian and the Buddhist religions is well known.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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