Solomon and Solomonic LiteratureConway, Moncure Daniel
History
Solomon and Solomonic Literature
Conway, Moncure Daniel
Hebrew literature -- History and criticism; Solomon, King of Israel
The second historiographer of Kings, setting out to record Jahveh's
anger about Solomon's foreign wives and shrines (1 Kings xi) says,
with unconscious humour, that Jahveh raised Satan against him,--two
Satans. One of these was Hadad, an Edomite, the other Rezon,
a Syrian. The writer says that this was when Solomon was old, his
wives having then turned away his heart after other gods. Fortunately,
however, this writer has embodied in his record some items, evidently
borrowed, which contradict his Jahvistic legend. One of these tells us
that Hadad had been carried away from Edom to Egypt, when David and his
Captain Joab massacred all the males in Edom; that he there married
the sister of Pharaoh; and that he returned to his own country on
hearing of the death of David and Joab. When this occurred, Solomon,
so far from being old, was about eighteen. The Septuagint (Vatican
MS.) says that Hadad "reigned in the land of Edom." We may conclude
then that on the return of this heir to the throne Edom declared
its independence, nor is there any indication that Solomon tried to
prevent this. Another contradiction of this writer is a note inserted
about Rezon the Syrian,--"He was an adversary of Israel all the days
of Solomon." Not, therefore, a Satan raised up by Jahveh against
Solomon when in old age he had turned to other gods. Rezon "reigned
over Syria," and there is no indication of any expedition against him
sent out by Solomon. Bishop Colenso (Pentateuch, Vol. III., p. 101),
in referring to these points remarks that we do not read of a single
warlike expedition undertaken by Solomon. [5]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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