Solomon

King Solomon (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה, Standard Šəlomo or Šlomo Tiberian Šəlōmōh; Ge'ez: ስለሞን, Arabic: سليمان, Sulayman, all from the triliteral root S-L-M, "peace") is a figure described in Middle Eastern scriptures as a wise ruler of an empire centred on the united Kingdom of Israel. He was born in Jerusalem about 1000 BC and reigned over Israel from 971 BC to 931 BC. The Hebrew Bible accounts identify Solomon as the son of David.He is also called Jedidiah in the Tanakh (Old Testament), and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah split; following the split his patrilineal descendants ruled over Judah alone. The Bible accredits Solomon as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem, and portrays him as great in wisdom, wealth, and power. Solomon is the subject of many other later references and legends.

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Wisdom of Solomon

One of the qualities most ascribed to Solomon is his wisdom. One account, that of Solomon suggesting to divide a baby in two to determine its real mother, is from the Old Testament of the Bible in the book of Kings. In this often-quoted passage, two prostitutes came before Solomon to resolve a quarrel about which of them was the true mother of a baby. (The other's baby died in the night and each claims the surviving child as hers.) When Solomon suggests dividing the living child in two with a sword, the true mother is revealed to him because she is willing to give up her child to the lying woman rather than have the child killed. Solomon then declares the woman who shows the compassion is the true mother and hands the child to her.

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