Solomon (r. c. 970–931 BC), the last king of a unified Israel, reigned for 40 years before dying of natural causes at age 60 or around. Josephus, a priest and historian of the Hebrews, claims that Solomon reigned for eighty years and died at ninety-four. But scholars who mainly look at 1 Kings 11 verse 42, believe that Solomon governed Israel for 40 years. How King Solomon died is not explained in the Bible, suggesting it was due to natural causes from old age. Almost all other royal deaths attributed to other causes have some explanation in the Bible. Scholars also believe that King Solomon died peacefully since no other references in the book say otherwise.
-> See also: Was King Solomon Black?
He Became King at an Early Age
It was at least seven years after David became king that Solomon was born in Jerusalem. David first ruled for seven years from the city of Hebron and Solomon was born in what would later become David’s capital, Jerusalem. He became king at the early age of 20.
Since Solomon’s death was not the result of an assassination or any known ailment, it is often accepted that he passed away due to old age. Even though he was allegedly the “wisest man” to have ever lived, some signs point to his being unpopular, if not outright despised, as a king.
According to Biblical tradition, Solomon’s wives and concubines caused him to abandon his faithfulness in old age. He reportedly had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon also allegedly committed sins against the Israelite people by erecting altars to the false gods, namely Chemosh and Moloch. His devotion to the God of Israel had purportedly waned after marrying foreign women who worshiped different gods.
-> See also: Shulamite: Solomon’s Bride, Her Origin and Meaning
Solomon Probably Died in His Sleep
Therefore, according to most religious scholars, Solomon must have lived unhappy for the rest of his life and died unhappy despite his wealth. However, this is wishful thinking and there is no concrete evidence for this anywhere in the religious books. Solomon probably died in his sleep from old age, like most of his fathers did, including David.
Solomon’s father King David, after a long and healthy life, passed away at the age of 70. The Bible never cites any other ailments David had in his old age except the lack of heat his body could not generate (1 Kings 1:1). Upon his death, David “rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David.” (1 Kings 2:10). When he died in c. 931 BC, Solomon was also laid to rest in the City of David.
When King Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, took over as king at the age of 41 (1 Kings 14:21-31), but ten of Israel’s tribes refused to recognize him as ruler and instead established the Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam to the north, while Rehoboam ruled over the smaller Kingdom of Judah. After that, there was never any hope of reuniting the two kingdoms.
-> King Solomon’s Net Worth: How Rich Was the King of Israel?
Solomon’s Death in Islam
According to the Qur’an, Solomon died while leaning on his staff, but the jinns working under him only realized that he had died when a woodworm ate his staff and Solomon’s dead body fell to the ground. According to Islamic legend, Solomon died when he was in charge of building the Temple in Jerusalem.
In Islam, Solomon was a prophet of God who had the power to communicate with jinn and animals. Muslims further assert that he was a devout monotheist who justly ruled over the entire Israelite nation, received a level of kingship accorded to no one before or since, and obeyed God’s every command. As a result, they believe that he will spend eternity in Jannah (Paradise).
Was Solomon Actually Shalmaneser III?
The biblical King Solomon might be an invented figure. According to this theory, King Solomon is based on Shalmaneser III, who was “appropriated” by subsequent biblical writers. Shalmaneser III was the king of Assyria from 859 to 824 BC when he himself also died peacefully of natural causes in his temple at Kalhu, his capital city. Shalmaneser III passed away in his newly built Assur Temple, which was made of cedar and gold and dedicated to the national god Assur (Ashur).
The Neo-Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser III reigned right after the death of his father Ashurnasirpal II. According to this interpretation, the mythical conquests and empire-building of Shalmaneser III, who lived to the south of Assyria, served as inspiration for the biblical narratives of King Solomon’s reign.
Was Solomon a Despised King Before His Death?
There were few significant battles under Solomon’s rule, and the kingdom generally prospered throughout his time in office. The writers of the Bible remember this time fondly since it was a time of relative calm and security. But Solomon’s rule was not problem-free. He took several foreign wives, and this is precisely the kind of thing against which Moses warned Israel in Deuteronomy 7:1-4. After that, Solomon’s commitment to the Israelite God allegedly waned.
This happened when Solomon was an elderly man. The remainder of 1 Kings 11 is an account of God’s intensifying punishment of Solomon for his idolatry and the resulting devastation it brought upon Israel.
Taxes, tribute, and commerce seem to have generated vast earnings for Solomon, who became wealthier than any other monarch in history. He married hundreds of royal brides and concubines from throughout the world because of his passion for exotic women. His military expansion and riches might be regarded as safeguarding the future of his people, and his neighbors expected him to seal covenant deals with them by marrying a royal woman of the reigning dynasty as evidence of his sincerity.
But God had a different take on what motivated Solomon. In the Biblical story, Solomon’s frequent marriages to foreign women drew him away from God, who had warned the Israelites not to adopt the practices of the surrounding cultures. Solomon’s alleged fall from grace began at his late age and he was probably a despised king before dying in his sleep from natural causes due to his advanced age of 60 or so.
Where Was King Solomon Buried?
After ruling for 40 years from the age of 20 or around, King Solomon was laid to rest at the City of David in Jerusalem. However, owing to a lack of proof and historical documents, the precise site of his grave is unknown. Many people believe his grave lies near the Temple Mount. Others name the location of this supposedly massive tomb as “Mount Zion” in the Atlas Mountains in Northwest Africa, Jerusalem.
However, no concrete archeological evidence has been uncovered to support any of these proposed locations for his grave. A tomb for King Solomon was presumedly built around the 10th century BC, albeit without any historical proof.
