After 40 years as the second king of Israel, David’s second son with Bathseba, Solomon, succeeded David.
In Gibeon, the most renowned high place, Solomon offered a thousand holocausts to the Lord. The Lord appeared to him in a dream and asked what he desired most. Solomon asked for wisdom, “an understanding heart to judge your people and distinguish right from wrong” (1 King 3:4-9).
Solomon, became the richest and the most powerful of kings. God also promised the throne of Israel to His descendants if they remain faithful to Him but will punish them, make Israel a byword among all nations if they adore strange Gods (1 King 9:7).
Temple of Jerusalem
On the fourth year of his reign, Solomon started to build the temple. It was a rectangular building, 90-feet long, 30-feet wide, a ceiling of 45 feet, with an entrance facing the rising sun.
At the west end of the building is the shrine of the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant, which contains the 10 Commandments.
During the festival in the month of Ethanim, priests, Levites and all elders of Israel came. Solomon who stood before the altar made petitions on his knees with hands outstretched to the heavens.
“Lord God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on Earth below…. If Your people Israel sin against You and are defeated by an enemy…. I pray to You…listen in heaven, forgive the sins of Your people Israel and bring them back to the lands You gave their fathers…. Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised” (1 King 8:23, 33-34,56).
All the Israelites made peace offerings—22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep (1 King 8:62).
Then, “fire came down from heaven and consumed the holocaust [offerings] and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house” (2 Chronicles 7:1).
Fall of Jerusalem
In his old age, Solomon was led to idolatry by some his wives. He even built temples for the idols. The 12 tribes waged war against each other. The Jewish nation was reduced into two, Judah and the absorbed tribe of Simeon. Solomon died after a 40 years of reign.
In 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar II king of Babylon (now in Iraq) captured Jerusalem. He burned the temple, the palace of Solomon, all the houses and large buildings (Jeremiah 52:12-13).
Considered as the Age of Crisis in the Old Testament, it was the turning point in the history of Israel (Lamentations).
Jewish historian Josephus, specified that the Holy Temple was burned 470 years, six months and 10 days after it was built.
Solomon’s 12 tribes were reduced to two: Judah, and the absorbed tribe of Simeon. The Jewish nation in the south became known as Judah the northern part of Israel.
The 539 B.C. King Cyrus II of Persia conquered Babylon. He allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and Judah.
Kings Cyrus even returned to the Jews the vessels Nebuchadnezzar took when he captured Jerusalem, noted the Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to the Bible.
The prophecy of Jeremiah came true. For 70 years, the Israelites were enslaved by Babylon. “But when the 70 years have elapsed I will punish the king of Babylon and the nation. They also shall be enslaved to great nations and mighty kings” (Jeremiah 25:12-14).
Damo-Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.