King Solomon’s Jewish Empire

King Solomon’s Jewish Empire

What Does the Bible Say?

The Bible is precise as to the nature of Solomon’s empire. It was not an empire of direct rule over foreign nations as is done today. The situation was more like what the Germans did with Vichy France during World War II between 1940 and the summer of 1944. Vichy France ruled a portion of southern France. It was semi-independent. It had its own small army and foreign policy, including its own administration of overseas French colonies. The Germans were the overlords who left administration and governance to the French.

Solomon’s rule over foreign rulers was even less autocratic, although he was still powerfully in charge. He made alliances with foreign nations for mutual benefit. However, these alliances had conditions, requirements and punishments. Israel had the superior position. From the biblical chronicler’s point of view, Solomon “reigned over” the kings with whom he had alliances, covenants and treaties. The boundaries of Solomon’s reign of power and influence are clearly indicated.

“And he reigned over all the kings from the river [the Euphrates] even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.” • 2 Chronicles 9:26

This likely means all the kingdoms and major cities that were on the Euphrates such as Mari, Sippar, and Babylon. Assyria would have been outside that sphere of influence. The book of Kings gives more information,

“Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river [again, the Euphrates] unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents [tribute], and served Solomon all the days of his life.” 2 • 1 Kings 4:20–21

Solomon had peace brought about by his wise dominion of the empire created by David over 40 years and continued by Solomon for another 40 years.

“For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah [near the Euphrates] even to Azzah [near Gaza], over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” • 1 Kings 4:24–25

The phrase “the river” (with definite article in Hebrew) is usually considered to be the River Euphrates. This was not the boundary of the land lived in by the people of Israel, but rather it was the boundary of Israel’s rule in the time of Solomon. This is clearly stated by the phrase “they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.” The actions of presents and service toward Solomon indicate tribute and subservience by the non-Israelite peoples who lived within the specified areas. When the conditions of presents and service were met, the subject peoples were left to rule their own lands.

Israel’s economic and military power, its influence and Solomon’s wisdom made him famous not only around the world, but also famous with other rulers. Peaceful conditions were such that rulers felt safe to travel to meet him. Rulers who feel threatened by enemies or internal strife do not leave their kingdoms.

“And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” • 1 Kings 4:34

In other words the peoples of that area were vassals of Solomon, the suzerain. This was the nature of international politics from ancient times through the medieval period until the rise of nation-states.

The Political System of Creation

The concept of suzerain and vassal still exists, but it is in the background in international politics. The dynamics of supremacy between and among powers always fluctuates.

Many governments today have a gloss of democracy while the suzerain-vassal system continues to operate in reality. For evidence of this, look at your own local politics. It is based on who has power, and who serves that power. In ancient and medieval times, those power relationships were recognized by rituals, ceremonies, compacts, contracts or covenants.

The suzerain-vassal system also exists in the heavenly realms. Heaven is not a democracy or a republic. The principalities and powers do not rule by acclamation or popularity, but by force and power. God has spiritual beings who carry out His commands, and are His servants and vassals who somehow rule principalities such as Grecia and Persia (Daniel 10:13–21). Some are subservient to God like the angels Gabriel and Michael, and some are rebellious like the King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:19). 3

Within this suzerain-vassal system, a vassal who is compliant and submissive will get along very well with the master, and even receive rewards for service and loyalty. If the suzerain overtaxes his subjects, whether by excessive military requirements or taxes or oppression, and suppresses the vassals, then there can be rebellion and war. Those opposed to the rebuilding of Jerusalem by the Jews returning from Babylon claimed that very thing to the king of Persia,

“This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Your servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.   

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from you to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.” • Ezra 4:13

In ancient times it was rare for one country to occupy another country with troops for more than a short period. Large standing armies did not exist other than having troops as palace guards and a type of border police. A conquering country would leave administrative officials and some troops to “show the flag” and address the subject ruler and coordinate payments of the presents and services that the ruling king desired. When payments of presents and service ended that was an indication that a vassal had rebelled.

The wars of David made Israel the dominant power in the region. Bear in mind that David never lost a foreign war over some 40 years of rule. One imagines that word got around that Israel and David were not to be challenged, because the punishment was severe and no one ever won against him. It also became clear that the rule by David and later Solomon was a light burden, even profitable, so why fight the bridle? And, the rulers of foreign nations benefited from the long period of general peace, prosperity and trade that God allowed when Israel had a king faithful to God. Especially under Solomon (as presented in 1 Kings 4:22–28) prosperity was the rule for foreign nations.

The people of Israel on the other hand, although they benefited from the general peace and prosperity, were heavily taxed and had other burdens imposed upon them. They so strongly sought relief that they asked for respite from taxes after Solomon died (1 Kings 4:4–11).

Israel’s Treaties, the Problems

God never had a problem with Israel making treaties with nations who were on an equal or subservient basis with Israel, so long as Israel was not corrupted by the foreign nations (which unfortunately was inevitable).

Only when Israel or later Judah voluntarily submitted to any master other than God Almighty as the suzerain King such as Egypt, Syria, Assyria or Babylon, only then did they get into serious trouble with God. When Israel or Judah submitted as vassals to the suzerain power of other nations (which the Bible considered “whoring” with those nations), God took great offense. He was to be Israel and Judah’s sole suzerain King. 4

God allowed other nations to punish Israel and Judah, such as when He brought nations like Assyria or Babylon to punish Israel or Judah step by step, giving them the opportunity to repent with each step. At those times God allowed them to serve other nations. There were also times when God told Israel to submit to foreign powers for punishment, as He told Judah to submit to Nebuchednezzar. Then it was permissible for Judah to be in a vassal agreement with a superior foreign nation. Unfortunately the last kings of Judah even then rebelled against God and Nebuchednezzar; and the Babylonian king eliminated Judah as a sovereign government.

Becoming a vassal to another nation meant that the subject nation must acknowledge and allow worship of the gods of that superior nation over and above the God of Israel and Judah. Unfortunately, the people and rulers of Israel and Judah were often all too willing to do so, both as a political expedient and for gain.

God as King Over Israel

God was Israel’s King as specifically stated by Samuel in his farewell address. Samuel objected when Israel desired another king than God.

“And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king.” • 1 Samuel 12:12

The Psalms often state that God is a King. See Psalms 10:16, 29:10, 47:2, 84:3, 89:18, 95:3, 98:6, primarily of Israel. Near the end of his life David said,

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you reign over all; and in your hand is power and might; and in your hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.” • 1 Chronicles 29:11–12

It is not merely for poetic purposes that God is referred to as King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14 and 19:16).

The Old Covenant that was made between God and the children of Israel was a suzerain-vassal treaty between a King and a subject nation. The Old Covenant has close parallels to treaties between rulers of a superior nation and an inferior nation. This will be the subject for another time.

Sielaff david@askelm.com

Background: Since we know that Lehi was from a northern tribe (Manasseh) and Sariah was also from a northern tribe (Ephriam), and we know that both lived at Jerusalem, Lehi all his days, we can assume their parents, grandparents, etc., came to Jerusalem at some time in the past. Based on secular history, we can assume that was probably after both the division of the kingdoms and the Assyrian attacks.According to the Bible, before the United Monarchies of Saul, David and Solomon, the tribes lived as a confederation under ad hoccharismatic leaders called Judges. Around 1020 B.C., under extreme threat from foreign peoples, the tribes united to form the first United Kingdom of Israel. Samuel, the prophet, anointed Saul from the tribe of Benjamin as the first king, but it was really David around 1009 that created a strong unified Israelite monarchy. David, who succeeded in truly unifying the Israelite tribes, and set up a monarchical government, was the second king—or third, if Ish-bosheth is counted, who was proclaimed king by Abner, the captain of Saul’s army, at Mahanaim in Transjordan (2 Samuel 2:8), when Saul, Ish-bosheth’s father, and three brothers were killed at the battle of Mount Gilboa in 1047. 
    David established Jerusalem as its national capital—before then Hebron had been the capital of David’s Judah and Mahanaim of Ish-bosheth’s Israel, and before that, Gibeah had been the capital under Saul. During David’s time, the borders were secured and the united Kingdom of Israel achieved both prosperity and superiority over its neighbors, and grew into a regional power. Under Solomon, David’s son, the United Monarchy experienced a period of peace and prosperity, and cultural development. Much public building took place, including the First Temple in Jerusalem.    

David’s united kingdom included vassal states, however, on the succession of Solomon's son, Rehoboam around 930 B.C., the country split into two kingdoms and the vassal states fell away. The two kingdoms were Israel in the north, including the cities of Shechem and Samaria, and Judah in the south, including Jerusalem and Hebron. It was at this time that Israel’s king, Omri, took steps to establish close ties of affiliation with Phoenicia to offset the threat of Syrian commercial monopoly, which resulted in the marriage of his son and successor, Ahab, to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians (1 Kings 18:18). 
    During these 300 years before Lehi left Jerusalem, and about 250 years before he was born, Syria invaded the northern kingdom of Israel at the request of Judah in 917 B.C., and the constant fear of a growing Syrian power caused Omri, the king of the northern kingdom, to take steps to establish close ties of affiliation with Phoenicia to offset the threat of Syrian commercial monopoly, which resulted in the marriage of his son and successor, Ahab, to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians (1 Kings 18:18). However, this did not solve the problem with Assyria, and in 722 B.C. they conquered the northern kingdom and deported 200,000 Israelites who were never heard from again. Then in 701 B.C., Assyria attacked Jerusalem, which history was written in the last post.
    Now, continuing with Chadwick’s article:
    Comment: “Ancient Israelite territory east of Jordan was not brought under Judah's umbrella—lands east of Jordan were controlled by Ammon, Judah's traditional rival. In terms of the ancient lands associated with Manasseh, this meant that Josiah's Judah only controlled the western part of Manasseh. But it also meant that any Judean whose great-grandparents had owned property in western Manasseh (or any other former northern kingdom territory west of Jordan) could lay claim to that land if they happened to be in possession of century-old deeds to such real estate. Lehi seems to have been in just this situation.” 

Response: We have no idea what situation Lehi was in and no assumptive situation can be claimed regarding any titled land. Land was owned, of course, by those whose ancestors was granted it at the time the Twelve tribes moved into the lands granted them. From the beginning there were specific requirements and rules governing such lands, which can be found in Leviticus chapter 25. As an example, a person may have owned a dwelling house in a walled city (Leviticus 25:29); houses owned in a village with no wall about it was considered “fields of the country” (Leviticus 25:31); the field of the suburbs of the cities could not be sold but owned perpetually (Leviticus 25:34).
    During this time of granting the lands among the tribes, a Title Deed was drawn up and recorded on a scroll detailing the inheritance received by each family in Israel. Under the law outlined in Leviticus chapter 25, the inheritance of land that each Israelite family received was to belong to them “forever” (Leviticus 25:23). The land was never to be sold, though it could be “leased out” in the event that poverty, sickness, catastrophe, etc. made it necessary on the part of the owner (Leviticus 25:24-28). In such cases the land would pass to a new tenant until the year of Jubilee, or until the land was “redeemed” by the rightful owner or a “kinsman” related to the owner.
    When the land then changed hands, the terms of “redemption” were recorded on the Title Deed, and the deed was then “sealed.” The various deeds were always kept in a safe place, where at anytime during a fifty year Jubilee cycle a legally “qualified” person could call for the deed, break the “seals,” read the terms of redemption,” pay the price required, and the land would revert to his ownership. But unlike today, where a person keeps his own deed in his possession, Jeremiah tells us:
    “I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver. I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy—and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. In their presence I gave Barush these instructions, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time” (Jeremiah 32:14). Whether or not it was the custom to have another party hold deeds and documents is not known, but in this case it was done that way.
    The point of all this is to show that we do not know: 1) which side of the Jordan was the land of Lehi’s ancestors (half of Manasseh’s land was east of the Jordan River, in which case no deeds would have survived and held in Lehi’s time); 2) where specifically in Manasseh Lehi’s ancestors owned property, if in fact they did (the northern portion of Manasseh was 75 miles away from Jerusalem); 3) if Lehi was one who inherited such property (after all, property could only be divided so much, with the first deed issued no earlier than 50 years after the exodus, and the time between issuance and Lehi was  about 500 years, which is at least 15 to 20 generations). 
(See the next post, “Where did Lehi Live Before Departing into the Wilderness? Part VIII,” for more of Chadwick’s comments regarding where Lehi lived before he and his family went into the wilderness)

Israel's Golden Age

Posted on Feb 16, 2011 by United Church of God Estimated reading time: 20 minutes

The story of Israel's rise into a golden age during the reign of David and his son Solomon, and then its disintegration into two separate kingdoms, is a story of both triumph and bitter tragedy.

Shaun Venish

Israel’s territory expanded greatly during the reign of King David, and its influence extended even further under his son and successor, Solomon.

“So Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the [Euphrates] River to the land of the Philestines, as far as the border of Egypt” (1 Kings 4:21).

The covenant by which ancient Israel would become “the people of God” (Judges 20:2) was made at Mount Sinai shortly after the Israelites were freed from Egyptian slavery. God’s covenant with the nation was based on His promises to and covenant with Abraham (Exodus 2:23-24; Exodus 33:1). In it God defined the relationship He wanted with Jacob’s descendants, now the fledgling nation of Israel en route to the Promised Land.

God offered this covenant to Israel as a unilateral declaration of the opportunities He was offering Abraham’s descendants and an unambiguous explanation of the Israelites’ obligations to Him. Their part in making the covenant was only that of accepting or rejecting God’s offer and then, after accepting it, performing the commitment they had made.

God provided them the same opportunity to agree to walk before Him blamelessly that He had given to Abraham. He consistently reminded them: “For I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45). The effectiveness of the relationship depended on their continued attention to living and behaving as a holy —set-apart—people.

When the children of Israel heard the terms of God’s covenant, they had two clear-cut choices. They could accept the role of living as God’s holy people —His representatives to the nations (Deuteronomy 4:6)—or they could accept the consequences for refusing to cooperate.

At that time the prospect of their surviving without God’s help was bleak. God had just delivered them from the cruelty of Egyptian bondage. They had no homeland, and no other nation was inclined to accept them as residents. They found themselves caught in a no-man’s-land, a harsh and unforgiving environment.

God had knowingly made the option of their becoming His holy people too attractive to refuse. But He did not force them into this role without their willing consent. They had to make a choice.

He spoke to them from Mount Sinai and revealed to them His Ten Commandments—His basic definition of holiness. The Commandments, along with the statutes and judgments God revealed to Moses, became “the Book of the Covenant.” Moses then “took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, ‘All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient’ ” (Exodus 24:7; compare Exodus 24:3).

In spite of the covenant, the Israelites of the generation God had just freed from Egyptian slavery was still unsure and suspicious of their Creator’s concern for them. They said to Moses: “We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?” (Deuteronomy 5:24-26).

The Israelites feared being too close to God. They did not trust Him. They lacked the faith of Abraham. So they said to Moses, “You go near and hear all that the LORD our God may say, and tell us all that the LORD our God says to you, and we will hear and do it” (Deuteronomy 5:27). They were not ready for a truly close, personal relationship with God.

Why the New Covenant would be necessary

God, of course, knew their hearts better than they knew them. He understood that the covenant He was making with them had one major weakness: There was no provision in it to change the human heart. That would have to wait until the first coming of the Messiah, until Jesus Christ could be slain as the sacrificial Lamb of God (Hebrews 9:26).

Notice God’s response to the Israelites’ declaration that they would obey Him: “I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:28-29, NASB).

But they did not have such a heart. God did not include a new heart, empowered by His Spirit, as part of the birthright promise. That blessing would come later as part of the scepter promise God gave to Judah that He would fulfill after the death of Christ (Isaiah 53:11-12; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews 8:3-12).

Notice what Peter said centuries later when God finally made available the Holy Spirit to all His people on that Feast of Pentecost following Christ’s death. He exclaimed: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:1, Acts 2:38-39).

Because God did not give them the Holy Spirit, the people of ancient Israel were never fully able to live according to the spiritual intent of God’s laws and thus become a truly holy people. Their human nature and the influences of the other people around them consistently led them astray.

Even the generation God led out of Egypt by great miracles died in the wilderness of the Middle Eastern desert because of its constant disbelief, stubbornness, complaints and disobedience. God did not allow that generation to inherit the land He had promised Abraham’s descendants. Those people were unwilling to reflect the holiness He desired.

Nevertheless, God kept His promise to Abraham and gave the land of the promise to their children under the leadership of Joshua. So “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel” (Joshua 24:31).

Herein lies an important lesson. Just because a generation of His people becomes disobedient doesn’t mean God forsakes His promises to their children. They also are heirs of His promise to Abraham.

God may, for a time, withhold or delay the blessings He has promised. But He will eventually give them. He always keeps His word. For that reason we can be certain God will fulfill the biblical prophecies about the children of Israel in the last days.

Israel becomes a kingdom

For the next several hundred years God sent prophets and judges to guide the people, to teach them His ways and resolve controversies among them. But many times they turned their back on Him (Psalms 78:56-57). They fell short in living up to their commitment to be a holy people. The Bible summarizes the era of the judges in these words: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

Yet during that era, and later, God heard their prayers in times of crisis and fought their battles when they cried out for His mercy (Psalms 106:39-45). He “was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence” (2 Kings 13:23).

Finally Israel asked the prophet Samuel for a king. “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and … said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the LORD.

“And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them … Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them’ ” (1 Samuel 8:4-9).

God honored their request and directed Samuel to anoint Saul—apparently one of the most physically impressive men in Israel—as their king (1 Samuel 10:17-24). God was willing to work with and support Israel’s king if he would behave righteously. But Saul became arrogant, stubborn and self-willed. Physically he appeared to be everything the people could have asked for as a king, but his heart was not right before God. So God decided to replace him.

Paul explained 1,000 years later: “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus” (Acts 13:22-23).

The beginning of Israel’s golden age

The story of Israel’s rise into a golden age during the reign of David and his son Solomon, and then its disintegration into two separate kingdoms, is a story of both triumph and bitter tragedy.

Together these events underscore God’s faithfulness to His promises and the tragedy of human weakness. They also highlight the necessity for a major change in the human spirit and the return of Christ as the world’s only perfect king.

During the reign of David and Solomon, God fulfilled His promise that Abraham’s descendants would rule over a vast territory in the Middle East from Egypt to the Euphrates River. Israel became a great nation.

But, because of the sins of Solomon and his successors, as well as the transgressions of the people themselves, Israel lost it all in the decades after Solomon’s death. Here is how it happened.

David became ruler over the tribes of Israel in two stages. First the tribe of Judah anointed him king in Hebron (2 Samuel 2:3-4). From that city David reigned for about seven years before the other tribes made a covenant with him and also accepted him as king. Thus began a period of unity in Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5; 1 Chronicles 11:3).

As king, David inherited a large and effective military. About 350,000 armed warriors from the tribes of Israel attended his coronation ceremony (1 Chronicles 12:23-40). Soon he began to subdue the unfriendly neighbors who had plagued the Israelites for years.

David reigned a total of 40 years, 33 of them from Jerusalem, the city he captured from the Jebusites and made Israel’s capital. His rule signaled Israel’s ascent to military and economic preeminence in the Middle East. Modern historians tend to ignore the biblical record and vastly underestimate the size and scope of David’s and Solomon’s kingdom.

As the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary explains: “The tendency of scholars in the past has been to give scant credence to the biblical notices of Solomon’s power and glory … Archaeology has vindicated the wide extent of the Davidic-Solomonic empire as delineated in Kings. The general historical background of the Davidic-Solomonic period has also been authenticated.

“Solomon’s glory used to be commonly dismissed as ‘Semitic exaggeration’ or a romantic tale. It was contended that such a sprawling realm could not have existed between great empires like Egypt, the Hittites, Assyria, and Babylonia. The monuments, however, have shown that during the period from 1100 to 900 B.C. the great empires surrounding Israel were either in decline or temporarily inactive, so that Solomon could rule with the splendor attributed to him in the Bible” (1988, “Solomon”).

The key to David’s success

What was the key to David’s military and political success? We find the answer revealed in the first military challenge he faced after consolidating all the tribes of Israel under his leadership.

“When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

“David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ The LORD said to David, ‘Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.’ So David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. He said, ‘The LORD has burst forth against my enemies before me, like a bursting flood’ ” (2 Samuel 5:17-20, NRSV).

David did not have to go looking for trouble. It came to him. But when it did God gave him the victory. As time passed, his enemies formed alliances among themselves to overthrow the kingdom—a kingdom they failed to realize that God had established. David was victorious even against alliances of hostile neighbors. “And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was with him” (1 Chronicles 11:9, NIV).

David’s success was God’s doing. He became the most powerful ruler in the Middle East in his day. Yet he built no monuments to honor himself as was the custom of virtually all the other ancient kings. Therefore, since his exploits are recorded only in the Bible, most historians refuse to acknowledge the prominence of Israel under David and his son and successor, Solomon.

Critics of the Bible point out there is little archaeological evidence to support the Bible’s claims of Israel’s greatness under David and Solomon. Yet the lack of evidence is perfectly understandable in light of the history of Israel and the region.

Armies have fought over and invaded the area countless times over the centuries. Jerusalem alone has been conquered more than 20 times, several of which involved its complete destruction. Parchment and papyrus records from ancient times in Israel have long since turned to dust. But even though such specific hard evidence is sparse, by no means is it nonexistent. In light of the Bible’s perfect accuracy in so many areas, we have no reason to question its statements about Israel under David and Solomon. (For more information about the accuracy of the Bible, be sure to request or download your free copy of the booklet Is the Bible True? )

Solomon inherits an empire

King Solomon inherited an immense, powerful and prosperous Middle Eastern empire from his father, David. “For [Solomon] had dominion over all the region on this side of the [Euphrates] River from Tiphsah [probably modern Dibseh, where northern Syria borders southern Turkey] even to Gaza [the Philistine city on the Mediterranean coast], namely over all the kings on this side of the River; and he had peace on every side all around him” (1 Kings 4:24).

At that time the people of Judah and Israel “were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the [Euphrates] River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute [taxes] and were Solomon’s subjects all his life” (1 Kings 4:20-21, NIV).

Two other Middle Eastern powers, Egypt and Tyre (north of Israel on the coast in modern-day Lebanon) chose to become allies of David and Solomon rather than attack Israel and risk being conquered themselves. These two greatly expanded the scope of Israel’s commercial and political might, though during the reign of Solomon their cultural and religious influences would also contribute to Israel’s eventual collapse.

Solomon’s alliance with Hiram of Tyre is probably the primary reason the historical importance of Israel’s power and influence has been obscured in Western history. Modern historians, when describing the pervasive influence of the Phoenician Empire, centered then around Tyre, tend to overlook that Solomon was the real power of the eastern Mediterranean region at the time.

Israel and the Phoenician Empire

The Bible reveals that the history of Israel and Phoenicia was far more intertwined than most historians have recognized. In general they prospered together in good times and suffered together during the bad. They had common enemies. They rose to international power together and were later conquered by the Assyrian Empire at about the same time.

The people in the coastal area around Tyre and nearby Sidon shared an alphabet and more or less the same Semitic language with Israel. Other than slight cultural and dialectical differences, the languages appear to have been almost identical.

Israel’s special relationship with King Hiram of Tyre began during David’s reign (1 Chronicles 14:1) and continued beyond the reign of Solomon. Historians know Tyre as the chief city of the mighty Phoenicians.

The 1999 Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia says the Phoenicians “became the most notable traders and sailors of the ancient world. The fleets of the coast cities traveled throughout the Mediterranean and even into the Atlantic Ocean, and other nations competed to employ Phoenician ships and crews in their navies … The city-kingdoms founded many colonies, notably Utica and Carthage in north Africa, on the islands of Rhodes and Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, and Tarshish in southern Spain. Tyre was the leader of the Phoenician cities before they were subjugated, once again, by Assyria during the 8th century BC” (“Phoenicia”).

Solomon greatly expanded Israel’s partnership with Hiram. It appears that a covenant of kinship was formally made between the two rulers, a “treaty of brotherhood” (Amos 1:9, NIV). As we will see, that relationship would prove to be one of Solomon’s tragic mistakes. But temporarily it greatly increased the prosperity of both kingdoms, and it was this partnership that achieved international fame as the Phoenician Empire.

In evaluating the power and prestige of the mighty Phoenicians, historians tend to look no further than the maritime cities on the coast of modern Lebanon. They fail to recognize the partnership that existed between Hiram of Tyre and David and Solomon of Israel. As a result, they fail to see that David and Solomon, not Hiram, were the dominant rulers of the commercial partnership that became known to the outside world as Phoenicia.

Israel’s contribution to Phoenician power

In his book Lebanon Yesterday and Today, John Christopher succinctly describes the region that historians regard as ancient Phoenicia. “When Phoenicia was at the peak of its power about 1000 B.C. [during the reign of David and Solomon], the chief city-states were, from south to north, Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and Aradus (situated on an island off the Syrian coast beyond the Lebanese frontier)” (1966, p. 43).

But anciently the word Phoenicia sometimes referred to much more than just those few coastal cities. It even included much of the inland area of the “land of Canaan” that was the territory of ancient Israel. This important information is often overlooked in historical accounts of ancient Phoenicia.

Christopher explains: “During the third millennium [B.C.], Byblos and the Lebanese coast in general were often referred to as the land of Canaan, and its inhabitants as Canaanites. Sometime later the more familiar terms, Phoenicia and Phoenicians, appeared. Phoenicia sometimes specifically referred to the coastal section of the much larger land of Canaan that reached well inland” (p. 41, emphasis added).

From the point of view of the Phoenician coastal cities, a cooperative alliance with Israel was a geopolitical necessity. Militarily, Israel was the cities’ most powerful neighbor, far too powerful for Tyre’s Hiram to ignore.

David’s conquests of Edom, Moab and Ammon (modern Jordan) and Aram (modern Syria) gave Israel control over most of the vital inland trade routes. Tyre and Sidon controlled the maritime trade of the Mediterranean region. The weakness of the Phoenician port cities was their almost total dependence on trade for their survival.

Israel was, to a great extent, self-sufficient, producing large quantities of agricultural exports such as wine, olive oil and wheat. But the Phoenician coastal area around Tyre and Sidon was mountainous, leaving little land for agricultural production. Reflecting the scarcity of tillable land, they imported considerable foodstuffs from Israel. Strong political and commercial ties quickly developed between the two kingdoms, but Israel was by far the more powerful of the two.

The port cities of Tyre and Sidon shared manpower with Israel for the gathering of materials for Israel’s temple (1 Kings 5:8-18). Solomon even conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men to work in Lebanon to secure timber for the temple’s construction (verses 13-14).

The Phoenician port cities also gave Israel direct access to vast inter-national markets through their maritime control of the Mediterranean Sea. Historians have records of the Phoenicians venturing into the Atlantic Ocean at least as far as the British Isles, and some believe they traveled far beyond. This, then, means Israel had the same access to these areas.

The Scriptures even note that two Israelite tribes, Asher and Dan, had developed their own maritime expertise long before the days of David and Solomon of Israel and King Hiram of Tyre (Judges 5:17). Solomon built his own fleet of ships and stationed them at Israel’s port city of Ezion Geber (1 Kings 9:26), providing trade access to east Africa and Asia via the Red and Arabian seas.

Though the Israelites had their own experienced navigators, the Phoenicians also supplied them with “seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Solomon,” in their joint maritime commercial ventures (1 Kings 9:27-28).

Israel, under David and Solomon, was a full partner in Phoenicia’s international greatness and fame. The international commercial and political influence of Solomon was far greater than most recent historians have perceived. During this time, it is likely that some of Israel’s traders settled in the British Isles, establishing small colonies. Although historical information about this period is sparse, many ancient traditions indicate this is what happened.

Why God gave Israel an empire

In the days of Moses, when Israel came into existence as a nation, God explained His purpose for making the Israelites a people of influence and power. He told them: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation …” (Exodus 19:5-6).

God intended to use them as a model nation. He had Moses tell them: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you…Be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people’ ” (Deuteronomy 4:2-6).

God wanted Israel to set an example that would teach other nations the benefits that come from obeying Him—faithfully keeping His laws. When He established Israel as a great nation He gave Solomon wisdom that exceeded the understanding of the other rulers in the region. Solomon became internationally famous for his wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-34), and his subjects apparently were at peace within their lands.

God intended that the wisdom of His way of life and His laws be made available to other nations. He gave Israel a magnificent opportunity to spiritually enrich or bless “all the families of the earth,” as He had promised Abraham.

But neither Solomon nor the people he led kept their eyes on that objective. The physical benefits of prosperity, wealth and fame became their chief focus. They lost sight of the reason for their existence as a nation.

Again, the problem was human nature. Solomon increasingly yielded to his own weaknesses until, at the end of his life, he had abandoned the great God who had given him an empire. In the next chapter we’ll learn how this happened and the consequences that came from it.

ANCIENT ISRAELKING SOLOMONKING DAVID