Meaning of the Name Solomon
The Hebrew name Shlomo is associated with shalom ('peace, well-being') and is commonly glossed 'peaceful' or 'man of peace'.
Origin
The name Solomon is of Hebrew origin.
Who is Solomon in the Bible?
Solomon is David's son and king of Israel. He asks for wisdom, builds the temple in Jerusalem, and is named in the opening of Proverbs.
The story of Solomon in the Bible
Solomon is David's son and succeeds him on the throne of Israel; his name rests on the Hebrew root shalom, meaning peace. At the start of his reign the Lord appears to him in a dream at Gibeon and invites him to ask for whatever he wishes. Solomon asks not for long life, riches, or the death of his enemies, but for a discerning heart able to govern the people and tell good from evil. The request pleases God, who grants him extraordinary wisdom along with the wealth and honor he did not ask for. His fame spreads quickly; his ruling between two women claiming the same baby is the best-known example. He builds the first temple to the Lord in Jerusalem, beginning the work in the fourth year of his reign, centuries after Israel's exodus from Egypt. The wisdom tradition also bears his name: Proverbs presents itself as the sayings of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, and Ecclesiastes is likewise associated with him. Solomon is remembered as the wise king and builder of the temple.
Is Solomon mentioned in the Quran?
The name Solomon (Süleyman) is also mentioned in the Quran, where Islamic tradition knows him as both king and prophet; in the Bible he is David's son, the king famed for wisdom, and the builder of the first temple in Jerusalem.
Verses where Solomon appears
- 1 Kings 3:5-14 —
In Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, according as he walked before…
- 1 Kings 6:1 —
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build…
- Proverbs 1:1 —
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel: