Please read my study questions on I Kings and then I Kings, Chapters 1-11.Does it seems to you that the I Kings account of Solomon has in it the makings of a good tragedy? Or is the I Kings account better viewed as history, biography, or prophecy rather than as tragedy?
At first, I had thought that Solomon's story couldn't possibly be one of tragedy, even having biblical knowledge of him beforehand, and that it was more a mix of biography and history. And while history and biography are still characteristics, I'd forgotten about his incredible downfall toward the end of his life. Solomon began as the underdog, under threat of Adonijah taking over his throne. When he finally comes out on top, he's completely faithful to the Lord, and the Lord appropriately rewards him with immense wisdom. He uses this wisdom to govern his people well, and he begins the construction of the temple, completely dedicated to the Lord. He even makes an incredibly large sacrifice to the Lord with all his people. But after he starts taking foreign wives, he turns away from God, which isn't a small issue. The consequence of this was Solomon no longer finding himself in God's favor. When God chooses someone else to take the throne away from David's line, Solomon begins to act like Saul did toward David, trying to kill Jeroboam because God chose him as a successor. In this way, Solomon really falls from grace and doesn't redeem himself before his death, which is quite tragic.
ReplyDeleteI think 1 kings is better viewed as history than tragedy. One reason is because it is a chronological term of events that work better when viewed as history than tragedy because large parts of the story are not tragic. King Solomon's reign for example is prosperous and even the peak of Ancient Israel as a kingdom. Another is he builds the Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem. There was some tragedy with it like any history as well though. King Solomon loosing favor with the Lord as Kings goes on in tragic, but it is not tragic enough to make the whole of 1 Kings a tragedy.
ReplyDeleteSolomon's major weakness was his ego, in the making of the kingdom, we see Solomon doing well in accomplishments. Somehow he lets them all get to his head and forgets the warnings that the lord had instructed of him as well as of his father. He is unable to set Israel on a course of lasting peace and prosperity because he went to far as in bringing other idols in and selling his people off just to keep ties with foreigners. If Solomon were to stay true to his calling and remembered to use the wisdom that he obtained from the lord to judge the people of Israel, things would have been different.
ReplyDeletekenneth dennis
DeleteI think I Kings is better viewed as history and biography because the first several chapters read as the history of a great man followed by Solomon turning towards foreign women and their gods. The story is also pretty firmly built on Solomon and his exploits for those chapters. This turn by Solomon is no small thing but tragic events happen in history, and we don't consider every bad thing that has happened a tragedy. I think it reads more matter of the fact than what happened with Saul as well. You can learn the lessons of history here to be careful who you keep in company with.
ReplyDeleteBroc Kilber- I think that 1 Kings should be classified as history that has a tragedy inside of it. While there is definitely the makings of a great tragedy with Solomon as he goes from having everything one could hope to being the person who wrote Ecclesiastes which is not a bundle of joy. He had the wisdom and knowledge to not have all these wives and to follow the Lord but failed and that is the truly tragic part is that he had everything and yet failed. However 1 Kings is mostly history of the kings of Israel, hence the name. The rest of the book speaks to the divide of the kingdom into Judah and Israel. It is mainly a historical narrative that has the tragedy of Solomon in their.
ReplyDeleteI Kings 1-11 is a tragedy. The life of Solomon written in scripture is to be as an example of how not to live your life and how not to rule a nation which is to be peculiar from the rest of the world. the Bible uses Solomons life to compare to his father, Davids, to show the differences between righteousness and wickedness, which results in tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the first 11 chapters sets it up for the greatest tragedy. First, It starts off with David encouraging his son, Solomon, to stick to the ways of the Lord right before his death. Then it shows Solomons life starting out amazing and gaining not just riches from God, but wisdom for the Most High. The temple and his palace was built and he's assigned men to different regions. He has all this livestock and a nation under his command. Yet, it ends with stating that he loved women a little too much. That will be his downfall. Absolutely tragic.
ReplyDeleteAndrew
DeleteYes, it sets up Solomon as a perfect figure of tragedy. He has been steadfast in his support of God despite the rocky beginning to his reign. He does so well that God bestows wisdom upon him so that he can rule wisely. Despite this, the cracks begin to show - his love for women makes him foolish, he requires expensive building projects and (most importantly) money to fund those projects. This provides an undue burden upon others.
ReplyDeleteAnd after all of his hard work, Solomon's kingdom falls in the end; not just into destruction, but something worse than destruction, a fate they will not be free from for many generations to come.
Dylan Schimke
ReplyDeleteI think chapters 1-11 of Kings could be a tragedy, but not as dramatic as the tragedies in Samuel. To me, it seems more like a history than anything. It goes into great detail about the building of the temple, and it talks about everything Solomon did in the early years of his leadership. They way it could be a tragedy is how Solomon starts the downfall of his rule, and Israel, with his many marriages. It is good that he asked God for wisdom but then goes astray when trying to make the kingdom more powerful. Like I said before however, I think it fits the history category better than it being a tragedy.
1st kings one may not don't seem like a tragedy chapter 1 narrates the story of the rise and fall of the Isreal kingdom. Including themes of promise. This would be considered a tragedy. 1st chapter sets the stage for future events. It sets up where David is at the end of his life and the successor takes his place. The rest of the book highlights the eclipse of the kingdom. The theme of tragedy states the discipline of God. Solomon then soon reigns and is depicted in his aftermath later. Overall, there are tragic elements, but I wouldn't consider this story to be tragic. The lesson is don't discipline God.
ReplyDeleteThe account of Solomon makes for a great tragedy. In my opinion, the story of Solomon must be viewed in the context of Israel's entire history to understand why his story is so tragic. The entire Old Testament is set up for King Solomon’s reign. Abraham’s people enter the promised land, David creates this great kingdom, and Solomon is made its sole ruler. But just as Israel seems to have hit its stride, emerging from its tumultuous and troubled history, and starts to dominate Middle Eastern politics, things begin to go astray. Solomon turns away from the Lord and puts the entire existence of Israel in jeopardy. He marries hundreds of women, worships other gods, and culturally divides the kingdom. Just as Israel is about to become what God promised, it turns away from Him, eventually leading to its destruction. As Jesus says hundreds of years later, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.” Israel doesn't let God guide them to success, they always turn away from it.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, the first part of I Kings seems more like a history than a tragedy. The great details of the building of the temple seem more fitting for like a book on architectural history than part of a build up for a tragedy. There doesn't seem to be a lot that accounts for Solomon's character in these first chapters, so I don't feel like a tragedy is really the way to describe this first part of the book. Now chapter 11 which deals with Solomon's fall would definitely fit a tragedy. But it just seems like Solomon's downfall is really just summed up and there isn't a lot of detail. A tragedy I feel should walk through the many bad choices or disasters that befell the tragic hero leading to the hero's ultimate demise. All it says about Solomon is that he basically liked women, and he married the people God instructed the Israelites not to marry. If this is a tragedy, it’s kind of boring one.
ReplyDeleteI used to think this part wasn’t a tragedy but simply history—especially because the temple is described in such detailed and extensive terms.
ReplyDeleteHowever, after reading chapter 11, where Solomon turns away from God and God begins to bring judgment, I began to think that the lengthy description was actually written in anticipation of what would happen later.
Previous kings were marked by personal tragedies—especially conflicts with their sons—but the kings in the Books of Kings, including Solomon, continually fail to let go of material things.
I think the grandeur and length of the temple narrative is meant to highlight this contrast with the earlier Samuel chapters. It emphasizes the shift—where what seems like glory becomes the stage for decline.
Sophia Lee
I think the first 11 chapters of I Kings create an ideal set up for a tragedy. You begin with the end of David's life--a tragedy in itself. He's an old man whose own wives don't even want to keep him warm, so they have to hire a young woman to be David's source of warmth and comfort--rather humiliating, really. Solomon is made king, but with this honor, he drags behind him a rope of tragedy. He now has to deal with David's enemies and foes. After a bit, things start to look good--Solomon has delighted God with his wisdom and temple being built. Solomon has proved to his people that he is wise and strong. Great, right? However, things can't be good for too long. Something always goes wrong. Throughout the initial chapters, we see God continuously warn Solomon that if he or the people disobey God, then there will be furious consequences. Chapter 11 is, in my opinion, the beginning of Solomon's ultimate tragedy. The chapters preceding that are a great line-up.
ReplyDeleteLauren
Edit to my comment above^^
ReplyDelete- I meant to say that chapter 11 is the beginning of another ultimate tragedy in the Bible--not necessarily Solomon's!
Lauren
The story of King Solomon is tragic, but I do not believe that 1 Kings outlines a traditional tragedy in these chapters. Chapters 1-11 follow the chronological events surrounding King Solomon's life, including becoming king, asking God for wisdom, and building the temple, all the way up to his ultimate fall from power. Although this is a tragic turn of events, this story is more representative of history to me. Thucydides is known to have said, "History is philosophy teaching by example," and that is exactly what the story of Solomon displays. It is a true account of what happens when a man of the Lord turns from Him, and it serves as guidance by example for those who read Solomon's story.
ReplyDelete-Jorja